Like the title says, has anyone ever bought the rights to a book?

How do you go about such a thing and is it a bunch of shit or what?

Coming across Elmore Leonard's "Mr.  Paradise" at a thrift store recently reminded me of a few years ago when I tried to turn the book into a screenplay just for the hell of it.  I think I may even have the first 20 pages laying around on my computer somewhere.

I did once, but the deal fell through because my agent and the publisher could not agree on a stupid technicality about action figures.  

Anyway, just contact his publisher and ask them if the rights are available. Tell them who you are and what you have done and what you would like to do with the story.

You don't need to own the rights to a story, the producer does.

I've been commissioned to do a book adaptation and I think it mostly happens through knowing the author, or having some type of connection.

If you're going to buy the rights yourself then you might as well produce the film too.

Quoted from Grandma Bear Anyway, just contact his publisher and ask them if the rights are available. Tell them who you are and what you have done and what you would like to do with the story.

Alright, thanks, that seems simple enough, except for the latter part.  I'm a nobody and I haven't done shit yet.  

Quoted from Guest I'm a nobody and I haven't done shit yet.

If you haven't had anything produced yet, make sure you have at least a great short that you can show as an example of your writing skills.

As far as the cost of securing the rights, you might be surprised how low it can be. Unless of course you target someone HUGE.