Crazy busy.  Or maybe just crazy.  But in any case, no time to share a lot of my thoughts, so I’ll just ask for YOUR thoughts.

What’s your favorite line from Heist Society OR Uncommon Criminals?

Happy Wednesday,

Ally

Pop quiz for today:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LINE FROM ANY GALLAGHER GIRLS BOOK?

Go!

–Ally

ps:  just one line only, please.

It is the nature of life, I guess, that there will just be some questions a person (especially an author) hears more than others.  For me, the two biggies are about books and movies.  As many of you know, I have talked about the subject of movies a lot throughout the years, but new readers often miss those posts.

For that reason, I’ve been wanting to try something for several months now, and I think today is the day.  So instead of me writing a whole new entry on a subject I’ve covered before, I’m going to post it anew.

Let’s call it a retro throw-back post.

Let’s start with this post from January 2011.

Enjoy.

-Ally

 HOW MOVIES HAPPEN
originally posted here on January 8, 2011

Write a book–any book–and I promise someone will say “is there going to be a movie?”  Or “Why don’t YOU make a movie” (I guess because I bought that  Flip video camera…)

There are a lot of misconceptions about the book business, but nothing compares to the misconceptions surrounding the book-to-movie process.

I’ve had three different film options with three different studios/production companies, and yet I still don’t know everything there is to know about how and why movies happen.  But I’m going to share with you today what I do know in the hopes that maybe some of these misconceptions might go away for a day or two.

A DISCLAIMER

The very first thing you need to understand is that no two situations
are the same.  This is where a lot of
the misconceptions come from, I think.

I say “authors don’t have the power or money to make a movie themselves” and you say but I read James Patterson is doing that!

I say “authors don’t have any input in the casting process” and you say but what about JK Rowling?

I say “authors have no control over the script” and you say but Susanne Collins wrote the screenplay for Hunger Games!

All of these are excpetions to the rule.  All of them.  And they’re all very good examples of…

TWO KINDS OF OPTIONS

Type 1:  If the book is an established blockbuster on the scale of Harry Potter or Twilight when the movie deal is done then that author has far more control than usual because in that situation Hollywood NEEDS THEM.

If, like Susanne Collins, the author has a background in screenwriting then he or she might even get a shot at the script.  (note: the Hunger Games script has been given to a Hollywood screenwriter for rewrites.)

These types of blockbusters are, by definition, very rare.  So these types of movie deals are even rarer.  They are anomolies, outliers, flukes.  And they are the function of power and timing.  If the deal is done before the book becomes a world-wide phenomenon, then the usual rules will likely apply (because those were the rules when the terms were negotiated.)

Type 2:  If the book is not a mega-success at the time it’s negotiated or if the author is not a well-established movie draw (like Nicholas Sparks) then chances are that the author is not in a position of power.

Of course, sometimes there will be multiple studios interested which certainly helps the author, but for the most part things like script approval or producing credits are completely, 100% off the table.

Why?  Because we’re book people, not movie people.  Also, frankly, because Hollywood already has too many cooks in its kitchen.  It takes millions of dollars to make a movie and with that come about a million hoops to jump through and people to please.

As my film agent explained to me during the Heist Society movie auction “No studio is going to invest millions of dollars in something and let the author keep the right to pull the plug on it.”

That’s why script approval is laughable for someone like me.  That’s why–with VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS–no author is ever going to be involved in casting.

Really, it all depends on the terms of your…

OPTION

If there is a studio or production company who likes your book and wants to make a movie from it, they can either buy the film rights outright or they can “option” the film rights.

A film option is like putting the book in layaway.  They aren’t buying the right to make it into a movie; they’re buying the right to THINK ABOUT making it into a movie.

They don’t have to make it–not at all.  But they have a set period of time (usually a year or 18 months) to think about it and, most importantly, work on a…

SCRIPT

The script is king.

It doesn’t matter how well a book is doing; it doesn’t matter how awesome a book is; what matters in terms of getting a movie made is getting a script that people like and are willing to sign off on.

