Hi everyone,
I’m a self-published author who’s starting to move into screenwriting. In some ways it feels like coming back to where a lot of my ideas began. A few of my stories actually started out as screenplay concepts before I turned them into novels, so now I’m working on bringing them back into script form.
Right now I’m focused on adapting some of my books into screenplays and getting up to speed on current formatting and expectations. I enjoy the differences between writing prose and writing for the screen, and I’m looking forward to getting better at both.
The writing part comes naturally to me. The business side does not. I’m pretty introverted, and putting myself out there or making connections has always been the harder piece. That’s really what brought me to Stage 32. I’m hoping to learn, connect with others, and get more comfortable navigating that side of things.
Looking forward to meeting people here and learning from your experiences. If you’ve made the jump from novels to screenwriting, I’d love to hear how you handled it.
Thanks, glad to be here.
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Hi Jason Rist , glad you’re here, and thanks for sharing your journey. It’s always interesting to see writers bring their stories full circle back into screenwriting. Having original material to adapt puts you in a great position, especially since you already know the characters and world inside out. You may find this blog useful as you work through the transition: https://www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-adapt-a-novel-into-a-screenplay-the-... , and you can also explore Stage 32’s education services here: https://www.stage32.com/education for webinars on outlining features and adapting your work for the screen. If you’d like to connect with other writers who’ve made a similar transition, the Authoring & Playwriting Lounge is a helpful space as well: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/playwriting . The business side can feel like a shift at first, but being active in conversations like this is a solid step toward building connections naturally over time. The Success Team at Success@Stage32.com can also offer guidance on navigating the industry side and identifying next steps that fit your goals. Which project are you planning to adapt first?
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Thanks for sharing that. I'll check out all the resources here.
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Hey Jason Rist great to meet you and thanks for sharing about all you're up to! Stage 32 is a great place to learn, connect, and get comfortable with turning on "business mode" once you've finished the fun writing part. There's a lot of great resources and webinars on adaptations like this one: https://www.stage32.com/education/products/how-to-adapt-a-book-into-a-fi...
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Welcome Jason Rist — the journey you are describing is more common than you might think. Starting with screenplay concepts, turning them into novels, and now bringing them back to script form means you already understand story architecture at a deep level. The formatting and industry conventions are learnable quickly. The instinct for what a story needs to do — that is the harder thing, and you clearly already have it.
The business side being the harder piece is something a lot of writers here will recognize immediately. Stage 32 is genuinely one of the better places to get comfortable with that side of things at your own pace — the community is warm and the webcasts in the Writers' Room give you direct access to industry professionals without having to put yourself out there cold. Grab a free month and ease in: https://www.stage32.com/writers-room/plans-vip
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Congratulations! Writers have to write!
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I think it's great that you know yourself so well, and that you're willing to stretch yourself!
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Good for you that you’re writing both books as well as screenplays, that’s not easy! I immediately thought of this webinar that I know you will find helpful for your current situation: https://www.stage32.com/education/products/the-step-by-step-process-of-developing-a-book-into-a-film-or-television-series