From Book
to Screen
A live 4-session course taught by an award-winning Hollywood screenwriter — for authors who believe their story is bigger than the page.
Limited seats. Recordings included. No homework.
Your Story Might Have Real Screen Potential.
You Just Don't Know How to Find Out.
You've written something that doesn't want to stay on the page. Something visual. Cinematic. Something that plays out in your head more like a film than a reading experience.
And you're stuck in the most uncomfortable place an author can be: aware enough to know the screen world is real and ruthless. Not informed enough to know how to enter it.
You don't want to pitch blindly and embarrass yourself. You don't want to damage your IP — or your reputation — by moving too fast, too loud, or too hopefully. But the other fear is just as heavy: What if there's a real window here, and you let it close?
Most authors stay in this limbo for years. Not because their story isn't good enough. Because no one ever explains how the cinematic world actually works.
They overproduce, thinking more effort signals more legitimacy. They misread polite interest as momentum. They wait, telling themselves they'll know when the time is right.
It doesn't become clear on its own. It becomes clear when someone finally explains how it works.
Alan Roth has spent decades inside the film and television world — writing, collaborating, and navigating the same systems authors are usually left to decode alone.
He won the coveted Nicholl Fellowship Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (Jersey City Story), works with producers developing projects for film and TV, and serves as an adjunct professor of screenwriting at Fairleigh Dickinson University's School of the Arts.
He understands both sides: the heart of a story that begins as a book, and the clinical realities of what it takes to get it made. He doesn't promise shortcuts or outcomes. He offers something rarer — a clear, honest map of how the industry actually works.
"I lost a lot of time. I don't want that for you."
A close friend passed away. For emotional closure, I did what writers do. I wrote a story. It came to me as a movie, so I wrote a script. I had no idea what I was doing. The movie was five hours long.
A year of how-to books later, I had something that at least looked professional. I sent it to three producers I was certain would never respond. Typed the last page. Found my closure. Or so I thought.
Then one of them got back to me.
I'd made every wrong turn possible. Learned lessons the hard way. I wouldn't trade the experience — but I can't get the time back.
To share what I know is another form of closure for me. So come on in. Class is about to begin.
Four Sessions. Everything You Need to Move Wisely.
Is Your Book Ready for the Screen?
Replace gut feeling with professional criteria. Learn exactly how to assess whether your story has genuine screen potential — and when it doesn't. Stop forcing the wrong story into the wrong lane.
Choosing the Right Screen Format
Feature film, limited series, or full TV run — this decision shapes everything downstream. Learn how professionals make this call based on story engine, scope, and where the market is, not personal preference.
Writing a Screenplay That Gets Read
A granular, nuts-and-bolts session on professional formatting, structure, and adaptation. Learn what producers look for — and how to bring your story to the screen without losing what made readers fall in love with it.
The Business Side of Screen Success
How projects get discovered, evaluated, and discussed behind closed doors. Agents, producers, query letters, deal structures — understand the game before you play it, so you engage with confidence instead of guesswork.
The Insider Knowledge Most Authors Never Receive
- How to assess your book's commercial viability for screen (not just its literary merit)
- Feature film vs. series vs. limited series — and why this decision matters more than any other
- The core elements producers use when evaluating stories — and the amateur signals that kill interest
- Professional screenplay formatting, structure, and dialogue conventions from scratch
- When to write the screenplay yourself — and when to hire a professional adapter instead
- The difference between a pitch deck and a screenplay, and which one opens doors first
- How to read industry signals without overreaching — and how to avoid mistaking silence for failure
- Options, shopping agreements, development deals — the business terms you need to understand before signing anything
- How to get a script read: agents, managers, producers, and the query protocol that actually works
- How to move forward with clarity, restraint, and credibility — protecting your IP at every step
Is This Course for You?
Right For You If...
- You've written a book (or are writing one) that feels cinematic, visual, alive beyond the page
- You want to assess screen potential honestly — not emotionally or wishfully
- You care about protecting your IP, your reputation, and the years you've invested in your craft
- You'd rather move wisely than loudly — credibility over hype
- You want industry insight, not inspiration quotes
- You're strong enough to hear "not yet" if that's the honest answer
Not Right For You If...
- You're looking for guarantees or overnight breakthroughs
- You want someone to "shop your script" for you without doing the work
- You believe Hollywood magic is a substitute for professional preparation
- You think passion alone replaces process
- You want shortcuts — this is a strategy course, not a wishlist
Three Bonuses That Make This a No-Brainer
Private 1:1 Session with Alan Roth — 30 Minutes, Just You
A personal, live session with Alan to discuss your work or ask anything about the industry. This alone is worth the price of admission. Only available for Cohort 1 — it won't be offered again at this level.
