Genre is knowing which manners to mind

Two things got me thinking about genre yesterday. First, while rereading Clive Thompson's article about science fiction in Wired, I noted his observation that readers of Wired magazine wouldn't know the distinction between many genres.
(http://www.collisiondetection.net/mt/archives/2008/01/why_scifi_is_th.html) He's probably right. Readers don't need to know exactly where to shelve a book. But writers do need to know what the major genres are because publishers do. The second thing that got me thinking was a comment someone e-mailed me describing Agatha Christie's successful use of the unreliable narrator in her book, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Another poster, an avid mystery reader, had added a good tip to Mr. Brean's plot formula. What I realize is that while people may not know the names of all the types of genres or all the conventions, they do know what to expect when they read one! Now this is a bit like taxonomy, so bear with me! On the top, you have mainstream fiction and genre fiction. Mainstream fiction is general fiction, best-seller style. It is popular, usually plot-driven, not specialized. Some people give Literary fiction its own category, others lump it in with general fiction. Literary fiction is known for allowing authors to explore style and character and be a bit experimental. Now, on the other side of the chart is Genre fiction. It is sometimes (and not always in a nice way!) referred to as "formula" fiction. In other words, there's an understanding about how the novel will unfold if it is within a genre. Some of the genres are: Romantic, Mystery, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Suspense, Horror, Western, Christian, Adventure and Young Adult. While I think absolute beginners do best to focus on one at a time, many good books blend two genres. If you are a voracious reader of any of these styles, you may have noticed that they have similarities. Those similarities are the rules of the genre that the writer followed. These rules are not arcane or top secret. Most publishers and editors have guidelines. I'll cover most of the most popular formulas in future posts. There are even rules for the genre of blogging. One of them I am at risk of breaking: brevity. So, I will break here and let you get back to your writing!

A Cautionary Tale of a Very Bad Novel

If you've been following along, you remember from my earlier blog, "Is there a draft in your closet?" that I am one of those writers who is guilty of the "out of sight, out of mind" type of revision. I would like to pretend that I never wrote such a bizarre novel, but in the spirit of openness and trust that blogging inspires (and the knowledge that even if you laugh I can't hear you), I will tell you how I described it at the time:
"It's a romantic suspense novel. It's first person, except for a few flashbacks to a supernatural horror scene, which are in the third person. Don't trust the main character. Come to think of it, all my characters are unreliable. Oh, and tell me who you think the murderer was, since I couldn't make up my mind, so I left it hanging. It's a really sad story, so I threw in lots of puns and jokes to liven it up."
Ouch. The miracle is that a few agents actually thought it was redeemable with work, but unfortunately, I had written myself into a corner, so instead of revising---into the closet it went and stayed for the next ten years. In short: Don't write anything that even remotely resembles that description. Next post, I'll list a few tried and true techniques so you can keep your closet for your shoes.
Extra credit: How many of the techniques that I warned you against yesterday did I mention in my description of my first novel?

Tried and True techniques

Naturally, I need to follow up with a few tried and true techniques. Use these to ensure that you encounter the fewest problems with your book.

1) Use one point-of-view. Choose one character as the main focus and keep him or her "on camera" at all times.

2) Use the third person. It's much easier to describe a character's thoughts and reactions in the third person. The same thoughts in the first person tend to sound narcissistic. Try it--write a paragraph with "I" and then rewrite it with "He" or "She." See what I mean? Don't be seduced into attempting the first person by John Banville's sinuous novels, unless you have a personal voice that enraptures all that wander near. Not for beginners.

3) One genre at a time, please. Readers get cranky if you mix them too much. Readers feel betrayed if they think they're enjoying a romantic novel, but zombies wander in by chapter six. Not to mention the risk of ruffling the feathers of publishers and booksellers who won't know where to place your book.

4) Plot twice, write once. And then cut by a third.

I'll have more tried and true later. Tonight I am thinking about an article I just read in Wired magazine that asserts that all the deep questions have abandoned general fiction and taken residence in Science Fiction. Maybe we should take that up tomorrow?

