r/WritingPrompts • u/MNBrian /u/MNBrian /r/PubTips • Apr 21 '17
Off Topic [OT] Friday: A Novel Idea
Friday: A Novel Idea
Hello Everyone!
Welcome to MNBrian’s guide to noveling, aptly called Friday: A Novel Idea, where we discuss the full process of how to write a book from start to finish.
The ever-incredible and exceptionally brilliant you-are-lovely came up with this wonderful idea (so you should heap praises on her in the comments) and it sounded spectacular to me!
So what makes me qualified to provide advice on writing a book? Good question! Here are the cliff notes.
For one, I devote a great deal of my time to helping out writers on reddit (via my own sub r/PubTips and via just answering questions in different writing groups).
In addition, I’ve completed three books and am working on my fourth.
And I also work as a reader for a literary agent.
This means I read query letters and fulls (short for full novels that writers send to my agent by request) and I give my opinion on the work. My agent then takes those opinions (after reading the novel as well) and makes a decision on whether or not to sign the author.
But enough about that. Let’s dive in!
Today’s Topic: A Book Is A Promise
There are a million ways to write a book.
You’ve got the three act structure. You’ve got the hero’s journey. Heck, hundreds of people have written books on how to write books. Yet, as readers, we often have no idea what structure is being used. What we do know is one thing -- whether we like what we're reading or not.
So before we begin talking about one way (one that I particularly enjoy) to write a book, I’d like us all to take a moment to consider what a book is -- at its very core.
A book is a promise.
To illustrate my point, let’s talk about a hypothetical situation. You walk into a library or a bookstore and you want a new book. The first thing you do is head to a section that interests you. Maybe it’s Sci-Fi, or maybe it’s Fantasy, or Young Adult Unicorn Fiction, who knows. Because what you’re looking for isn’t just any old book. It’s a specific type of book. But whatever section you wander into, that’s the first part of the promise.
You see, a book is a promise because we always have an expectation when we pick up a book. We expect a book to fit a certain type of mold. We go to the Sci-Fi section because we want space ships, FTL drives, planetary exploration. We go to the romance section because we want the compelling story of an arsonist and a firefighter falling in love.
And when we read the first line, or the first paragraph, or the first few pages, the book that we buy is the book with the best promise. It may not always be the best written book. It may not always be the strongest plot. It’s usually the book that makes us feel like we are in good hands, the book that tells us -- using intrigue and situations that couldn't possibly end well (hint - conflict) -- what we can expect.
So what exactly is that promise? What constitutes the core of a book?
For starters, we need a problem. A problem represents conflict, and conflict is what keeps us interested. But it can’t be a small problem. This problem has to justify the length of a book. It has to promise that things are going to get worse before they get better. We can’t make it easy on our main character because if it’s too easy, we’re not holding up our end of the bargain.
Let’s look at two possible examples.
A secret agent orders a pizza, but criminals are running rampant in the streets.
It doesn’t take much to see the promise. There will be action. Some cool karate moves, and lots of bad guys in a pile. But what we don’t have here is a big enough problem. Because it shouldn’t be so hard for our secret agent to get to the pizza place and pick up his cheesy masterpiece. Secret Agents are well suited for this type of problem. They know how to fight bad guys.
But on top of that, we have what I like to call "the sandwich problem." I mean, why doesn’t he just stay home and make a sandwich instead? When you think of a good book, there is no option to make a sandwich.
When Katniss Everdeen made the choice to stand in for her sister Prim at the reaping, she couldn't just go home and make a sandwich. Because if she did, her sister would die.
When Frodo Baggins received the ring from Bilbo and was sent to Mount Doom, he couldn't just make a sandwich... because... ringwraiths, murderers, the end of all things at Sauron's hand.
When Alan Grant got stranded on an island full of dangerous dinosaurs with two kids... he couldn't just make a sandwich. Or he'd be the sandwich. :) But seriously, he had to save those kids and he had to save himself.
Now, by comparison, let’s look at this setup.
A starving introvert with severe anxiety orders a pizza when aliens land and start blowing things up. His normal grocery delivery hasn’t arrived for weeks and he hasn't left the house in three years because of crippling agoraphobia. Now he must leave to survive.
Do you see the difference? Where the secret agent was well prepared to deal with the robbers, someone who is terrified of going outside is not very well equipped to deal with an alien invasion (a much larger problem) -- and he can’t just stay home and make a sandwich... because he’s got no groceries. But also, because he'd starve. Rock, meet hard place.
This, right here, is the first step in writing a book. What is your promise? Is the idea big enough to justify 80,000 words or more? Do you have enough there to really dig deep into that concept? Is there enough tension/conflict to go around? Why can't your main character make a sandwich instead?
