Easiest career to break into: Screenwriter or Novelist?
@handsomeitaliano (1050)
United States
November 30, 2008 2:17am CST
Don't get me wrong, I know that both of these writing careers have some level of difficulty attached with them as far as getting in is concerned, but which of the two is more difficult?
I'm not referring to which is harder to write, mind you.
I've had loads of hell trying to get into screenwriting business, but quite simply theres too much competition nowadays in Hollywood. Having a good script no longer has anything to do with it, having a good script and being LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET NOTICED among a HUUGGGGEEEE pile(s) of scripts as everything to do with it. On a side note, scripts are easier to write, but require careful technical execution, while books take longer to write but are more free spirited and don't require so many rules as screenwriting.
I haven't really tried my hand at trying to get a literary agent for novels. But I'm thinking about it, probably turn one of my scripts into a novel.
Like I mentioned above tho, both have some difficulty to get into, but which of the two is harder to get your foot in the door? The novelist or the screenwriter?
1 person likes this
1 response
@LaurenInLA (2270)
• United States
30 Nov 08
I think that it is much easier to get a novel published than it is to sell a screenplay. The industry is very difficult to break into and typically those that are successful have someone in the business who gets them in. On the other hand, selling a novel isn't easy either but that's the route that I'm going. Books are sometimes developed into screenplays so that could be an avenue into the industry. Books can become screenplays but you never see screenplays developed into books. IMHO if you become a successful novelist that is probably a way to get your foot in the door to screenwriting. I'm in the middle of a rewrite of my first novel and the approach that I'm going to take is to get signed with a literary agent. Best of luck to you.
