Performing rights and film rights are a very important area of subsidiary rights. If you have a cook book or a business book, you probably don’t expect ever to see it as a movie, but almost everyone loves the idea of seeing their story turned into a movie or a television series. Heck, who would say no to an HBO series? If you have an agent, agents will often look for opportunities to sell film rights to your book. They will meet with scouts whose job it is to know what books are being published, what editors are reading and buying, and what they’re excited about. They’ll talk to production companies who represent stars who are looking for material. They’ll talk to Hollywood producers and go to parties and look for opportunities to spread the word about your book.
It’s very, very rare that a book does get turned into a movie, but you never know. If you’re lucky enough to have an option on your book—film, television, dramatic, or whatever it may be—you absolutely have to get yourself a Hollywood agent. Film is a very different industry from book publishing. You don’t want to leave the negotiation in the hands of your publisher. If your book is going to be turned into a movie, you’re going to want to get yourself someone who specifically does Hollywood deals. It’s a whole other language—and a whole other opportunity.