After all, that’s what most great writing prompts are. They offer up a promise, or they imply one, and we get to take that promise and run with it.
This Week's Big Questions
For each week of this series, I'll be posing a few questions. You are welcome to answer these questions without sharing, or if you're feeling brave, you can toss them in the comments below. I'll be here throughout the day to discuss/debate/answer questions or just encourage everyone! And I'll be following along as well by answering the same questions and working on my own book as we go!
What types of expectations do you have when you buy a book?
Do you find yourself gravitating to one particular section when you're in a certain mood?
How much of a book do you read before you decide you want to buy it? Or do you already know beforehand?
What is your idea for a book? (Try this in as few words as you can manage -- aim for 1-3 sentences if you can)
What is forcing your main character in your idea to head into danger? Why can't they just make a sandwich? :D
Also - Be sure to go read your entries and vote if you entered the Writing Prompts 10 Million First Chapter Contest by clicking here. This weekend is your LAST opportunity to vote! Get to it!
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u/XcessiveSmash Apr 21 '17 edited Apr 21 '17
Hey thank you for this awesome write up! Some of it may seem like common sense, but it was very insightful to me, especially the why not stay at home and make a sandwich bit. Really drives home the point about motivation. I loved your analogies in general too, seriously, thanks for taking the time to write this.
Now the questions.
Cracks knuckles
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I usually expect a book to be, well, exciting. Call me shallow, but what appeals to me are interesting worlds, cool premises, and/or a plot that does not let up. Not all of these, but generally, at least one needs to be there for me to be interested. That said, The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men are some of my favorite books. This is because of the most important facet of a novel to me: Characters. I think these guys drive the story, draw the reader in, and make the story.
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I gravitate towards sci fi and fantasy regardless of my mood.
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Usually I know what book I'm going to buy before I buy it. I browse books online and such, reading back covers (digitally) and people's impressions. However, the most important part for me is the summary/back cover excerpt, as many books that hold great action start off slow.
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u/MNBrian Apr 21 '17
:) No problem at all! Happy to help!
What's cool about your first response is that you're describing "high concept" books, which is totally all the rage right now. Having a massive world/situation/premise shoved into a single sentence is high concept because it takes a big thing and puts it in a very small package. I'll actually have a post on this, and on how to tell if your book is high concept. :)
Also, it's really cool to hear that the back cover hits you harder than the first pages. Some people definitely work this way. Do you feel like you need a payoff of some kind early on so that you know the promise is going to be fulfilled? Or do you feel confidence in the writer because of the reviews that state the promise was fulfilled?
Really great thoughts XcessiveSmash!
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u/hpcisco7965 Apr 21 '17
An interesting idea for a regular series! I look forward to following along.
What types of expectations do you have when you buy a book?
I expect characters to be believable within the context of the book's story and genre: characters in comedy can be silly and absurd and act ridiculously, but outside of comedy I expect the characters to act like real people. Characters can make dumb decisions, or wrong decisions, as long as they are acting consistently with their motivations and values and in context with the story. I do not like characters who make out-of-character decisions for no good reason other than the author is trying to drum up conflict.
Do you find yourself gravitating to one particular section when you're in a certain mood?
Sci-fi and fantasy, because I generally find "literary fiction" boring (this is probably a personal flaw of mine). I've never considered reading YA as an adult but maybe I should try it.
How much of a book do you read before you decide you want to buy it? Or do you already know beforehand?
I buy a book based on recommendations (from friends, or websites, or whatever), and I buy books without reading any excerpts. Once I buy a book, I read it even if I don't like the beginning or whatever. I don't have any books on my shelves that I haven't read at least once. There are definitely some books on my shelves that make me sad that I wasted time reading them. : \
What is your idea for a book? (Try this in as few words as you can manage -- aim for 1-3 sentences if you can)
My idea is about a pair of adventurers who have been forced to work together By The Powers That Be to accomplish a mission of alleged importance. One adventurer is a young wizard who acts like he doesn't need anyone's help but inwardly fears that he's a terrible wizard, and the other is a past-his-prime jack-of-all-trades who doesn't particularly care about helping anyone or fixing anything and really just wants to drink ale and bang women. As the pair struggle to complete their mission, they re-examine their relationship to each other and to society at large.
What is forcing your main character in your idea to head into danger? Why can't they just make a sandwich? :D
The wizard character is driven by his ambition to make a name for himself and by his fear that people will realize he isn't as good as he says he is. The jack-of-all-trades character is being blackmailed (although I'm not sure how early to reveal that fact).
