Writing tie-ins and novelizations is a craft that requires special skills and knowledge above and beyond the usual challenges of creating characters, establishing a sense of place, and devising a compelling plot. Likewise, the business behind writing tie-ins also presents some unique challenges that are different from those faced by writers in other corners of publishing.
The following articles, many in the form of Q & As with top writers in the tie-in field, explore the many aspects of writing ties-ins and sustaining a career in the field. (For more about the interviewees, check out the About The Authors page). We hope by reading these articles you’ll gain a better understanding and appreciation of the work that IAMTW members do.
Popular TV Series and Movies Maintain Relevance as Novels
The Endangered Art of the Movie Novelization by Will Sloan
SlayerLit speaks with Lisa Clancy – about the Buffy tie-in novels
Real Authors Writing Fake Books NEW! (PDF)
Benson on Writing the Bond Novels
Scribe Award Winners Announced in San Diego (2009) (PDF)
Tod Goldberg on BURN NOTICE
Words for Hire, Game Tie-ins (PDF)
Words for Hire, Television & Movie Tie-ins (PDF)
Media Tie-ins, YES OR NO? (PDF)
On Writing for the Doctor…
The ‘Ghost’ Writer
Burn Notice: The Novel (Tod Goldberg)
Mel Odom On Tie-In Writing
Smoking In The Boys Room
The Business of Tie-Ins and Novelizations Part One: The Deal
The Business of Tie-ins and Novelizations Part Two: Deadlines
The Business of Tie-ins and Novelizations Part Three: Characters
The Business of Tie-ins and Novelizations Part Four: The Agents
The Business of Tie-ins and Novelizations Part Five: Breaking In
The Spin-Off Doctors (Sydney Morning Herald)
How to Write A Novel-a-Year
Licensed Fiction and The Expansion of Fictional Worlds
Advice to Young Writers
Are Tie-In Writers Hacks?
Writing A Novelization
Writing A Tie-In
Writing the CSI Novels
Writing the DIAGNOSIS MURDER Novels
Benson on Bond
Novelizing TV Spies
Wesley Britton: Spy Television
All Tied Up: Three Writers Discuss Media Tie-In Work
Wild Wild West: The Interview
Writing the MONK Books
Burl Barer on Writing THE SAINT Novelization
Writing the MURDER SHE WROTE Novels
Don’t Drop the TV Tie-Ins
How To Novelize A Game
Breaking Out of the Box
Where the Fans Are
Richard Lupoff: Writing the BUCK ROGERS Novelizations
Writing the TV episode “Mr. Monk Can’t See a Thing”
Alice Henderson on writing BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER novels
Building a Theme by Tim Waggoner
Interviews with authors of original SPIDERMAN short stories
Rod Lott at Bookgasm.com interviews Greg Cox
Local author is the No. 1 authority in the “Star Trek” universe
Pocket Moves Beyond Star Trek
Summer 2007 Tie-Ins and Novelizations (Publishers Weekly)
Whodunit? Your favorite author may be just a brand name
Snakes on a Plane Finally Snags a Prize
Fall 2005 Tie-Ins and Novelizations (Publishers Weekly)
Winter 2006 Tie-Ins and Novelizations (Publishers Weekly)
We update this list on a regular basis and we’re always on the look-out for more articles about our field. If you stumble across an interesting article or essay relating to tie-ins or novelizations, please email us the article or the link.