Because until the script is right, then there’s nothing to take to…

TALENT

This is one more example of how things in this process can and will vary.  After all, sometimes books are optioned with some kind of talent “attached” to the project. (Example: Miley Cyrus was attached to WINGS very early on.)

Sometimes the book is optioned with no talent officially attached and, instead, the producers will get the script just right then possibly take it to directors and then the director will work on casting.

There is no right way or best way or “guaranteed” way to get a movie made.  Hollywood is not Oz.  There are a whole lot of yellow brick roads and every one of them–every. single. one–is at the mercy of…

HEAT and TIMING

Let’s say there’s a really great script based on your favorite book…  Let’s say there’s an actress who is amazingly talented, very charismatic, and utterly perferct for the role…  So that actress is going to get the role, right?

Maybe.  Maybe not.  You see, if that actress is already booked up for the next three years, then odds are the studio isn’t going to wait on her.

Or maybe they can get their first choice actress but only at the same time as their third choice leading man?

Maybe your favorite actress had a movie bomb last weekend and the studio now sees her as box office Kryptonite?

Maybe the studio has three projects in the pipeline with another actress, so they’re far more concerned with making HER a big star…

What most people fail to see is that movies aren’t magic.  Movies are very expensive investments and very practical endeavors.  The producers, executives, and people in charge are going to make their decisions off of more than hair color, is what I’m trying to say.

Who’s hot?
Who’s cold?  Who’s getting good buzz for a project that no one has seen
yet and who had a movie that tanked overseas?  These are just a few of the factors that will go into the decision.  And besides, the odds of the right director, the perfect
actress, the ideal location and  leading man all being
available at the exact same time are pretty rare.

Talent matters, don’t get me wrong.  But it seems to me that availablity and heat matter more.

SO WHY OPTION ANYTHING IF YOU CAN’T CONTROL THE FINISHED PRODUCT?

I can’t speak for every author, so I’ll just speak for myself.

I love movies.  And walking into a dark theater and watching one of my stories up there on the screen is a dream I’ve had for ages.  Do I want that movie to be GOOD?  Of course.  Do I personally have the power to make a movie happen (good, bad or otherwise)?  No.  I just don’t.  And very, very, very few authors ever do.

The other reason most authors are willing to option their material is simple: a movie is basically a 2 hour commercial for the book.  And
it’s in most author’s best interest to give the books the chance for that kind of
exposure.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Movies are made by hundreds of people doing just as many different jobs.  And the odds of any movie getting made are oh-so-incredibly rare.

Of the writers I know, a fairly big percentage (I’d say maybe 75 or 80%) have things under option in Hollywood.  Only a few will ever see anything actually made.  Even once they finish a script and start talking to directors or signing stars, there are still a ton of factors that have to fall into place.

Basically, the odds of getting a movie made are long.  The odds of getting a GOOD movie made are miniscule.

But we keep trying…

We keep trying all the time.

-Ally

I’m sorry if it’s been quieter than usual around here.  There has been a lot going on, none of which is in itself particularly blogable.

Like my washing machine broke.

My taxes were due.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading for a new project I can’t talk about yet.

Allergy season finally caught up with me and I’ve been coughing and sneezing my head off.

Heist 3 was due.

Heist 3 still needs a title.

Heist 3 is kicking my butt.

So, you know…the usual.

But there has been one huge, exciting change over the past few months.  And that has been the process of turning this…

into THIS:

Oh yeah, I BUILT A POOL!

As many of you know, I have been wanting to do this for a long time, and last fall I finally took the proverbial plunge.  I’m super excited to finally be able to use it in a few weeks.  Also, I’m super grateful to be able to have such a luxury at such a time.

I hope all of you are doing well, and I promise to try not to go so long between updates next time.

-Ally

Climbing out of my deadline hole for just a minute (Heist Society 3, draft 2 is due tomorrow) to remind everyone in the Chicago area that I WILL BE IN CHICAGO THIS SATURDAY!