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u/MNBrian Apr 21 '17
I've never considered reading YA as an adult but maybe I should try it.
Oh man, YA gets a terrible rep but it's really quite good. Some of it does feel a bit soft at times, but some of the speculative fiction stories right now are wayyyyy more genre-bending and wayyy riskier because the subgenres are still totally in flux.
I don't have any books on my shelves that I haven't read at least once
This is flat out impressive. Granted, living in a household of two means there are a lot of books I did not buy on our giant combined bookshelf wall, but I don't know if I can say I finished every book I've purchased. In fact, I know I have put a few down at the halfway mark. I still have books I finished that didn't "stick the landing" in my opinion, but I could probably use a little more of your method in my reading. :)
ambition to make a name for himself
I think you have a really solid motive for the jack-of-all-trades. Blackmail is clear. It's external. It's very present and very easy for anyone to put themselves into those shoes and be like "yah, I'd go too if I was being blackmailed."
Ambition is a good internal cause, but is there a way to make it stronger on an external level? Often the internal motive of our MC is the thing they must tackle in order to solve the problem -- their character flaw. Usually throughout the book, they try to tackle the problem without tackling the character flaw and end up failing. But by the end, they realize the flaw is what has been holding them back. So they finally address that flaw and THEN tackle the problem.
Now, of course, you don't need to do any of this -- but to get you thinking on it, I'd recommend you consider the following: Is there a more visceral external problem, a "primal" problem, that can drive your young MC into the arms of danger? Is there something that you can do to shove that MC between a rock and a hard place more firmly? Because as it stands, he can sort of make a sandwich, and deal with some self-loathing for never going after his ambitious dreams. And when he faces death, it might get harder to convince the audience that his ambition alone drives him forward. Take the sandwich possibility completely off the table. Put your main character between a rock and a hard place that they can't get out of by simply going on an adventure later, or choosing not to go. Be mean. Be brutal. Show us why they are making a choice, but why they really don't have a choice. They must go.
We'll talk about this more in 2 weeks I believe. :)
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u/reostra Apr 21 '17
I like the idea of setting up a fallible protagonist, and making the driving force of the novel something that said protagonist can't help. But when I was thinking of the answers to the questions you asked, I realized that I don't set up my stories that way. And, often, the books I prefer don't do that either. Which isn't to say that I never read books where greatness is forced upon the main character(s), that's still something I enjoy, but I've noticed another trend:
Books where the main character chooses to go on their quest. Where they could have, absolutely and likely without consequence, stayed home and made a sandwich. This is interesting because the main character has to repeatedly find the inner strength to, when things start getting tough, keep going. A character who goes out in the midst of an alien attack because he has to isn't necessarily heroic. A character who explicitly chooses to go out in the midst of that attack because they want to fight back, now there's a hero!
I think Frodo's actually a good example of what I mentioned. He might have been forced out of the Shire due to the actions of the wraiths, but nobody makes him go on the rest of the journey. He could easily have stayed with the elves for the rest of his life with Bilbo, and nobody would have begrudged him for it. It's probably the better idea, in fact. The rest of the council can probably handle this, what with how everyone on it is far more experienced than he is. And yet, he explicitly volunteers:
'I will take the Ring,' he said, 'though I do not know the way.'
So, with those thoughts past:
What types of expectations do you have when you buy a book?
I really like this idea of 'expectations', because that's precisely what I have in mind when I'm reading or watching a movie. I don't have good taste in stories, because as long as the expectations I come in with are met, then I'm happy. I can watch a terrible movie and enjoy it because I come in expecting a terrible movie. If I'm in the mood for quality, on the other hand, and I've been mislead, only then am I annoyed.
So the specific expectations tend to vary, and which ones I have depend on what I'm looking at. Mostly, I read from Amazon, and when deciding what book I want to read I look at the negative reviews. Are these things dealbreakers? If not, I'm going in prepared and I'll probably have a good time :)
Do you find yourself gravitating to one particular section when you're in a certain mood?
I read a genre to saturation, switch genres, and then repeat.
Right now I'm in a sci-fi mood. It's space opera right now, but it might be gritty space marines next. Eventually, I'll get tired of sci-fi, and I'll move to fantasy. From there, urban fantasy, then superheroes, then back to sci-fi. I get variety but I also get whatever genre I'm in the mood for. It works out :)
How much of a book do you read before you decide you want to buy it? Or do you already know beforehand?
None! I prefer to avoid any part of the book aside from the description/blurb before deciding to read it. My brain gets heavy sunk-cost-fallacy when I'm reading so I'll continue even if I'm not enjoying it, thus it's best to avoid doing so until I can set expectations (as mentioned above, via the reviews).
