Now, I've been writing a novel for the last two years and although I had a short-term burn out last summer, I've gathered myself and have been working steadily in last few months. I will be done in about 70-80 pages. Meanwhile interesting developments happened. My editor showed my(unfinished) novel to one famous director and he, apparently, really liked it. He(director) called and invited me to a dinner. He was super nice and said he wants me to write a script. He hooked me up with a well known script writer to assist me, but asked me personally to write it myself, because the story is very different from regular kdramas. So, we started working on the script. She is really professional and showed me a lot of heuristics and techniques on writing scripts. However, she wants me to make a lot of changes to the story.
My script co-writer wants to make too many changes
you got a sister?
>She wants the mail lead to have a love interest
In my story romance plays a very insignificant part, she wants it to have more space. After some back and forth I gave in and created another female character.
>She wants to have more flashbacks
In my story things that happened in the past are not shown, but they are neatly revealed through conversations, monologues and actions of characters. She thinks it's too smart for viewers and that we need to show it through flashbacks. This creates a lot of problem for my story, at least in my head. If I show things through flashbacks, then some of conversations and actions lose at least some of their weight. But, if I remove them then other parts of the story gets affected. I'm still fighting back on this.
>She wants to remove all parts involving children
Children and parenting is a big part of my story. After all, that's how people become what they become. I have several moments in the story with heavy implicit criticism of parents. But, my co-script writer thinks it will draw a strong back clash from people.
>She wants to remove all double interpretations and false interpretations of myths
She thinks it's too heavy for people and dilutes the action.
>She says someone must die in the end
In my story nobody dies in the end, but she insists on killing someone.
>She wants my hero to become either white or black towards the end
In my story it's not very clear if he is good or bad, at least from conventional viewpoint. She wants to make him a traditional good guy.
>She wants to spin the story to show modern people as good after all
I don't know how I can spin the whole heavy criticism and show people as good. This goes against the whole narrative of the book.
>She wants good guys to win in the end
In my story all parties fail spectacularly(on the surface) in the end, but gain a lot internally. She wants to change it in a way that good guys win and bad guys lose.
sure sure sure but what's your sister look like?
Ignore her.
Seriously.
Tell her to fuck off. She's doing what every hollywood writer does and what they're taught to do - trying to make it identical to every other film because audiences actually just want to see the same thing again and again. But the director commissioned this script specifically because you did something outside of a generic script and told an interesting story.
So tell her to get fucked and forward your concerns to the director.
Don't pump out a mediocre script for the sake of it. If you really need the money, tell the director that you can't work with her and that you'll sell the film rights to them to do what they want.
Assuming the director isn't a hack, they'll recognise that you're way more important than some generic writer. Tell her to get fucked and put your foot down.
Don't change a goddamn thing. She wants a popcorn action flick, your story sounds like an impactful Infernal Affairs type.
>heuristics
>techniques
she sounds like management scum. kdramas are generic as fuck. Do you want to be generic as fuck?
Both director and scriptwriter are well known and successful in Korea, with a lot of experience. I can say both of them are top ten in Korea. This is a huge opportunity for me, I feel very lucky to be doing this. If everything works out, I might become successful writer even before publishing my first novel. Director is working with several projects right now, so we need to get it ready by late 2022. He says he wants to film it in early 2023. But, I seriously don't know if I can make all these changes that my co-scriptwriter demands. It's becoming a completely different story. What should I do? I know writers who have been writing for 20 years and can't get anything going for them...
sirs, please do the needful and share sister situation with uncle ravi
>Both director and scriptwriter are well known and successful in Korea, with a lot of experience. I can say both of them are top ten in Korea.
Who gives a shit? Famous people fuck up all the time. They're usually protected due to nepotism meaning their careers don't suffer though. Instead, there's a fall-guy that the fuck up is blamed on (You)
>This is a huge opportunity for me,
A huge opportunity for you to be associated with crap before you've even published your first book, sure.
You need to learn that you have value. Your work speaks for itself, hence why you've got a publishing deal already and why you're being commissioned by a famous director before it's even published.
Don't bow down because you think you have to. Learn to say no and grow a fucking backbone.
>What should I do? I know writers who have been writing for 20 years and can't get anything going for them...
You're already doing better than those writers. Don't sell out and panic. Don't take the first opportunity that comes your way out of fear of not getting another.