(Sorry for the all caps.  It’s just that if I’ve learned one thing it is that sometime this week someone will tell me “You should come to Chicago!”)

So, yes, Chicago, I’m coming to see YOU at the RT Convention.

Have questions about the RT Convention?  Check out www.rtconvention.com.  And please try to come see me (and DOZENS of other authors) there.

-Ally

Today is my mother’s birthday. Won’t you join me in wishing her a good one!

Lots of love,
Ally

A special post just for you today to inform you (if you don’t already know) that OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME is now available in the United Kingdom and Ireland!

Whoo!  I hope this makes you as happy as it makes me.

If this does make you excited, then maybe you can do me a favor and check out the UK’s Queen of Teen competition.  My UK publisher told me about it, and it looks so fun!  Past winners include Louise Rennison and Cathy Cassidy.

If you’d like to nominate your favorite author (whomever she may be) then check out this nomination form.

And as always, happy reading!

Ally

One of the highlights of tour is getting questions from readers–and their parents.  And without fail every night the subject of writing (and publishing) will come up.

Let me say this, I am a HUGE proponent of teens and young people writing if that’s what they want to do.  Huge.  Mega.  Do it.  It’s a good thing.

Where I get a little more iffy is on the subject of teens PUBLISHING.

Why? Because publishing and writing are two vastly different things.

Writing is shooting hoops in your driveway or playing in a summer league.

Publishing is joining up with the NBA.

In one you are learning life lessons and honing your skills and hopefully having a lot of fun.   In the other, you’re competing with professionals who have massive expectations on you, your time, your life, and your general well-being.  Can you make some money and brag about doing it at a young age?  Sure.  But you can also get seriously hurt and ruin your chances of a long and healthy career later.

So that’s why when parents ask about self-publishing (and it’s always the parents who ask–not exactly sure why) it bothers me (and bothers me quite a lot).  Consider this article from the New York Times.

People want to skip ahead, go pro.  And they want to know if I have any thoughts on the subject.  Well, I do.  Lots of thoughts.  And occasionally I’ve considered writing them down here for the world to see, so imagine my tremendous pleasure in seeing that Maureen Johnson has already done it for me.

Yay!

Seriously.  If you want to write, and if you want to publish, and if you think that self-publishing your book in your teens is the way to become a “published author” then you need to go read this post by Maureen and read it RIGHT NOW.

I agree with everything she said 100%.

And now I’m going to go get to work on my book.  Because it is my job.

-Ally

PS:  Seriously READ THIS POST.

Even though I just got home from tour, I have one more date on my calendar, and I really hope you guys will be as excited about it as I am.

If you live in the Chicago, IL area, please mark your calendars and plan on attending this year’s…

Romantic Times Convention!
The Hyatt Regency O’Hare Hotel

April 11-15, 2012

What is RT?  Well, it’s a big, crazy convention for book lovers.  It’s actually a week-long affair, but if you can’t join us for the whole thing, fear not, this year RT will include the 2nd annual Teen Day on Saturday, April 14th.

Teen Day consists of panels, parties, and a huge mega author autographing including hundreds of authors–dozens of whom specialize in YA.

This year’s YA authors include (but aren’t limited to) me, Melissa de la Cruz, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Richelle Meade, Stephanie Perkins, Cinda Chima, Kelley Armstrong, and many many more!

But don’t take my word for it.  Check out the full flyer.

And, of course, check out the RT website for registration information and other details.

Hope to see you there!

Ally

PS:  preemptively answering questions:  I don’t actually work with RT, so I can’t help anyone register or answer any conference specific questions.  That information is available at those links though if you look, and I’m sure you will either find it there or find a way to contact someone who does.

I’m home from tour.  Well, I’ve been home for a few days, but this is the first chance I’ve had to write and thank everyone for coming out to the tour stops and welcoming me into your schools.  I had a blast!

So many awesome readers and lovely cities.  But I must say I’m very glad to be home.  And resting.  And, most importantly, working on Heist Society 3 which, come to mention it, I’d better get back to right now.

Have a great one!

Ally