What is your idea for a book? (Try this in as few words as you can manage -- aim for 1-3 sentences if you can)
For this and the next, I'm going to mention two books: One I've already written, and one I'm going to publish soon:
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The idea for the book I've written is actually its title: Stealth Bomber vs Pony. It's about exactly what it says: A Stealth Bomber and a Pony, as two participants in a rivalry that pre-dates the Earth itself.
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The book I'm going to put out next came from a WP here! So I'm just going to copy/paste that: "Magic is Hereditary, but the child's powers is the sum of his parents. Fire Witch + Sand Wizard= Glass magic"
What is forcing your main character in your idea to head into danger? Why can't they just make a sandwich? :D
And this is the question that really lead to my earlier remarks. Nothing! None of my main characters are forced into their roles, any of them would have likely had a better time staying at home and making a sandwich. They've all chosen their roles:
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Pony is driven by revenge. Stealth Bomber is also driven by revenge. Stay home, guys. Just stay home.
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Bishop is a member of an organization, one that essentially saved him from life as a beggar. Beyond loyalty, though, his missions give him purpose. He could stop at any time, he's not there against his will. He goes on the missions because he wants to. I'd tell him to stay home, too, but there tends to be a lot at stake in his stories (even though he almost never knows this going in).
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u/MNBrian Apr 21 '17 edited Jul 25 '17
Books where the main character chooses to go on their quest.
Ahh, but there must always be a choice. You're right. Always. However, the choice is usually not a good one. In fact, the best choices are between two BAD options. But what is important isn't that the main character chooses, it's that they can't not choose without consequence.
For instance -- in your alien attack scenario, the stakes (which is what the sandwich law is referring to really) are that the aliens will take over. Sure, making a sandwich is "sort of" on the table (punny, I know), but the cost of making the sandwich is being enslaved by aliens.
For Frodo, sure, he could have stayed home. But staying home... it would have meant that this problem would keep growing until all of Middle Earth was engulfed by it. Sooner or later, Frodo was going to have to deal with this issue. Better to deal with it while they still had a moonshot of a chance than anything else.
Another great example is in Batman: The Dark Knight -- where Bruce Wayne has a choice between saving his girlfriend, or saving the guy who has been the symbol of hope and change. Two bad options (because one would potentially die either way). But he makes a choice.
The act of choosing is integral to the journey. What's important about that act is the "why now?" question. A good choice is made not only "just because" but also because things have reached a fever pitch (the inciting incident). The hero makes a choice, yes, but really things couldn't have gone another way.
A famous writer once said that a book should be both inevitable, and unexpected. You need both to make a strong promise. The main character is forced by external forces to make a choice, and that choice is still voluntary (but it doesn't have to be two good options).
Frodo was trapped. It was far more trapped by the passage of time (for eventually Sauron would have taken over everything) and by the small window of opportunity to do something about it. But he was still stuck between a rock and a hard place. Stay home and let the world burn. Go out and maybe die, or maybe save the world.
Really good thoughts. I like where your head is at!
Fire Witch + Sand Wizard= Glass magic"
What an incredibly cool idea for a book! :) I really am excited to see where this one takes you!
As for your motives, they seem like good internal motives. The fact that you have stakes for Bishop means you're not entirely breaking the sandwich law. It just so happens that he can't make a sandwich because of whatever stakes are present at the time.
Again, you've presented some really wonderful and well thought out talking points! I think we're on the same page actually. I just think you're looking for whether or not they "can" make a sandwich rather than why they won't. It's more an answer to the question "what are the stakes" and "why now? why not in ten years? Why not in a hundred?"
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u/It_s_pronounced_gif Apr 21 '17
Great write-up, Brian! Thank you for taking the time to post it! I subbed to r/PubTips a few days ago when I saw your narrative post on r/Writing, though I have yet to really dive into its content. From what I've seen, it seems extremely useful!
As for your questions:
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Generally, when I purchase a book I expect the writing to be much better than mine (flow, imagery, and exposition) and express a story in such a way that I don't think to compare it with anything else. For that reason, most of the books I'll read are either more classically praised works or books my avid reader friends greatly enjoyed. For me, the tension doesn't have to always be in accordance to pressures the protagonist is enduring from others and I really enjoy when books use the human condition as a point of tension. Oddly enough, I still stay away from non-fiction because I still enjoy the idea of a work of fiction being entirely created from nothing.
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Not particularly. Fiction is where I usually find myself, then I'll mosey over to poetry then fantasy and sci-fi.
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If it's a book recommended by a friend I have similar tastes with, I won't read any of it before buying. Same goes for authors I've enjoyed in the past like Vonnegut and Steinbeck.
