--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those writers that have zero say in their…" description: "\"Those writers that have zero say in their movie adaptations have zero say because they sell it. If you don't sell it, and you do it yourself, and you w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/stephen-chbosky-387_adaptation_those-writers-that-have-zero-say-in-thei_2016713.png" --- # Those writers that have zero say in their movie… ![“Those writers that have zero say in their movie adaptations have zero say because they sell it. If you don't sell it, and you do it yourself, and you wait until the screenplay is ready, you don't have to worry about that.” quote by Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/stephen-chbosky-387_adaptation_those-writers-that-have-zero-say-in-thei_2016713.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/stephen-chbosky-387_adaptation_those-writers-that-have-zero-say-in-thei_2016713.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/stephen-chbosky-387_adaptation_those-writers-that-have-zero-say-in-thei_2016713.png) > “Those writers that have zero say in their movie adaptations have zero say because they sell it. If you don't sell it, and you do it yourself, and you wait until the screenplay is ready, you don't have to worry about that.” [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers lose control over film versions when they sell rights; retaining rights preserves creative influence. **In simple terms:** Selling rights cedes control over adaptations. Key Takeaway Keep rights to maintain creative voice. Themes creative control author rights film adaptations Mood frustrated reflective Type advice cautionary When to use this quote - publishing contracts - film production - self‑publishing - independent filmmaking Key Concepts intellectual property contract negotiation artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - What could you negotiate to retain adaptation input? - How does selling rights affect long‑term legacy? A Different Perspective If a writer cannot negotiate terms, they may still lose control despite ownership. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adaptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptation/) [Adaptations Zero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptations-zero-3629965/) [Do it yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/do-it-yourself/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movie Adaptations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-adaptations-1629042/) [Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready/) [Screenplay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenplay/) [Screenplay Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenplay-ready-3629963/) [Screenplays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenplays/) [Wait Screenplay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wait-screenplay-3629964/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Zero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zero/) ## Related quotes > [Language is never a problem when you have the screenplay ready.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prabhu-deva/language-is-never-a-problem-when-you-have-the-screenplay-ready/) [Prabhu Deva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prabhu-deva/) > [A great novel is concerned primarily with the interior lives of its characters as they respond to the inconvenient narratives that fate imposes on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schickel/a-great-novel-is-concerned-primarily-with-the-interior-lives-of-its/) [Richard Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schickel/) > [The movie adaptations of stage musicals that I've seen, without exception, in my opinion don't work. A lot of people would disagree with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/the-movie-adaptations-of-stage-musicals-that-i-ve-seen-without/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [Once we start seeing video games that have more memorable characters, you'll see better movie adaptations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/once-we-start-seeing-video-games-that-have-more-memorable-characters/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [Honestly, I actually would really love to see more musical theatre actors do the movie adaptations of shows - I think that would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-degarmo/honestly-i-actually-would-really-love-to-see-more-musical-theatre/) [Diana DeGarmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-degarmo/) > ['Rent' was a special project for me. It was my first notable screenplay job. I worked with two wonderful directors on it, starting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/rent-was-a-special-project-for-me-it-was-my-first-notable-screenplay/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [It takes half your life before you discover life is a do-it-yourself project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/it-takes-half-your-life-before-you-discover-life-is-a-do-it-yourself/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [You can find a lot of reasonable buys at Wal-Mart. But one key to making it on a budget is by donating your time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/you-can-find-a-lot-of-reasonable-buys-at-wal-mart-but-one-key-to/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [When a writer becomes a reader of his or her own work, a lot can go wrong. 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West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-g-west/) > ['Untitled' is a time machine that can transport you to 1992, an edgy moment when the art world was crumbling, money was scarce, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/untitled-is-a-time-machine-that-can-transport-you-to-1992-an-edgy/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [The more we sense...our ultimate potential, the more determined we become to achieve it. It's the difference between your mother hounding you to practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-l-dew/the-more-we-sense-our-ultimate-potential-the-more-determined-we/) [Sheri L. Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-l-dew/) > [It's funny, everything is so much easier when you do it yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/it-s-funny-everything-is-so-much-easier-when-you-do-it-yourself/) [Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/) ## More by Stephen Chbosky > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“It's great that you can listen and be a shoulder to someone, but what about when someone doesn't need a shoulder. What if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/it-s-great-that-you-can-listen-and-be-a-shoulder-to-someone-but-what/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Most of the people I know who were raised to be accommodating or were raised to just be nice and put everybody's needs ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/most-of-the-people-i-know-who-were-raised-to-be-accommodating-or-were/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I don’t want to start thinking again. Not like I have this last week. I can’t think again. Not ever again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-don-t-want-to-start-thinking-again-not-like-i-have-this-last-week-i/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“And then Patrick started running after the sunset. And Sam immediately followed him. And I saw them in silhouette. Running after the sun. 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Have a good one," I said and walked away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-m-sorry-i-bothered-you-susan-i-m-just-having-a-tough-time-that-s/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [When we were all getting ready to leave, I walked up to my grandfather and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/when-we-were-all-getting-ready-to-leave-i-walked-up-to-my-grandfather/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [It's like he would take a photograph of Sam, and the photograph would be beautiful. 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And I want you to know I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/so-this-is-my-life-and-i-want-you-to-know-i-am-both-happy-and-sad-and/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [If you care about somebody, you should want them to be happy. Even if you wind up being left out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/if-you-care-about-somebody-you-should-want-them-to-be-happy-even-if/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I wasn't raised very religiously because my parents went to Catholic school, but I do believe in God very much. I just never gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-wasn-t-raised-very-religiously-because-my-parents-went-to-catholic/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) [Explore all 558 Stephen Chbosky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) ## More Adaptation quotes > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) [Edward Einhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-einhorn/) > [“Why I am Passionate and Dedicated 1000% to producing and bringing my books Loving Summer, Bitter Frost, and other book series to the Screen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailin-gow/why-i-am-passionate-and-dedicated-1000-to-producing-and-bringing-my/) [Kailin Gow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailin-gow/) > [My familiarity with the successful use of very long steel ropes for mining purposes naturally suggested their adaptation to the new purpose of deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-agassiz/my-familiarity-with-the-successful-use-of-very-long-steel-ropes-for/) [Alexander Agassiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-agassiz/) > [The survival of the fittest is the ageless law of nature, but the fittest are rarely the strong. The fittest are those endowed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-smalley/the-survival-of-the-fittest-is-the-ageless-law-of-nature-but-the/) [Dave Smalley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-smalley/) > [The facts of variability, of the struggle for existence, of adaptation to conditions, were notorious enough; but none of us had suspected that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-facts-of-variability-of-the-struggle-for-existence-of-adaptation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is a law of nature we overlook, that intellectual versatility is the compensation for change, danger, and trouble. 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When you pour water in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/you-must-be-shapeless-formless-like-water-when-you-pour-water-in-a/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [“On the rare occasions on which a movie was shown, there was as much suspense in the audience over whether the electricity would hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/on-the-rare-occasions-on-which-a-movie-was-shown-there-was-as-much/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [Working on an adaptation is not as satisfying, because it's not your original work: you're interpreting. With 'L.A. Confidential,' I loved the book. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-helgeland/working-on-an-adaptation-is-not-as-satisfying-because-it-s-not-your/) [Brian Helgeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-helgeland/) [Browse all 476 Adaptation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Those writers that have zero say in their movie adaptations have zero say because they sell it. 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