Say no. Tell the director that you can't make those changes and offer to sell the rights so that no one can claim that the film is your vision for the story.
Right now they're trying to have their cake and eat it. Your screenwriting career will end instantly if the film is shit and it flops.
kick her to the fucking curb and tell the director you won't be able to publish your novel as-is if a movie adaptation diverges this hard
bitch can write her own movies
Screenwriter here, comply and do as she tolds you.
You got so fucking lucky with this offer and meeting you cant even begin to imagine it. Power through it, learn the craft and work your ass off. This is your chance to make it in the business. You land this and you can write the fuck you want and people will suck your dick for it.
Keep working hard!
>sell the rights
Is this a good idea? Sounds like it's just fucking OP over from ever bringing his/her real vision of this story to audiences. And sometimes a person's first project is their best project.
OP I think you should bring your concerns to the director and ask if he likes those changes or not, and make it clear that those are the script writer's changes, and not your own. I wouldn't want the director to think the changes are your idea and 1) blindly accept them b/c he has high regard in your skill, or 2) think the changes are so bad and pleb and suddenly think you're a talentless hack.
>I feel very lucky to be doing this
You're being used with no guarantee of long term reward. Become a novelist with some principles or just another replaceable kdrama screenwriter with no individual voice.
I get that Asians have a hard time thinking of themselves as individuals but for fucks sake this is your baby. Unless your editor is politely trying to get rid of you make this novel work first, then if it does consider joining the ranks of screenwriters with your own reputation.
>Is this a good idea? Sounds like it's just fucking OP over from ever bringing his/her real vision of this story to audiences. And sometimes a person's first project is their best project.
Op is a novelist, not a screenwriter. So it shouldn't matter too much.
But the rights normally aren't sold in perpetuity (though this will come down to how the contract is negotiated - either way he'd be selling the rights anyway for them to make the film in the first place).
Additionally, the rights can easily be repurchased if sold completely. And normally it won't cost that much relatively since the original studio probably won't have any plans to remake the film anytime soon.
Do not listen to these people, they are nay-sayers and probably failed writers themselves.
YOU DO NOT HAVE THE LEVERAGE TO MAKE THEM CHOOSE YOU OVER THEM.
If what you said is true and she is well-known, established veteran - this is a great moment to also work WITH her. Most of this industry is about connections, so if you land this and be a good 'new guy', they will hire you again if they enjoy working with you.
agree with this user
if you listen to this guy
you will get cucked and lose this opportunity, and it won't come back.
do whatever the woman says. find a way to like it
t. industry experience
Uh she wants to fundamentally change his story to the point that it’s no longer recognizable. Considering the director specifically sought him out because he liked the story user wrote, he does have leverage. Artistic integrity aside, if the production flops because he gave in, he’s the one who will be black balled.
to add to this I have implemented changes that I hate and I grow to like them. don't be so sure you're right.
You're asking if you should take the advice from a Top korean drama script writer to write a korean drama script? how is this even a question? if you don't want to say no and don't take the money.
yeah but the director and vet writer can easily go 2 v 1. he will choose the vet over OP as a matter of politics. because OP offers nothing while the director will need the veteran writer in the future. seen this shit happen a million times.
>Tell the director that you can't make those changes and offer to sell the rights so that no one can claim that the film is your vision for the story.
There's always a need for compromise when adapting a novel to a screenplay esp. in regards to narrative methods. However in this case she's going too far and using completely arbitrary criteria ("someone must die, there can be no children") indicating she's either massively cynical based on experience, horribly biased towards her own preferences, or just completely devoid of her own ideas. Whichever it is, she's failing to comprehend and/or value the story OP's telling and they will be thrown under the bus if it fails.
It's good to have a seasoned screenwriter giving a novelist advice about adaptations since these are strongly different narrative mediums but they are supposed to mentor you and understand/ respect what your story is trying to do. She is not supposed to steer your work into her own concept of what it should be/mean to conform to a risk-free story. Don't sign a goddamned thing, OP
her changes are all exactly how to make a story better. remember she has experience writing to market. she knows what she's doing and what people respond to, and why. storytelling really is a science.