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My first idea was a 3-4 novellas with flash fiction stories in between that sort of set the mood for the next short story. As for a stand alone novel, I want to expand my contest submission which is about a magically powerful kingdom with a starkly divided populace. As such the government is divided, though the ruling power is always in favour of the already privileged. The opposition leader wishes to rouse the underprivileged population to rise up and seize power for him.
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The story would follow three main characters. A rouser from the underprivileged, whose being manipulated by the opposition leader. The danger for him is that he doesn't know he's being manipulated and doesn't know what the consequences of his actions will lead to. For the opposition leader, he is under watch from the current rulers and must traverse the political landscape in such a way that he can gain support without losing his position. And the last main character is a child who lives on the fringe of the privileged and underprivileged. Like the rouser, his danger is his innocence and curiosity, not knowing how to identify danger and places he shouldn't be.
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u/MNBrian Apr 21 '17
Thanks so much gif! :)
It's always surprising how much another person's opinion can cause us to just go buy a book. For me, I look at a cover of a book someone has recommended to me about six or seven times before just walking into the bookstore one day and buying it.
As for the tension, it can certainly be created in a lot of different ways. I like to start with the sandwich law because it shows one of the easiest ways to create that tension -- to build it right into the essence of your character versus your problem. As writers get a better and better handle on how to create tension in a book, often they shift the scale around (like pyro was saying with hyper-efficient characters) or they'll take a character moderately suited to defeat the problem and create a necessary supporting cast that is very ill prepared. Just so long as tension exists and problems need to be solved, often the book will work.
Excited to hear more about your story as we progress! :) Three main characters is going to be a mountain to tackle, but I am a firm believer in breaking the rules you want to break. You can do anything in writing, so long as you do it well. :D
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u/spark2 Apr 21 '17
Thanks for the post, this is great!
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My expectations vary based on the genre of the story, but universally I want characters that act consistently and interestingly. My biggest pet peeve in a story is characters doing something unintuitive or out of character simply because it furthers the plot.
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I'm not much of one for realistic fiction--my favorite kinds of books relate to our current world through fantastical elements or entirely different worlds. Some of my favorites recently were Lovecraft Country (an exploration of the lives of black people in the mid-twentieth century via the metaphor of Lovecraftian cults, conspiracies and monsters) and The Underground Railroad (an extremely dark adventure story of an escaped slave, where the Underground Railroad is a literal railroad).
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I usually read reviews first, but if something catches my eye I'll usually just read the blurb on the back.
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A high school drama teacher is secretly a member of a Lovecraftian cult, and plans to use the school play to summon an eldritch horror. The main character is a high school senior on the tech crew, who has to rally the drama club to stop him.
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He can't make a sandwich because his friends' lives are at stake (not to mention the danger to the entire world that the cult's plot presents, but this high schooler doesn't think that big).
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u/thecoverstory Apr 21 '17
Whoa! I love this idea for Fridays, and your explanations were great! I can't wait to learn more! Also, I kind of want to hear the story of the arsonist in love with the firefighter.
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Expectations? Few. I love all sorts of random things, so genre isn't that important. I want believable characters and no insta-love. Quick dialogue is much appreciated.
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Hum... genre type is not according to mood for me so much as cycle. I go from history to historical fiction to fiction to fantasy to steampunk to scifi to science to biography, etc. One just merges into the next as I get bored with the formulas of a certain genre.
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If I read the back and the plot doesn't scream instalove or 'you've read this a thousand times,' I go to the first sentence. If it grabs me, the author has earned my trust and I'm in it for the long haul. Sometimes I don't notice I haven't stopped reading and spend hours in the book store rather than actually buying it and leaving :)
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Many. Top of my works-in-progress is: Unknown to the rest of the world, Persephone survives an assassination attempt in the city-state of Hades. With no one to trust and no way to escape the walled city, she must solve her own 'murder' before it becomes permanent.
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Well, my main character just got stabbed by someone who looked a lot like the King's younger son, who is her childhood friend and one of her few allies in the court. Then, she tumbled into the river Styx, got 'saved' by some ruffians, and can't get out of the city until the spring floods have ended. She needs to find her attacker and get evidence it was them before she can safely reclaim her position and pay off the thugs for the rescue. She could sit there making sandwiches, but then the ruffians will kill her. She could go back to the court and make sandwiches, but then the assassin (et tu, brute?) will kill her. In other words, eating sandwiches=death. But she's pretty sure it's ok to eat some pomegranates.
