Screenwriting : How many of you screenwriters write novels too? by Michael Cantrell

I've written three novels (The Stolen Kingdom, The Hooded Summer & Faithfully Executed) that I won't release/publish. They are all historical in nature (1890, 1924 & 1945) and I learned a GREAT deal of history as I did the research and I got to meet James Michener when I lived on Colorado in'69 as he was working on Colorado. But I prefer the visual, present tense, action writing of film scripts - short & FL. I don't know why but I guess it's each to his own. Best wishes on your endeavors.

I’m kind of in the same boat. I like visual writing and hate having to explain my character’s feelings. I’d rather show it. The only reason I’m thinking of novels is because they are a finished product that i can publish so people can actually consume the story. Though I’m giving consideration to just taking the plunge and doing a screenplay.

In today's environment, a good writer can do both. It helps keep my creative nature from going nuts in between one or the other with nothing to do. Just a suggestion for you, Michael, you can take your script ideas and turn them into short stories. This serves two purposes. You get your story fleshed out without the need to concentrate on script format and details often reveal in the process. Then, you can write scripts as you have time and inclination. Once you have enough short stories, you can also turn them into a collection book, giving you an 'IP' to market along with your scripts. Have a great day! :-)

Michael, you don't have to reveal your character's thoughts or feelings in a novel if you use an objective (screenwriting-like) point of view. You could read Dash Hammett's The Glass Key, for example, to see how it can be done.

I’m definitely going to check out Daschill Hammett! Heard the Maltese Falcon is written in similar prose style. That would be my style too.

I don't write novels, but I honestly want to some day. I'm also intrigued by short stories. But, every time i think I could write a story or (start on) a novel, there's this voice in my ear that says "yes, but if you do that, it means less time on writing screenplays!"

I've published poetry books. I attempted a novel a couple years back, failed haha It started well, but then I just...ran out of juice. Realized very quickly that while I was good at writing poetry books, a novel was a different kettle of fish lol However though, given all of my writing in poetry, journalism, to music -- I must say I enjoy screenwriting the most.

Fun fact: the novel I failed at, became my very first script.

Novels are such a different artform. It feels at times almost too invasive and voyeuristic, yet the character exploration plumbs to depths you can’t do with film. At the same time I’m much more fascinated by exploring characters through word and action than their internal thoughts.

I have written 68 books, 17 of which are novels. I am basing my proposed TV procedural drama on one set of 8 novels. I have written 84 scripts for it

I have some stories that I thought were scripts but are novels. I just have t written them.

I haven't written a novel, but through one of the biggest photography book publishers, Amherst Media, I published four "how-to" photography books with them and also have self-published a few other books of various subjects. I've also written for newspapers nationwide and my largest tear sheet as a photojournalist was a cover-story for "Parade" magazine, 32 million printed copies that was co-illustrated with the late Pulitzer Prize winner Eddie Adams. I also write photography tips for SunbouncePro.com and was a Quora 2016, 2017 and 2018 Top Writer.

That said, screenwriting is totally different and I started doing that in Sept. 2017. I've written two TV pilots, one based on my memoirs which I'm writing as a book, "Lens Diaries." The other pilot, "Dagger" I was asked to write the feature version of it and I've completed a first draft and I'm probably at version 20 of it now as I rewrite it because in this learning process of screen writing, I now know my mistakes.

My fourth script came about from my memoirs when I stumbled onto a true story that happened to someone I once worked with and in the past month it's received four script requests by major industry players and now I wait the notes. Currently I'm working on my fifth script, also a feature.

As a self-employed writer and photographer now for about 15-years, I make time to write as much as possible, the hard part is the motivation. When I wrote blogs, books, and articles for publications, I always procrastinated as it felt like homework, with screenwriting it's something I want to do, so I enjoy more than anything I've ever written and I'm even liking it more than photography. Just my two centavos worth. :)

I'd written two novels when I turned my hand to screenwriting. Now I'm having a difficult time switching back to the slower, more in depth style of internal dialogue. Does that make sense? For me screenwriting is rapid, and straight forward with no literary finesse. I just wrote a book and my husband complained that it was like reading a screenplay! Arhg. Plus the whole present tense thing is hard to switch back and forth with.

I adapt them but couldn't write a novel to save my life.

I tried writing a novel once. I got bored and when I saw my writing was rambling and all over the place, I shut it down. I found that Screenwriting comes much more easily to me. Its straight forward and gets right to the point.

Outline your entire story and make a list of conflicts going on in the protagonist's life and you won't have writer's block.

All of my screenplays are adaptations of my novels.