>he will choose the vet over OP
Then he isn't sincerely interested in the story and can go back to enjoying the smell of his own farts.
what she seems to be saying is there has to be stakes, loss, clear arcs. I can already tell OPs script is ambiguous and boring
Thanks for advices guys. The screenwriter I'm working with is actually very nice and very hyped about it, and considering that I'm objecting to almost every change she's been very patient with me. I'm trying to find middle ground on every change she wants to make so that overall my story doesn't suffer so much. But when I consider all the changes it feels like a different story. I was thinking about ditching her and write the whole thing on my own, but my editor and my friends tell me this is a chance of my live and I shouldn't fuck it up. I can reveal the plot of the story if you guys are interested and see if her changes are meaningful or if I'm overreacting.
WHO THE FUCK CARES IF ITS CHANGED BEYOND RECKONITION?
Sounds like you have attitude of liking the smell of your own farts, like most of the """advice""""" in this thread
Look OP, comply, write their version according to their feedback and vision, you will accumulate a loads of experience and contacts and in the end a CREDIT for your name.
If the version ends up being something you do not like? So fucking what - write a new one that is truly YOURS and sell/pitch that.
gonnkorea is my favorite producer of consoom.
You're an idiot and probably brainwashed by the boomer ideology of having to pay your dues before you're allowed to have an opinion on things.
Fuck that. He wrote a book good enough that they want to turn it into a film before it's even published. He gets to puts his foot down on stopping them from butchering it
Bullshit.
If they walk away form the deal and nothing else comes along then it means that there was never an intention by them to make something good.
If this were a western studio I'd agree with you because most of what the advice ends up being has to do with structure and pacing which are crucial to fitting into 88 pages of script.
Reread her suggestions, they're bug people conformity requirements adding no real editorial value or promise of success. If this were OP's third about-to-be-published novel I might agree with you but he's being used for superficial aspects of something he actually cares about. Also, did you fire your agent
IM THE EXPERT OF MY STORY :))))
no you're not, fuck you and thats why you never made it into the biz
First of all, really happy for you if this is true.
Personally I like a good old fashioned story with action and romance and a happy ending, but a lot of these changes seem pretty significant (since idk your story idk how much they change the actual substance but it seems like a lot). I wouldn't completely reject her input like other people are saying, but I would want to keep the story authentic your vision. There are ways to make it more palatable to audiences without compromising it, and I would do my best to work with her on that front, but holding firm. Keep in mind though, your book will still be yours.
This is for a movie you aren't directing that will merely be based on your novel, so I would at the same time not get too intransigent about if things are different
I agree. There's a good reason to have a seasoned writer on board when you have an inexperienced writer, but she's doing it wrong.
Just voice your concerns to her or the director or both
"The changes you have been pushing for are stripping away the story's identity and making it into generic trash like a hundred other scripts. We don' see eye-to-eye and I would like someone else to help me write this"
She acts nice but she's butchering your story. Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. Don't be afraid to ask her if she even likes your book and what specifically she likes about it.
>I can reveal the plot of the story if you guys are interested and see if her changes are meaningful or if I'm overreacting
Go for it. I'm curious because these seem like significant changes but could be more of side alterations if they aren't the crux of the story
This post is absolutely calculated to make /lit/ shit their pants in fury. You should have posted this on /lit/ instead.
The person who wrote the story and got commissioned before it was even published is most definitely the story expert. Get fucked
you're korean?
be careful because the veterans can be sharks, they are almost guaranteed to be thinking along the lines of
>he didn't pay his dues
>hes a young arrogant hotshot without a credit to his name.
>he thinks he knows everything
>let him fail on his own
so yeah she is being nice now but that can turn if you push too hard.
agree with this user.
>bug people conformity requirements with no editorial value
the expert, market proven writer that writes for paying audiences, might know something that a novice who has zero credits doesn't.
You haven't read a book since middle school have you
And this is why you never made it.
You're nightstand writer who thinks he is making art and something only he can understand.
I would tell you go fuck yourself but you already do it regular and think it makes you "expert".
To be fair, sometimes people do write godawful trash that better minds can fix simply by referencing the fundamentals. But this doesn't seem like one of those cases based on her tone deaf suggestions.
That said, if he's really from Worst Korea then dumbing your script down to the nth degree might be a good idea. Asians don't understand the meaning of the word "nuance."
he does this, they will drop him without hesitation. you all dont know how brutal the film business is lol.
the OP doesnt seem to understand that books and film are a different medium with entirely different requirements.