# Licensing a novel **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 8, 2002, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/licensing-a-novel/107946 "2002-05-08T19:04:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dumbguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dumbguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dumbguy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/licensing-a-novel/107946/1 "2002-05-08T19:04:29Z")
If I were interested in getting the rights to a book in order to write a screenplay from it, how would I find out if it’s already licensed. And if it isn’t, how would I approach purchasing the rights? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/licensing-a-novel/107946/2 "2002-05-08T19:23:22Z")
Contact the publisher of the book. They will be able to get you in touch with the proper person, be it the author, the author’s representative, or the appropriate clearinghouse (such as ASCAP). Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/licensing-a-novel/107946/3 "2002-05-08T19:23:39Z")
The most obvious answer is to get in touch with the author. ---
**Author:** ![Dumbguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dumbguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dumbguy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/licensing-a-novel/107946/4 "2002-05-08T23:49:21Z")
Well yeah **Xema** , but I was hoping to find out something about the process beforehand so I can try to sound like I know what I’m doing. Thanks, **Knead**. I’ll try the publisher.