This may be a very broad question, but how do you tell what works and what doesn't? How do you know when something will work as a story and when it will flop?
How to tell what works...?
- Thread starter Dorian Grey
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Well my books, i think, are never any good, but id wana read what i write about. So you're saying that there's basically a market for anything?
Yep, the way I always look at it is if I like it chances are others will too. I basically write what I want to read.
I think it's very hard to tell until you start writing. Every crazy idea can work if you do it properly.
There's a difference between something that works artistically and something that will sell.
In the first instance, I'd say that pretty much anything could work - provided the execution is right
In the second case - it all depends on current trends, how big the proposed market is, just how 'out there' it is etc etc
In the first instance, I'd say that pretty much anything could work - provided the execution is right
In the second case - it all depends on current trends, how big the proposed market is, just how 'out there' it is etc etc
I misunderstood your question. I thought you were asking what works for a story, and what doesn't. I didn't realize you were asking what is marketable and what isn't.
i meant both i think... i know i can make a story about bandicoots and cheese, and it could be fun, but i know it wouldn't sell. (much anyway)
im trying to write a story and i think that it is interesting, and someone would probably read it, eventually, but i don't know if it could be sold... im actually not sure what my question was now... haha
im trying to write a story and i think that it is interesting, and someone would probably read it, eventually, but i don't know if it could be sold... im actually not sure what my question was now... haha
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Try posting some of your work to SYW - the regular folks'll let ya know right quick.
There's lottsa knowledgeable people here that are amazingly willing to share...
There's lottsa knowledgeable people here that are amazingly willing to share...
its still not even a complete first draft yet, but I'm not sure how to write really, and find it hard enough to do the first draft. But how do you people tell when your on to a good thing? That you like what you're doing and you know that other people will like it? Or do you just write it and see what happens?
I never think "will this sell" it totally bogs down the process.
The market is a fickle thing don't try to predict it just write.
I look at writing like fine art, I don't know what's good or bad but I do know what I like.
So when I write my books I just write what I like. It's that simple. (I'm a pretty simple guy. Just ask my wife, son, agent or lawyer....)
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I find that the more I write, the more objective I can be about my own work. But I still require some distance from it. For instance, I have a pretty good idea which things from yesterday's writing session "work" and which things really, really do not, but I know I'll have a better sense of it in a few weeks once I start to seriously revise this particular draft.
Who says a story about bandicoots and cheese can't work? I just read a short story this morning about a girl who's dating a gorilla and decides she wants to take him to the prom. And so she does. If that idea had come to me, my brain would have said "auto-reject." But you know what? The story worked. It was darn funny. Execution is everything. You never know what ideas will work until they're written out (and revised, and revised again).
Who says a story about bandicoots and cheese can't work? I just read a short story this morning about a girl who's dating a gorilla and decides she wants to take him to the prom. And so she does. If that idea had come to me, my brain would have said "auto-reject." But you know what? The story worked. It was darn funny. Execution is everything. You never know what ideas will work until they're written out (and revised, and revised again).
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Ok, then, can I share a little ‘exercise’ I do?
I’m assuming you’re targeting a specific genre?
I take an author I like. I google for their website. Most will have a page with their backlist. On some, you’ll be fortunate to find, a scene or chapter excerpt.
I copy and paste that excerpt to Word so that I can format it in manuscript form. I print out a copy; multiple copies, actually. Then I grab my highlighters. On one copy, I’ll highlight verbs in one color and adverbs in another.
On another copy, I’ll highlight dialogue tags and beats. How are they weighted in relation to each other?
I pay attention to how they paragraph. Long? Short? What’s their sentence structure like. Is there a rhythm and cadence to it? What about the balance between simple and compound sentences.
What does that author do to maintain pov?
As writers, we all experience problematic areas. How does your author handle it?
And the list goes on….
meant to add, once you learn and assimilate the skill sets, the going (hopefully) gets a little easier.
I’m assuming you’re targeting a specific genre?
I take an author I like. I google for their website. Most will have a page with their backlist. On some, you’ll be fortunate to find, a scene or chapter excerpt.
I copy and paste that excerpt to Word so that I can format it in manuscript form. I print out a copy; multiple copies, actually. Then I grab my highlighters. On one copy, I’ll highlight verbs in one color and adverbs in another.
On another copy, I’ll highlight dialogue tags and beats. How are they weighted in relation to each other?
I pay attention to how they paragraph. Long? Short? What’s their sentence structure like. Is there a rhythm and cadence to it? What about the balance between simple and compound sentences.
What does that author do to maintain pov?
As writers, we all experience problematic areas. How does your author handle it?
And the list goes on….
meant to add, once you learn and assimilate the skill sets, the going (hopefully) gets a little easier.
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For me all I can do is try to write something I want to write and see if it works out for me.
If it does, then good, I've written something!
If it doesn't, then I guess I can try to redo it or write something else. If it works for me but not for others, well, that's their problem. There's probably always somebody out there that a story works for and somebody for whom it doesn't. One can't please everybody.
Just keep in mind I'm not answering from a publication standpoint, obviously. I imagine if one is seeking publication and fame they must think more about what works for OTHERS, not them (if the two don't agree). Again though, the only way to know for sure is to just write it and find out.
If it does, then good, I've written something!
If it doesn't, then I guess I can try to redo it or write something else. If it works for me but not for others, well, that's their problem. There's probably always somebody out there that a story works for and somebody for whom it doesn't. One can't please everybody.Just keep in mind I'm not answering from a publication standpoint, obviously. I imagine if one is seeking publication and fame they must think more about what works for OTHERS, not them (if the two don't agree). Again though, the only way to know for sure is to just write it and find out.
1) Become the reader. Do you like the story? do you want to know what happens next?
2) Ask a beta reader the same question.
Two positive answers means that the the plot works.
You are talking about style not plot now. And you gave good advice to somebody that hasn't found his style yet
Besides, I generally like the style of authors who write different genres than what I do. Or if the genre match it is probably in a different viewpoint.
Anyway, reading a lot and analyzing the prose style of any author you like does help. I amazed myself on how many mistakes I can find in some novels that i like. And when there are not mistakes, it is just different stylistic choices that make me think "I would never have put it like that!"
I think some things come from experience. I'm not published yet and I still have a lot to learn about writing, but I've been working at this for years and I've discoverd that I can make a much greater distinction now than I used to be able to between my good and my bad writing (judged not only by my own reaction but by the reaction other people have had to my work). And yet I still missed an issue in my current novel for quite a while. Actually, I misconstrued an issue. I thought it didn't work but now that I've gone back and looked at it a month later, I think it does, so other than experience I also think time and distance can help. This is why a lot of writers say to put a first draft away for a while before editing. Last, when in doubt look for other people to read your work (preferably including some who are familiar with your genre) and see what their reactions are.
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