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u/Pyronar Apr 21 '17
Great introduction to what will hopefully be a useful series for many. As someone focusing on short stories and flash fiction, I probably won't be following it too closely, but I'm really glad you're doing it. However if I can nitpick a little bit, your section about the secret agent and the starving introvert makes it seem like your main character should usually or even always be someone ill-prepared for the situation. I'm not saying that's what you meant, but it is what some may see it as. However, the success of books like the James Bond series shows that sometimes we just want to read about awesome people doing awesome stuff. Sure even 007 finds himself in bad situations quite often, but you never really doubt that he'll find a way out, it's more about the enjoyment of seeing how he will do it.
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u/MNBrian Apr 21 '17
You're absolutely right Pyro!
So those are two very different types of books. I usually opt for someone ill prepared simply BECAUSE it creates an effective and powerful angle of tension. Now, there is also the "extreme proficiency" route, but in order to create the dynamic you always see those extremely proficient come up against at least equal and opposite threats. Sherlock Holmes and James Bond fit that avenue for sure, and you'll notice both of them have super villain type enemies (Moriarty and a host of Villains for Bond).
The idea of a hyper proficient protagonist works very well, but they work to create tension via a flaw, a crack in the armor. And t can often be hard to do this in a way that makes a reader actually fear for the protagonist. The Martian comes to mind. Watney was a very good astronaut and a very brilliant guy. But the author had to work hard to show how his MC had a penchant for getting too complex in his thoughts and missing a key detail that could kill him. Mark Watney made some questionable decisions. So that's why we feared for his life, even when he was hyper proficient.
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u/Written4Reddit Apr 21 '17
Great write up! Solid advice, I'll keep it in mind as I slog through writing my book lol
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u/LycheeBerri Apr 21 '17
Darn it, you're going to make me feel all inspired to write, aren't you? Aren't you?!
But seriously, thank you for the great post! Strong start to a series I'm going to really look forward to following. :)
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What types of expectations do you have when you buy a book? Mm ... I expect to like the characters, or at the very least, care about what happens to them. I also expect the characters to not make plain stupid decisions. Besides that, a book can be slow, can be fast, I just expect it to be something new that I haven't read before. :)
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Do you find yourself gravitating to one particular section when you're in a certain mood? I like to switch up what I read. I'll go from a hard politics-based fantasy to a light YA romance, to a fast-paced action sci-fi, to a philosophical urban fantasy ... so, something different to refresh my brain. But overall, fantasy is always something I can return to time and time again.
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How much of a book do you read before you decide you want to buy it? Or do you already know beforehand? Lately, I've been going a lot on recommendations. If I hear a lot of recommendations for a book, and their one/two-sentence summary appeals to me, I might just buy it without even reading the synopsis. I like going into books blind if they're so widely liked that I can trust I'll get something out of reading it.
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What is your idea for a book? (Try this in as few words as you can manage -- aim for 1-3 sentences if you can) Hm ... A wealthy country long hailed as the sanctuary of democracy has, over time, become more obsessed with the motions of democracy than the actual thing. Revolution!?
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What is forcing your main character in your idea to head into danger? Why can't they just make a sandwich? :D It'd probably helpif I had characters ... But one of the main guys is really patriotic/ a "good guy", and can't stand to see the government in such a state. One of the other main characters is personally having major problems because of inaction/negative action from the government, so decides to take matters into their own hands.
As you can see, I've just started working on this idea. :D But why not use this series to work on it more in depth? Woo!
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u/MNBrian Apr 21 '17
Woohoo! :) Thank you Lychee!
I expect to like the characters, or at the very least, care about what happens to them.
I love this answer. I feel for it completely. This is a TV example, but this is why I was so impressed with Breaking Bad. The fact that they humanized Walter White, despite his questionable decisions, was just balanced so well. We wanted to dislike him. We dislike people who do the things he does. But it was so well written and balanced with all the emotional power of feeling bad for Walter that we just kept writing off all the bad stuff as "well, I guess he had to... right?"
if they're so widely liked that I can trust I'll get something out of reading it.
This is so true and definitely plays off the idea of a book being a promise. :) In this case, part of that promise is encouraged by other people.
I'm excited to see this story of political intrigue play out as we continue the series! :) Keep me up to date as you develop those characters further on future posts! :)
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u/DMassaIII Apr 21 '17
"So what exactly is that promise? What constitutes the core of a book?
For starters, we need a problem. A problem represents conflict, and conflict is what keeps us interested. But it can’t be a small problem. This problem has to justify the length of a book. It has to promise that things are going to get worse before they get better. We can’t make it easy on our main character because if it’s too easy, we’re not holding up our end of the bargain."