Writing techniques best left to geniuses and fools

Since most writers are like moths to the flame, I thought I might list a few of the most disastrous and beguiling techniques in fiction today. Use them at your own peril.
1) Weird time tricks. Time loops around, time leaps forward, time goes backward, what's old is new, what's new is old. The reader needs GPS just to get to the end of the narrative. The delightful exceptions: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, and Time's Arrow by Martin Amis.
2) Writing in the second person. It's just too distracting to read "you" over and over. Jay McInerney used it in Bright Lights, Big City, but that doesn't mean anyone else should.
3) Talking animals in adult fiction and wizards in young adult fiction. I don't even need to tell you it's been done as well as it ever could be done.
4) Sociopaths as main characters. Sociopaths do not have compelling inner lives. They have no motivation except mental illness. Come to think of it, they make pretty dull villains too. My apologies to Bret Easton Ellis, but American Psycho wasn't a page-turner.
5) Artificial Intelligence and hyper- geeky terminology...unless your name is William Gibson, in which case, I take it all back. Try Burning Chrome and you'll see why.
6) The epistolary novel, that is, a novel in the form of letters. An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser is a good example. It worked in 1925, but today we need more action than a stuffed mailbox.
7) Stream of consciousness. You need a brilliant mind for this one. Try Joyce's Ulysses. No, don't: Try Stephen Dixon's Interstate instead. You won't need coffee for a week.
8) The crazy narrator, particularly the sensitive insane young woman. This goes for memoir writers too. Even if you are a sensitive, insane young woman, in which case, you have creative ideas to spare. Choose something else.
Now, don't say I didn't warn you! Got any literary peeves to add to the list? I'd love to hear them.

Why You Should Ignore Publishing Trends

They're everywhere: Fewer books to be published! Women's fiction is in! Young Adult fiction is in! Amazon's Kindle will change the world! I could worry about the trends but I choose not to. Here's why:
First, every trend begins with an original genre-blasting best-seller. Then come the swarm of imitators. By the time I could write a book to capitalize on the latest theme, the trend will be on its way out. Besides, who can do better than the author who was creative enough to usher in the trend?

Secondly, on-demand printing and the digital download book are putting an end to that bane of publishers--remaindered copies! We don't have to please the mainstream anymore; we can go for the long tail! (Here's a link to Chris Anderson's original article, mostly concerning the music business, but very good reading: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.10/tail.html)

Thirdly, if there's an audience for us swinging on the tip of that long tail, and we know there most certainly is--we can reach them. That's what the Internet is for. How we will connect with our readers online is the most fascinating area to explore in publishing.

So, this is good news. Don't chase anyone else's dream or theme. Just write. Your readers are waiting.

5 things editors want

There's more to glean from Mr. Brean. Let's see if his assessment of publishing trends from1936 is still relevant today. My summation of his main points are below.
Editors want:
1) a formula that doesn't look like one. ( Are publishers going to be more conservative and look for sure bestsellers with the current economy? Worth considering. I prefer to think of "structure" instead of "formula" because it allows more originality--which everyone wants. )

2) a story that throws the characters into the action quickly. ( I suppose Henry James doesn't have to follow these rules. In some of his books, there's hardly any action outside of psychological rumination. Come to think of it, there's plenty of modern literary fiction in which nothing physically happens. Maybe we should modify this one: If there is going to be action, get right into it.)

3) a story with as few characters as possible. ( In other words, if you describe the clerk at the 7-11 in chapter one, you'd better have a pivotal role for him in chapter eight! This is a tough one for me--I like quirky walk-on characters.)

4) characters with strong desires and for them to be torn between them. ( I can't argue with that. Can you think of any books that have apathetic main characters?)

5) a very clear main character. (Multiple point of view books are a bit of a high-wire act. You have to be really good to make each of your characters equally interesting. Admit it--you've skipped a section to get back to the "good" character when reading, haven't you? Maybe editors don't like books with dull parts! )

Keep writing!

A Magic Formula for Plot?

Is there really a magic formula for a perfect plot? Today I am going back to the Mystery Writer's Handbook edited by Herbert Brean (published in 1956) to take a closer look at the chapter from Lester Dent written in 1936. Mr. Dent, if you are reading this blog, I apologize in advance for the liberties I am taking in condensing your article. Those of you who would prefer to read the original may find it here:
http://www.biblio.com/details.php?dcx=74056597&aid=frg

Bear in mind that this is a guide for mystery writers; literary fiction can cool down the heat a bit.

First, divide your book into four sections.

Section #1
In the first line (or as soon as possible) introduce the hero, get him in trouble, hint at a mystery and begin the menace. Next, get the hero in action, as he tries to cope with the trouble, fathom the mystery, solve problem or defeat menace. All characters are stirred into the mix. The hero's actions land him into conflict with antagonist. End section with a surprise plot twist.

Section #2 and #3
(same structure, just ratchet up the intensity)
Give the hero more trouble, then allow him to make some headway in the conflict with antagonist. End with a plot twist that results in the hero getting smacked down hard.

Section #4
Even more trouble! The hero is in absolute despair of achieving goal. Then, he manages to save himself by his own skills and wit. The remaining mysteries are cleared up. Give the reader one last plot twist for the road and a perfect line to end it.

Okay, I admit my synopsis sounds a bit humorous. But honestly, haven't you read lots of books that follow this outline fairly closely?

