Which is better?

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Eowyn Eomer

Which do you think is better, writing a screenplay or writing a book?

I think if I wrote a screenplay, I would want to direct and cast it as well. I would feel annoyed creating a story and then handing it over to Hollywood to do with it as they pleased.
 

JustinoIV

Well, if you have the money to produce it, or have access to the finances, yes, you can write, direct, and producer your own movie. I've known indie people who have done it. It's a lot of work, but worth it if you love it.

Some of the people on Done Deal have done their own shorts, and a couple have done their own features. You might want to ask them.

You may wish to consider either film school, or work in the industry to learn more about how to do things.

So neither a screenplay nor a book is better. It all depends on you.
 

captain bligh

what you do is, consider the story you're telling and decide in which medium that story would be best expressed -- and then write it, whether it's a poem or a short story or a novella or a novel or a screenplay or whatever. and then you do the same thing with the next story. and the next. there's no either/or decision to make.
 

Writing Again

NikeeGoddess has a point about screenwriting, but I have to ask if you are emotionally ready for what happens when you write a book?

Are you aware your title may be changed? That you will have little or no say about what is on the cover of your book, artwork, blurbs, etc?

The editor/publisher will want you to cut chapters, make changes, some of which will not make sense to you?

You can fight each and every one of these things, but if you do you you will be seen as temperamental and difficult to deal with and "not worth the effort."

I don't care what kind of writing you do, sometimes acceptance is more emotionally traumatizing than rejection.
 

SimonSays

I don't think it's a question of better.

There are alot of variables involved. Some subjects are more suited for one over the other - for example stories that have a lot of internal conflicts are better suited for a novel, because you can get inside the character's head through the narration.

While the basics of storytelling are the same, on a technical level novel writing and screenwriting are totally different crafts. Many very talented novelists cannot write screenplays and vice versa. I've been writing screenplays for 10 years and am now finishing up my first novel. It was quite a struggle in the beginning to flesh out character, etc. through prose.

The biggest difference is that with novels there are no filters between what you write and your audience. Yes, you might need to make changes and adjustments during the editing process, but once the novel is published. The reader reads what you wrote, the way you wrote it.

With scripts - not only is there a rewrite process, but then every detail is filtered through others before it gets on film. The story the audience sees is in essence the director's vision of your vision. The costumes, the actors line readings, the sets, the camera angles - what is and is not edited out - all other people's interpretations of what you wrote.

I'm not dissing it - I love writing scripts and there is nothing more exciting than seeing your work come to life on the screen.

But if you are a control freak or if you do not want your vision diluted or altered - then film is probably not the best vehicle to tell your story.
 

JustinoIV

Along those lines, if you turned to others to help you produce your script, those backing you financially will have a say in what is done.

Also, any actors that are going to be in a film also have a say. An actor can read a script and feel that it is good, but it needs some changes. As the screenwriter, it will be your job to accomodate them, as people go to movies in part to see their favorite actors.

Generally, in the real paying film industry, everything is compartmentalized. Screenwriting is a totally different animal from directing.

In the indie world, people will wear many different hats. But there, I have known screenwriters/directors/producers/lead actors who filmed their own movies out of pocket and not only got no distribution, but no film festival would show them.

And as Writing Again just said, publishing companies will have changes made if they think it will help sales.

Writing won't be all about you, if you want to produce a product that other people will see or read.
 

Writing Again

I agree with everything Simon, Capt. Bligh, NikeeGoddess, and Justino say.

I would like to add one more item:

If you want fame choose novels. Even relatively unsuccessful authors can achieve celebrity with a little effort: endorse candidates and causes; get on talk shows; live in a small town where heads turn when you walk down the street.

If you would rather pursue your passion in anonymous privacy choose screenwriting. If your best selling novel was turned into a blockbuster motion picture there is little or no way you can avoid being a celebrity and all the crap that goes with it -- while the screenwriter who wrote the screenplay goes virtually unnoticed and their names are unknown except for the good folks here and over at Done Deal.

Come to think of it, the more I think about it, the better screenwriting looks to me all the time.
 

JustinoIV

A lot of people who chose to both write and direct start out with short films. Once you've gotten the feel of writing, directing, and producing, you could move up to features. Shorts are a good way to start, because once you get into the film festivals or some sort of distribution, you lay the ground work to have your features distributed.

In other words, you can do it.

The same with a novel. As I said before, it all depends on you.
 

maestrowork

Some materials are good for both. Some are probably more suitable for books (genres such as romance or sci-fi, literary novels that don't have a lot of plot, etc.) and some are well suited for screen play (horror, detective, mainstream, romantic comedies, etc.) If you can do both, you will double your chance for success and fame and money.

Novel writing and screen writing require some very different skills, though. Many people can't do both equally well, but some can (e.g. John Irving or Michael Chabon).
 

dchapma123

This is a screenwriting board, isn't it? Writing a script is better. ;)
 
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