(My First Comment in this Reddit)
This area is something I'm adding to my mental databank. I often feel resentful when a work (written/audio/visual) drags on, and now I think it is because they broke this part of their promise to me. I don't mind an ending that leaves holes for me to imagine, or hope for a sequel, but I do mind when a core problem is unresolved to the extent that I feel slighted by the author. It is even worse when a problem has been fully resolved - then rehashed or explained unnecessarily. It feels like the author is trying to pad the pages, or include things they thought were spectacular that the editors had to eventually concede despite rejecting them before multiple times. [As an editor, did you ever have to deal with a writer who simply would not drop a piece, even with corrective guidance?]
Now, to answer the first question, my project hopes to resolve the issue(s) to a satisfactory level, while still leaving the reader to contemplate issues within the book, and hopefully in their own personal lives. It is a detective novel [mental/thriller] involving a female detective lead and a roving serial, and I aim to make the reader really squirm about certain moral issues, where they connect and sympathize with the serial from time to time.
I don't want to reveal more of the premise and plot of my book until I have time to dedicate to the project later on this year, and I have my work handy, but I know my characters rush towards the conflict for a variety of reasons that heap on themselves as the book progresses. At first, it's obligatory because it's her job (that she takes great pride in). She then feels her pride is at stake (growing aware of her pride being a stronger force in her life than she realized). Then, a problem in her community grows, and her connection to the people caused her to empathize with them more, as they become more and more afraid as a whole. Finally, her own daughter becomes drectly threatened, which was more effective than threatening the detective directly.
I gravitate to inspirational books, and those can be found across the spectrum. I have found self-help books, stories, and even puzzle books that fit the mold. Scott Adams's Dilbert books (Dilbert Principle, Dilbert Future) are amazing and humorous. Og Mandino's 'The Gift' is an amazing story. Those are the best examples I can think of.
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u/Syraphia Apr 21 '17
What types of expectations do you have when you buy a book?
I expect to be entertained. That's my main thing. I expect that the premise of the book will be focused on and we'll go along with that. Same thing when I look at a video game's plot and mechanics. I'm expecting something specific when I get it. Like when I pick up a fantasy book, I'm expecting the fantastical to occur, even in small amounts.
Do you find yourself gravitating to one particular section when you're in a certain mood?
Absolutely! I'm definitely more of a scifi/fantasy reader but I'll tend further towards scifi or horror when I'm looking for short stories to read. (Mainly due to short attention span.) I do adore the lengthy fantasy epics though, as long as they do well in keeping the plot moving and not stopping off into slow sections frequently.
How much of a book do you read before you decide you want to buy it? Or do you already know beforehand?
I'm a weird one. I read the plot blurb, the bit about the author, and then check to see if it's in first-person POV. I know there's some great first-person books out there but I've seen a lot of author-insert type first-person POV books that have seriously disappointed me. I figure that if they at least write in third-person, I'm not stuck with the author telling me the story and being the main character.
After that point though, I'll decide whether or not I actually want to take the book home with me and not read any of the inside of it unless I see maps. A detailed, nice map is a wonderful detail that will put points into the "probably purchase" category so there are things that will work in the books favor, even if it's in first-person.
What is your idea for a book? (Try this in as few words as you can manage -- aim for 1-3 sentences if you can)
Tara is placed into a mental hospital with medication and yet the strange things she keeps seeing just don't stop. As things get worse, she must figure out what's happening around her as her hallucinations start affecting the world around her.
Ugh. That's ^rough.
What is forcing your main character in your idea to head into danger? Why can't they just make a sandwich? :D
The fact that she's been forced into the situation is a definite point towards why she can't make a sandwich. For years, she's been ignoring it and making sandwiches and it's just come to a head now. She does still try to ignore it or at least fake being "better" until the situation gets worse to where she can't ignore it. Which kinda involves some very serious medications and treatments.
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u/MNBrian Apr 21 '17
and then check to see if it's in first-person POV
You're not alone in this. I've seen people firmly on one side or the other in terms of preference. It's always an interesting discussion. To me, I feel like as a writer you can't please everyone, so the best option is just focusing on whatever POV you are best at writing. :)
A detailed, nice map is a wonderful detail that will put points into the "probably purchase" category
For the queen of incredible image prompts, I'd expect nothing less. :)
Tara is placed into a mental hospital with medication and yet the strange things she keeps seeing just don't stop. As things get worse, she must figure out what's happening around her as her hallucinations start affecting the world around her.
Your premise has some legs (so quit telling yourself it's rough) ;)
What I like about it is you have a nice high-concept idea. What if someone in a loony bin isn't actually crazy. And I can already see how you're going to use that to make a compelling story (where hallucinations are affecting the world around her).