7 ways to perfect your plot

What makes a novel worth reading--or publishing? That was the quest that sent me into the dim, musty stacks of the library this afternoon. I hoped that serendipity would lead me to the answer. I found plenty of possibilities. (And a few sleeping homeless people, one paranoid man in fatigues and a handful of dealers on cell phones. Busy place, the library.) From one little beige hardback--The Mystery Writer's Handbook, edited by Herbert Brean, published in 1956--I gleaned these tips:
1) Bad plots kill more books than bad writing.
2) Spend as much time on plot as you do on the writing.
3) Ensure that your plot has suspense, menace, and conflict. ("menace" in this case, being some looming difficulty that hangs over the main character's head.)
4) Don't deal with conflict in your plot the same way you do with conflict in your own life. We don't like problems and try solve them (or avoid them) as quickly as possible. A good plot increases the conflicts and drags out the solutions.
5) Be tough on your characters. Let your plot challenge them, test them, and subject them to failure before they succeed.
6) Roll up your sleeves. A good plot is hard work. It's more rewarding to tinker with a phrase or create backstory, but you get out what you put in.
7) Don't let your plot be a swayback. Throw in a few complications in the middle.

In the same book is an article from 1936 by Lester Dent who describes a master plot formula. I'll comment on that next time!

Is there a draft hidden in your closet?

There is in mine! It's been there for over five years and I just found it again, covered with dust, under a pile of old clothes. Maybe I found it because I'm working on this blog trying to help you write that best-sellers you said you were going to write. (Admit it!). So now this flawed novel is staring at me, challenging me, telling me to take my own medicine. Can I really untangle the mess I made of the plot? Should I just throw it out and work on my new book? When do you dig in your heels and do the hard work of revision and when do you cut your losses and move on? What do you think?

Let's talk about dialog

Dialog: Who doesn't love it? It's fun to set characters against each other and imagine what they would say. Add the pleasure of a new paragraph for each change of speaker and pages fly from your fingers. But wait! Characters don't have conversations like we do. (At least they shouldn't!) There are a few things to bear in mind:

1) Dialog is never small talk.

2) Dialog either reveals character, creates tension, builds suspense or moves the story forward.

3) Characters may be like us, but they don't talk like us. No unnecessary words, no repetitions, or irrelevant information.

4) "If you have to tell the reader how your character feels," she said pompously, "you haven't got good dialog."

"But I love my adverbs," he said, his forehead imprinted with small squares from striking it against his keyboard. "I can't leave them to fend for themselves!"

"Just compare our dialog!" she asserted proudly, enjoying his misery. "I am as dull as a menu, while you..."

"...sound like a real person?" He lifted his head and stared at her. "That's what you want, isn't it?" His fingernails dug into his palm.

"That's what all writers want!" she said triumphantly.

He sighed and dumped an armload of adverbs into a nearby trashcan

10 excuses not to write & 10 reasons why you should!

1) I don't have time. (You only need to sit still for few minutes!)
2) My partner/kid/dog/cat/gerbil want my attention. (You can close the door for a few minutes, can't you?)
3) I work all day, I'm too tired. (Yeah, I can relate! But don't let your job stop you from accomplishing your dreams!)
4) I never took writing classes. (Well, write anyway! You can only get better!)
5) I'm too hungry! (That's what cookies are for! Don't get crumbs on your keyboard!)
6) My best friend says my writing is lousy. (Maybe he or she is envious of your determination!)
7) I want to play with my kids! (Play then! But get in a few minutes of writing after bedtime)
8) I still don't have any time! (Are you focusing on what's important? Maybe less T.V.or mail?)
9) I can't think of anything to write. (Then grab a stack of books and magazines and read. What fascinates you?)
10) I'm still planning, but my idea isn't perfect yet. (And it never will be---until you begin. Jump in headfirst and correct course on the way! )

Using your senses

Have you ever watched a baby explore his or her environment? First, they try and grab, then they stick it in their mouths! They learn quite a bit about the qualities of an object by tasting and feeling it, much to our alarm! Stuffing food up their noses, banging pan lids, splashing water out of the tub, babies glory in living life with all their senses. And we writers can learn a great deal from babies!

Now that we're older, we explore more with our minds and search new worlds in books. But that doesn't mean we've changed--we still use our senses.The trick of a writer is to put down simple words that trick the reader into thinking they actually are using their ears, nose, skin, tongue and eyes. A good description does just that by choosing just the right detail.

Try writing down everything you can think of for a scene using all your senses. Now, choose one detail for each sense. From those details, choose one that shows something very close up, one detail that shows something within about twenty feet and finally, one detail that focuses on the scene as a whole, seen from a slight distance.

