Most authors have thought it at least once: “This would be a movie.”

In this guest episode of The Author’s Mic™, I sat down with author and screenwriter Leslie Anne Lee to talk about what it actually looks like to take that idea seriously — and do the work to turn a novel into a screenplay.

Leslie’s story is a reminder that big creative pivots don’t always start with a master plan. Sometimes they start with one person saying, “Have you ever thought about writing this as a screenplay?” — and you being willing to try.

What sparked the leap from book to screenplay

Leslie didn’t start out writing screenplays. Her foundation was in stories — first as a child creating them, then as a writer building skill through contests, full-length manuscripts, and eventually published books.

The screenplay came later, after a simple challenge during press for Child of Dawn: This would make a great movie.

Instead of dismissing it, she did what a lot of writers don’t do — she researched the craft, learned the format, and started adapting the story for a completely different medium.

Why screenwriting is not “just writing a shorter version of your book”

One of the best parts of this conversation was how clearly Leslie explained the difference:

• Novel writing often means adding (detail, description, interiority)
• Screenwriting often means cutting (and letting action + dialogue carry the story)

If you’re a descriptive writer, that can feel painful — but it’s also the discipline that makes screenwriting its own art form.

The part nobody wants to hear: growth is slow

We also talked about something every indie author needs to hear more often: growth usually happens in layers.

Not overnight. Not because one post “hits.” Not because you did everything perfectly.

Leslie shared how her audience grew book by book — and how consistency matters even when:

• your best content gets ignored
• a random post does numbers for no reason
• you’re sure nobody is watching (but people are)

Takeaways for indie authors (even if you don’t want to write screenplays)

If you’re building your author platform right now, this episode reinforces a few real truths:

• If you’re curious about a new lane, research it and try it — you don’t have to “already be” the thing to begin.
• Consistency helps your work find people, even when the metrics don’t match your effort.
• You can stay true to your voice and still evolve — genre shifts are allowed, growth is allowed, experimentation is allowed.

Connect with Leslie Anne Lee

Website: https://www.leslieannelee.com Leslie Anne Lee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lepie21
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greyhavenbound 

Get involved with Bright Headed Publishing

Be a guest on The Author’s Mic™: https://brightheadedpublishing.com
Free guide: https://brightheadedpublishing.com
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mJ9IIuhz4bjnKKtNf1oO0 

Free guide: https://brightheadedpublishing.com