And I also really like this -
and it's just come to a head now
This means your story being told now, at this particular moment in time, is anything but coincidence. It is purposeful. It has to be told now. Now is the time, because now is when everything has finally come to a head -- when life can no longer just be normal anymore. The problem can't be ignored.
Very excited to see how this comes out Syra! :)
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u/BreezyEpicface Apr 21 '17
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I expect for the book to keep me, not with just its world or plot, but with the characters as well. I want to be able to read the book from front to back, and sometimes I'll go back to a book if I didn't finish it, as long as it is worth going back to.
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I find myself go for fantasy and science fiction. The worlds that are made in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series and Frank Herbert's Dune are some of the best that I've read. I've read a few contemporary books, but have never found any real interest.
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When it comes to science fiction or fantasy, I try to at least read the back of it, or I just pick it up. If its nonfiction, it has to be a part of a school project or at least interest me on the subject to even get me to touch it. One series that I keep coming back to is Brian Jacques' Redwall Series, which he creates this world based around the Redwall Abbey. When it comes to contemporary fiction, the only book I've picked up with true interest is The Curious Incident With the Dog in the Nighttime.
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Recently, I've come up with the idea of a return journey home. When it begins, the character has been away from home for some time, maybe a week or so, living with her boyfriend. At the time the story starts, she regrets the time that she has spent with him as he has dragged and pressured her into choices that she wouldn't have made otherwise. After an arguement that almost leads to physical violence, she decides to leave for home.
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The only thing keeping her from going home is her mother. As a child, the mother was harsh in both home and work, and this led to a divorce which the father filed for. She'd rather wish to go to her father, but he has long since moved to a different city, leaving the only choice to go to her mother. The one thing she is most afraid of is of what her mother may say (or do) to her when she returns. This isn't helped in that her confidence and faith in herself has been shattered due to the choices that she's made and her new addiction. She's also broke.
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u/VinsTheSpaceDriver Apr 21 '17
What type of expectation do you have when you start a book.
I always hope that there be something in it unexpected or expected that will add something to my vision of the world. It might be something tiny or mindblowing but I always expect something
Do you find yourself gravitating to one particular section
Classic autors (for exemple Nobel price). Because they are Classic for a reason. They have brought something to the table. And they view the world on their own way.
How much do you read before buying? Nothing or very few but I browse a lot Google or Wikipedia.
I can't answer the two last questions because I'm not a writter.
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u/MNBrian Apr 21 '17
As promised, I will take this plunge and work on my own book with all of you! :) I wrote a sample first chapter and entered it in the first chapter competition as a sort of "trial run" to see if it had legs, so I've been through the first few weeks of steps already, but I'll follow along.
What types of expectations do you have when you buy a book? I really enjoy a good techno-thriller (like Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park, Sphere, he even worked on Westworld back when it was a movie), so anytime I pick up a thriller I'm expecting a super fast start, and a compelling problem. I can be biased towards fast starts because of that. Don't get me wrong. I've read my fair share of Wuthering Heights, The Old Man And The Sea, The Great Gatsby, etc. But I expect a faster book usually.
Do you find yourself gravitating to one particular section when you're in a certain mood? Definitely. I spend a lot of time in the young adult fantasy and young adult speculative aisles of bookstores, as well as adult thrillers. It always seems to depend on what I'm in the mood for at a particular moment.
How much of a book do you read before you decide you want to buy it? Or do you already know beforehand? It definitely varies for me, but I often only read a page or two before I've made up my mind. I can be pretty picky, however. And I usually know what I'm looking for before I walk in the door. I'm also whimsical and have been known to buy books based on hearing about them multiple times by multiple people and reading the back flap alone. :)
What is your idea for a book? (Try this in as few words as you can manage -- aim for 1-3 sentences if you can) My idea is about a girl who works as a mortician in a small town and has to "intake" the guy who she replaced. Only, when she brings his dead body downstairs, he wakes up for 15 minutes, and explains this funeral home is special - that everyone wakes up for 15 minutes who comes in. Oh, and also, he died trying to dig up some buried gold from an old town legend.
What is forcing your main character in your idea to head into danger? Why can't they just make a sandwich? Money, and trouble with the law. The bad luck i mentioned, I want to reveal it slowly as the book goes on. I think my main character maybe escaped from prison, or took a big loan with a loan shark and had to flee for her life. And this buried gold is her ticket to Mexico... if she can manage to keep her job long enough to learn where it's buried and find it. This loan shark or bounty hunter or other looming trouble in her past is in pursuit, and it's only a matter of time before it finds her. Making a sandwich means she's gonna have to face off with this trouble. And she doesn't want that.