Write Your Own "Choose your Adventure" story!

Do you know a child who loves those "choose your own adventure" books? Why not help them make their own? You can't be too young to start thinking like a writer. You'll need a big stack of unlined extra-large index cards. Write each of these letter/number combinations on its own card: A, B1, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, D8, E1, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9, E10, E11, E12, E13, E14, E15, E16. (You may not have as many levels for younger children. Some kids may want more!)

Arrange the cards in rows by letter in the shape of a pyramid. Flip over card "A". Leave room for a picture and a couple lines of story. On the bottom of the card write: "If you think____, Go to B1" and "If you think____, Go to B2" Make sure you leave a big enough blank space for whatever wild options your child dreams up! Now, turn over "B1" and "B2". This time you'll write options "C1" and "C2" on the bottom of "B1" and "C3" and "C4" on the bottom of "B2". Continue on until you reach the final row of cards. The "E" cards are the end of the story. You can choose to end some story lines early, or jump ahead. Once you get the basic structure, you can play around with it a bit.

Make it shorter for young kids and help them by writing the words while they supply the pictures. Older kids can work on their own.
To read, place all cards letter side up and only turn over one card at a time.

While the kids are busy, why not work on your own writing? Have fun!

The Basic Recipe for a Book

When I set out to write my first book of fiction, I pestered every writer I knew and read many books on the subject. I learned quite a bit, but what I really wanted was...less. I didn't want to know how to become a literary genius; I just wanted to know what to put in my first draft. A recipe, if you will. This is what I wound up with:

To write a 180 page rough draft, you will need 20 chapters.
Each chapter has 3 scenes.
Each scene contains action, description and dialogue.
Each scene should be about three pages.

This gives you a general outline. Once you decide how much time each day you can devote to writing and how much you can accomplish in that time, you'll be able to do some quick math and get an estimate of when you'll be done that first draft.
As you write, you'll find some scenes and chapters are longer or shorter, and that is fine.

Simple, huh? That's just an overview--we'll be exploring each part in depth in future posts. And if any of you find the secret to literary genius, let me know.

Who is this book for?

If your answer is that you want to publish it for everyone to read, then you haven't answered my question. Let's dig deeper. In your heart, who is this book for? Are you writing for yourself, to create a life or world to escape into, or to explore your secret fears and hopes? Are you writing for your parents, either to prove them wrong when they said you couldn't do it--or to give them something wonderful in return for their faith in you? Are you writing for a child who loves to be enchanted by words? Are you writing for your partner or friend or teacher? Are you writing for another writer, either long dead or contemporary? Picture someone reading your book. Who is it? That is your ideal reader. Make friends with him or her because you'll need to be well-acquainted when you begin writing. Why? Well, you'll know just what kind of words to use to reach your reader if you know exactly who they are. Tomorrow you'll need a notebook or some paper, so get ready!

How do you decide what kind of book to write?

Now, I am assuming that if you are here, you are starting from scratch. So we must begin at the beginning. What shelf in the bookstore would you find your soon-to-be book? Probably nestled beside the books you like to read. Write what you want to read! After all, you are going to be reading it everyday! Now, some of you will know exactly what they have in mind, but the rest of you, like me, will find yourselves in even worse a fix! You like LOTS of books! Oh, you lucky gourmets! It may take a bit longer, but your possibilities are endless. Here's what you need to do:
1) Go find six or so of your all-time favorite books.
2) Get a sheet of paper and a cup of something delicious and find a comfy seat.
3) For each book, write down what it is that you love. Use the following choices: The story, the characters, or the feeling the book gives you. You may wind up with something like this: The Da Vinci Code: the story; The Pilot's Wife: the characters; and Stardust: the feeling. In short, a high action suspense book with poignant female characters in a fantasy world.
4) Think of this as a treasure hunt. What do your favorite books have in common? What makes them different? Is there a type of situation that you enjoy seeing characters get into? What do you really hate to read about? Write it all down.
5) Imagine you are in an enchanted library and you have just found the perfect book. It was written just for you. What is it about? This is your book. And I'm going to help you write it!

Is it Really That Easy?

Now, before you object to my saying writing a book is as easy as following a recipe, let me clarify:
1) Writing a book takes a good deal more time than making a chicken casserole.

2) You don't need to write it all at once! (This one is important!)

3) If you are really good in the kitchen, you'll find that writing is a bit more challenging than whipping up supper. But not much.

4) If you can follow a recipe, you can write a book.

5) Even if you make a meal worthy of the Food Network, it will be gone shortly after it hits the plates.

6) A book doesn't get eaten and unless you lean on your delete key, you'll have more to start with every time you sit down to work.

Sound good? Sound possible? Sure it does! Let's get to work!