Re: Anybody ever try to sell a manuscript or screenplay to Lucasfilm?

Posted by Nick Kismet from ppp-7-pm1-beaverton.spiretech.com on June 13, 1999 at 01:02:12:

In Reply to: Re: Anybody ever try to sell a manuscript or screenplay to Lucasfilm? posted by Shade on June 12, 1999 at 16:51:25:

I am not sur how MacGregor landed the job of writing the movie novel for Last Crusade, or how Martin Caidin got the nod. I do know that Max McCoy participated in a sort of contest when they were looking for a new writer.
As far as my story goes, on the advice of Bantam's IJ editor, I rewrote the story with a new hero (Nick Kismet seemed like a good name) and submitted it to him. This allowed his to look at the story, knowing that it was supposed to be an Indy novel, without breaking the rules. However, since there are no plans for more Indy novels, he wasn't interested. Incidentally, since they never see the Indy novels that aren't commisioned, as far as they know, they don't exist. If i were to try to publish it, or make money off of it, that would step on some toes and I would hear about it.
Since it isn't really an Indiana Jones story any more, my agent will be shopping it around. I will keep everyone posted as this develops. Meanwhile, I would encourage anyone who is writing Jones ( or other ) fanfic to put it on a website. There are plenty of us out here who want to read it, especially if you think its good enough to be published.
: Well, that just plain SUCKS. Oh, well, I'll keep writing, anyway, even if no one ever sees it. So, does anybody know how McCoy and MacGregor ended up being commissioned by Lucasfilm to write their novels? And, to Nick: what has happened with your novel? Is it online? Is there a lot more fan fic Indy stuff online than the work on this site? Did the company say anything to your agent about the legality of having written a novel, without it being commissioned by Lucasfilm?

: : My agent contacted Lucasfilms regarding the sale of an Indiana Jones novel I had written. They said in no uncertain terms that if they don't commission the work, they don't want to see it. This means that no matter how good it is, they won't read it in order to avoid a potential plagarism liability (in the odd chance that whatever you've written is similar to something they already have in production.) This goes for all Lucasfilms properties, including Star Wars. Furthermore, the buzz from both Lucasfilms and Bantam (publishers of the novels) is that there will be no more Indy novels until their is another movie. And chances are, they won't revive the novel series even then. In short, Indy lives on only in the fan fiction, which is fine since most of the fan fic is way better than the novels ever were.

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: I am not sur how MacGregor landed the job of writing the movie novel for Last Crusade, or how Martin Caidin got the nod.  I do know that Max McCoy participated in a sort of contest when they were looking for a new writer.
: As far as my story goes, on the advice of Bantam's IJ editor, I rewrote the story with a new hero (Nick Kismet seemed like a good name) and submitted it to him.  This allowed his to look at the story, knowing that it was supposed to be an Indy novel, without breaking the rules.  However, since there are no plans for more Indy novels, he wasn't interested.  Incidentally, since they never see the Indy novels that aren't commisioned, as far as they know, they don't exist.  If i were to try to publish it, or make money off of it, that would step on some toes and I would hear about it.  
: Since it isn't really an Indiana Jones story any more, my agent will be shopping it around.  I will keep everyone posted as this develops.  Meanwhile, I would encourage anyone who is writing Jones ( or other ) fanfic to put it on a website.  There are plenty of us out here who want to read it, especially if you think its good enough to be published.
: : Well, that just plain SUCKS. Oh, well, I'll keep writing, anyway, even if no one ever sees it. So, does anybody know how McCoy and MacGregor ended up being commissioned by Lucasfilm to write their novels? And, to Nick: what has happened with your novel? Is it online? Is there a lot more fan fic Indy stuff online than the work on this site? Did the company say anything to your agent about the legality of having written a novel, without it being commissioned by Lucasfilm?

: : : My agent contacted Lucasfilms regarding the sale of an Indiana Jones novel I had written.  They said in no uncertain terms that if they don't commission the work, they don't want to see it.  This means that no matter how good it is, they won't read it in order to avoid a potential plagarism liability (in the odd chance that whatever you've written is similar to something they already have in production.)  This goes for all Lucasfilms properties, including Star Wars.  Furthermore, the buzz from both Lucasfilms and Bantam (publishers of the novels) is that there will be no more Indy novels until their is another movie.  And chances are, they won't revive the novel series even then.  In short, Indy lives on only in the fan fiction, which is fine since most of the fan fic is way better than the novels ever were.

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