“....but I’ve written a screenplay which has received attention from some industry professionals...”
I can relate to this a bit. I wrote a play a few years back, The Bed by Nikos Vlachos. It won some National Awards, and it’s been produced several times. I published it last year so you can purchase it cheaply. Even have a Spanish, French and German version. It’s had great reviews, but as a play it doesn’t get much attention, and your “industrial professionals” won’t touch it.
I’ve wanted to convert this to a novel, or even screenplay, but it’s not that easy. I think your best bet is to find an English Grad student at your local college and make them the offer. Better yet, put a small ad in the college paper, and audition someone to write. Summer time is perfect cause they need money.
Pay them just enough in advance to get them to write a little at a time. $25 per hour is a fair price I think. If you can get this done for under $1000 you’re doing well but good luck.
College students, esp the women, are not real focused esp when there’s a boyfriend involved. They’ll start the project then leave you high and dry. I paid one $500 a few summers back, for around 20 pages. So, like you, I still have a play in need of a novelist.
IF you haven’t produced the work yet, then you have the cart before the horse, and I would strongly recommend doing a performance, even a workshop one with community actors. Pay them a little and invite friends.
I would also consider submitting it to various contests. If you don’t subscribe to Insight for Playwrights, you should.
“It was a dark and stormy night...”
How am I doing so far?
I’m a former playwright. Wish I can help you out.