mother hopper

I have no access to actual figures, but I can hazard a pretty good guess at what the overwhelming winner would be. And I'm sure you'd guess the same.

Novels are eisier to sell (or at least, get looked at!) than scripts. I don't know anything about the graphic novel market.
Good luck!

Yeah. Novel. What loquax said.

Scripts are easier to get in front of people (though they might only read the first ten pages) BUT you need to be in LA to make, shake and close the deal.

Novels are harder to write, require more time, and when you're done, if you've never been published, it's hard to get taken seriously or even read.

Graphic Novels are nigh impossible, because the industry active closes out newbies AND you need to be super-talented to do everything OR you also need to hire a penciler, inker, colorist (though you cna go black and white) and a letterer.

It's a Quixotic challenge whichever route you go. When I work a comic book project, I am usually thinking of the movie adaption (if only very loosely) and then there is always the novelization. Write a great comercial novel and you'll see a movie version. And scripts usually get at least a novel tie-in.

I would say that a script is easier of the three. However, if you want this baby to see the light of day, I would consider getting some published credits through short stories and then you stand a better chance of landing the book deal. Or write some comic books for indie publishers (and make contacts with the art people) THEN do the graphic novel. Or, write some short screenplays for students and indie directors, get some credits and contacts THEN push your baby. But that ISN'T the easy way.

novel would be easiest because it relies only on you (unless you can draw well enough to do a comic)

Which one would you most enjoy doing?

Unless you are a day-in/day-out writer who is already in "the business" (and you may well be for all I know), I would advise not worrying about the business aspects.

Write THE idea the way you would want to see it written.

Just my own opinion. Others may differ.

I agree with Burl. However the idea is "coming" to you, the form it naturally wants to take when you work with it, that's the way you need to go.

Idea

Assuming you write well, a novel is much, much easier to sell than a script or a graphic novel. Only about 750 major movies get made in a year, and only about 3,000 scripts get bought, all told. Three out of four scripts sold never get turned into movies. And of the ones bought, darned few are originals. Many are adaptations from already published novels.

There's a heck of a lot more room in the novel world, and a heck of a lot more outlets for publishing.

Another point to consider is expense of a film version of your story.

If it will cost huge bucks to make, it will be a really tough sell. I'd go with the novel then.

Considering the financial success first is not a good idea. Just start writing it in a form, and if you don't enjoy it, stop writing it that way. Then try something different.

I'm not sure you're going about it in the best way, dyljos.

I wouldn't worry about market beforehand. I would tell the story in the best way you know how; put it in the format that has the most potential for the narrative you're writing.

Then let everything else shake out.

And look, it's hard to sell anything. We're talking about massive competition in pretty much any media. Might as well try to hammer out the best possible story and then -- who knows -- the book may sell itself.

Have you thought about how your idea might fare as a tv series? Or perhaps a video game? How about a plot for a power metal concept album? I've heard Universal Studios are after people to develop themes for new roller coasters - you might want to go down that route, too.

dyljos said:

I have THE idea floating about in my head for a month or so now.. the only trouble is.. do I write it as a novel, script, or as a graphic novel.. It would work as all three.. but which would be most likely to succeed out there? Which market is easiest to break into (let's assume the idea is shit-hot and I manage to write it beautifully!!)

Click to expand...

Define Graphic Novel for me. I'm clueless.

jennifer75 said:

Define Graphic Novel for me. I'm clueless.

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Comic book--like SPIDERMAN...

As for how to write your story though-- I would go with novel or graphic novel.

I'm going to disagree with everybody. Write it as a short story. That way you can be finished sometime tomorrow and get on with whatever you enjoy doing most. What ever that is should give you some clue as to what form you should present the next big idea you have in. I assume you're working through the back log at this stage.

Why not all three? There's nothing to say that something written as a novel can't later be adapted into a graphic novel or a movie. It happens all the time. I'd go for the novel first and then, if it gets published, talk to agents and whatnot and see what your options are for adaptation.

You got it right dyjlos.
Goodl luck. And enjoy it , otherwise it wont work in any format.