Writing Web Novels In America-Chapter 113 - 112: New Player Enters the Game

Los Angeles, inside a small apartment beside Mulholland Drive.

Paul Shuering was counting a stack of Franklins with a bit of excitement, while inwardly he marveled.

"Thank you, ’Prison Break’, thank you to that female author named Sarah!"

Because of the broadcast of the TV show ’Prison Break’, a large number of readers were drawn to the website.

After reading the novel, these readers would habitually search for the word "prison".

Currently, there were only two works with ’prison’ in their titles on the website.

Although most readers only glanced at Paul Shuering’s work before choosing to give up,

there were still a small number of readers who chose to pay to read.

So, Paul Shuering, who had originally been defeated and sent his fully imagined script to the website, had actually made tens of thousands of dollars.

He watched the news on TV about the Screenwriters Association choosing to strike, and shook his head with indifference.

But suddenly, his phone rang.

"Hello, who is this?"

"I am an employee from wangwen.com. May I speak to Mr. Paul Shuering?"

"Yes, that’s me." Because he had made money from the website, Paul had a good impression of it.

"Here’s the situation, there’s a film and television company that’s interested in your ’Special Soldier in Prison’ and hopes to obtain your authorization."

Paul Shuering was first startled, then overwhelmed with ecstasy.

His work was going to be turned into a film?

His dream was coming true?

Thank you, website!

"Currently, you have two choices," the voice on the other end continued, "First, sell the rights for 70,000 dollars."

"However, according to your agreement with the website, the website will take a 30% cut of the authorization fee."

"And you will get 49,000 dollars."

"The other option is for you to change the title of your work to ’Prison Break Prequel: From Prisoner to Warden’ and make some modifications with the help of the staff."

"That way, you will receive 100,000 dollars."

’Prison Break Prequel: From Prisoner to Warden’?

What the hell is that?

"Won’t this infringe rights?" Paul asked.

"Actually, the website was supposed to pay you 120,000 dollars for the authorization fee, but 20,000 dollars of that will go to the original author of ’Prison Break’, Ms. Sarah."

"So, there will be no infringement issues."

Honestly, literary creators are very averse to having their work arbitrarily changed.

But Paul Shuering had already changed his once.

And... that’s 100,000 dollars!

A writer of modest fame could get that price!

After pondering for a moment, Paul Shuering put aside his literary pride.

"Okay, I agree!"

"Then please pay attention to your email, a new contract will be sent to you."

An hour later, in New York, inside the writing office of the website.

"Wang Jian, the thing you entrusted me with a few days ago, it’s been taken care of," Tom walked into the office, "The author of ’Special Soldier in Prison’ has faxed over the contract."

"And Miller has agreed to star as the protagonist in the ’Prison Break Prequel’."

"Good," Wang Jian said, "Next, go hire professionals to calculate the filming costs."

"By the way, ask Bright Production Company if they are interested in co-producing ’Special Soldier in Prison’."

Finishing his sentence, Wang Jian shook his head, "No, it should now be titled ’Prison Break Prequel: From Prisoner to Warden’."

"At the same time, release news that we are planning to shoot a ’Prison Break’ prequel."

"Wait until advertisements sponsorships can cover half of the production costs, and then regardless of whether others join, we start filming!"

Wang Jian tapped his fingers on the desk, "Just treat it as an experiment?"

"Oh, and here’s the contact for the Omnicom Advertising staff." He opened a drawer and found Lynn’s business card.

"For professional matters, we should rely on professionals."

"By the way, it seems that we might have made a slight mistake in advertising sponsorship in ’Prison Break’," Wang Jian handed the business card to Tom.

"Understood," Tom took the card and left.

...

A few days later, while Wang Jian was still pondering over how to adapt ’Anomalies and Creatures’ and ’Empresses in the Palace’ in his head,

Tom had already, on behalf of the website, drafted an agreement with Omnicom Advertising.

The agreement established that after Omnicom Advertising secured a certain amount of advertisement intentions for the ’Prison Break’ prequel, they would formally sign the contract.

And Tom, who was very perceptive, naturally recommended the person on the business card as the project manager.

Thus Lynn, who was just an ordinary advertising planner, suddenly became a project manager.

This career-driven woman was overjoyed.

While swearing to seize this opportunity, she thought to herself, "Actually, Wang Jian is really quite good."

Lynn first took out all the client information from the company’s data room.

Next, she led her subordinates to call all the companies listed, with the attitude that "clients may mistreat me a thousand times, but I treat each like a first love."

Her fighting spirit was truly astonishing.

So, a few days later, in Wang Jian’s office.

"This is the fax from Omnicom Advertising," Tom said, "Currently, excluding Zara fashion, which offered 600,000 dollars hoping to secure the costume sponsorship rights for the ’Prison Break’ prequel,"

"The rest totals 400,000 dollars in various advertisements."

"Including food, pharmaceuticals, cigarettes, and many other products."

"This covers about one-third of our estimated production costs."

"Oh, and there’s a prison tycoon willing to provide a shooting location for free."

"What’s the catch?" Wang Jian asked with a laugh.

"Uh," Tom spread his hands, "They hope that ordinary prisons are shot realistically, while when the protagonist enters a luxury prison, a certain degree of exaggeration can be allowed."

"In order to stimulate the relatives outside the prison to opt for upgraded services for prisoners."

That’s really sick!

"Fine," Wang Jian answered, "But we’ll need to charge extra!"

"Understood," Tom nodded.

"Oh and Bright Production Company refuses to co-produce, but there was a call from someone inquiring about the possibility of co-producing."

"Who is it?"

"Reed Hastings," Tom flipped through his notes, "He’s the founder of a tech company called Pure Software."

"However, there’s a rumor that this company is going to be acquired by IBM at a high price, so this guy must be really rich."

"Ha, another tech tycoon wanting to break into the entertainment industry, huh?" Wang Jian chuckled.

"Not exactly," Tom’s expression became serious, "This person wants to secure exclusive rights to sell video tapes and DVDs of ’Prison Break’ and its prequel."

"For this, he is willing to give up some of the producer’s rights."

"Hmm, this is interesting," Wang Jian subconsciously twirled his pen, "Contact this person, see if he’s available for a meeting."

"Let me meet this Reed Hastings."

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