The Screenwriter's Tech Stack & Insider Resources Checklist
The exact tools, formats, and platforms professional screenwriters use — plus where to find the people who can actually open doors for your project.
Annotated Sample Screenplay with Professional Call-Outs
See how a real screenplay works, line by line. The formatting, flow, and subtle signals that separate industry-ready work from the scripts that get quietly discarded.
Why Authors Are Signing Up
Hollywood doesn't read novels.
They read screenplays. If your story ever reaches the industry, it needs to speak their language — or it doesn't get read.
"This should be a movie!" isn't market research.
You'll learn how to determine whether your book is actually commercially viable for film or television — and stop guessing.
Movies and TV series are built differently.
Some stories belong in two hours. Others need eight episodes and a cliffhanger. Choosing the wrong format kills otherwise great projects.
A logline is the ultimate test of your story.
If you can't explain it in one irresistible sentence, Hollywood assumes audiences won't sit through two hours of it. You'll master this.
Screenplays have actual rules.
Page counts. Formatting. Structure. Dialogue conventions. It's a system — and knowing it immediately elevates your professionalism.
Sometimes the smart move is hiring a screenwriter.
You'll learn when to adapt your book yourself — and when it's wiser (and more lucrative) to bring in a professional.
Pitch decks open doors scripts alone don't.
Before anyone reads a script, they often want the visual concept. A strong pitch deck can spark serious interest before a word of screenplay is written.
The business of screenwriting is complicated.
Options. Shopping agreements. Development deals. It's far better to understand the game before you're sitting across the table.
Getting a script read is a strategy, not a prayer.
There's a protocol for agents, managers, producers, and query emails. Surprisingly, simple beats clever every time.
Your story might be bigger than a book.
Some stories stay on the page. Others become films, series, or documentaries. This course simply gives yours more room to travel.
What Other Authors Say
Consistently well-organized and engaging. Kae covers topics that aren't addressed elsewhere — things many authors may not even know they need. I credit these workshops with amplifying my confidence as an indie author and helping me elevate both my brand and my business.
Fabulous courses. I've come to anticipate insight-filled presentations, lots of Q&A, and lively discussion — and that's exactly what I get. The thought of marketing and promoting my writing is terrifying, but the Bold Authors Network breaks it down into steps a writer can actually take.
Beyond helpful — transforming. Practical. Hugely organized. Easy to comprehend and put to use. Stuff you can take to the bank of practicality. Kae Wagner and Alan Roth both genuinely care for authors on this journey.
From Book to Screen: Cohort 1
Early bird pricing for the first group in. This rate goes away when the cohort fills — or when the course begins.
- 4 live sessions (2 hours each) with Alan Roth, April 9–30
- Full session recordings — watch or rewatch anytime
- Live Q&A after every session
- Bonus: Private 30-minute 1:1 with Alan Roth
- Bonus: Screenwriter's Tech Stack & Resources Checklist
- Bonus: Annotated Sample Screenplay with professional call-outs
- Zero homework — the only extra time is your bonus session
Produced by Kae Wagner & The Bold Authors Network · Limited seats
Everything You Need to Know Before You Sign Up
Is this live or pre-recorded?
Live — taught by Alan Roth in real time with live Q&A. All sessions are also recorded so you can rewatch if you miss a session or just want to revisit the material. No one left with an incomplete picture.
What are the exact dates and times?
April 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2026. Each session runs 4–6 PM EST, followed by live Q&A. This is a homework-free course — the only additional time commitment is your bonus 30-minute private session with Alan.
Is this only for fiction authors?
No. Fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and documentary-oriented stories are all welcome. The frameworks apply across formats — if the story is cinematic, it belongs here.
Will I get feedback on my specific book?
The course delivers frameworks and professional guidance rather than individual story critiques. That said, your private 1:1 session with Alan is the perfect place to bring your specific project and ask pointed questions.
What if I'm not sure my story is screen-worthy?
That uncertainty is exactly why you should be here. One of the most valuable outcomes is gaining honest clarity about whether — and when — your story should make the leap. You'll leave with a clear answer, not just hope.
What technology do I need?
A reliable internet connection and Zoom. That's it. No specialized screenwriting software is required for the course.
What does the private session with Alan look like?
It's a real 30-minute, 1:1 Zoom call — just you and Alan. You can bring questions about your specific project, industry navigation, the adaptation process, whatever you need most. It's a genuine conversation, not a sales call.
Your Story Has Been Waiting
Long Enough.
The window doesn't stay open forever. But it does open — for authors who are prepared when it does.
Secure My Spot in Cohort 1