Badgerdog Creative Writing Program: How to Novelize a Movie

We often hear about books being adapted for the screen, but it works the other way, too! Sometimes stories that begin life as movies get a second chance when they’re turned into books.

In this workshop, we’ll explore reasons why someone might want to novelize a movie, how to acquire a movie’s book rights, and where to start the process of turning a movie into a book. Includes step-by-step instructions and an in-class writing exercise.

Jess Hagemann’s debut novel Headcheese won a 2019 IPPY Award in Horror. Her sophomore novel Mother-Eating was named a “Most-Anticipated Horror Book of 2025” by Paste Magazine and made Bloody Disgusting’s list of Best Horror Books of 2025. In 2026, she wrote the officially licensed novelization of the movie Burning Palms for Encyclopocalypse Publications. More at jesshagemann.com

The Badgerdog Creative Writing program includes workshops for all ages, classroom-based lessons, and youth camps to inspire and guide our up-and-coming writers. Badgerdog is a program of The Library Foundation, which offers a range of enriching cultural and educational community programs for all ages in close partnership with the library.