An Insight On What Scott Likes In Stories - Plots

We talked yesterday about things I liked in characters for submissions, today, I want to briefly talk about plots that work and don't work for me.

Like the discussion we had on characters yesterday, I love plots that are realistic. In other words, this is truly a story that would likely or could likely happen in the world. Now, with that said, I am not talking about plots that only happen on the Jerry Springer show. Weird is not what we are looking for. Instead building stories around situations that an everyday person could potentially relate to are great.

I am also interested in seeing stories that are not filled with one situation after another. In other words, pick one central issue the characters need to work through and stick to that. Adding in a ton of additional story lines makes the story too complicated to work through. When this happens, the reader becomes exhausted trying to figure out how the characters are even going to solve all of these problems you as the author threw at them.

Plots also need to be free of a lot of holes and gaps in the story. Too often, in a rush to fit the story into a given word count, or to get the characters to the scene you want to get them to, authors will leave out plot elements that create that smooth transition. This is where you need to have the outside readers looking at your story to provide those "outside eyes." If they are left with questions as to "how did they get there?" then you have some problems.

I think the biggest thing for me is seeing a plot that is too forced. In other words, the author has created some characters they like, but probably don't fit together so well. To get them together, the plot ends up not being very believable. For example, I had a submission several years ago with a heroine who was from the upper classes of society - we're talking someone who would like be on one of those TV shows like The Real Wives of Atlanta. The problem was that the author paired this person up with someone who was more along the lines of a blue collar worker. In this case, the plot because so forced and so contrived just to get these two together. It shouldn't take this much work! By the way, I see the same things with the "snobby rich city woman getting stuck in Montana at a dude ranch and trying to wear high heels at a barn."

Plots need to have a strong sense of a beginning, middle and an end. You need to have a clear beginning that works as an introduction. We need to be sucked into the story and the conflict of the characters. Once in the story, we need to see things flowing from one point to the next with strong "cliff hangers" at the end of each of the section. There needs to be a constant reason to be heading forward with this story. In reality, I want nothing more than to never want to put the book down.

The next thing I look for are great plot twists. This does not mean something out of the blue hitting me as I read, but things I would normally kick myself over for "not seeing this coming." The analogy I always like to use with this is the movie (and book) HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER. I love this one because readers spend the entire book "accusing" each of the characters of being responsible, only to be shot down in the next scene and proved wrong. When the bad guy is revealed, we end up screaming (I should have seen this coming).

This last one also connects to the characters we talked about yesterday. For myself, I am someone who will shoot down a project if I see unethical behavior on the part of the hero and heroine. One I see a lot of is when the hero is a professor at a college dating a student. I have worked in education for over 20 years and that instructor would be fired. I don't care if the person is of legal age, we simply have an ethics violation.

In simple terms, keep the story real, focused, and always moving toward a single goal.

An Insight On What Scott Likes In Stories - Characters

For me, when it comes to a great story, two elements need to be rock solid - the characters and the plot. I want to talk about character today and tomorrow we will focus on the element of plot. Now, when I use the term "rock solid" I am referring to the idea the author has taken care of every little twist and turn about that character. There is nothing I feel I am missing with understanding who the character is.

I personally believe that writers today are trying so hard to find that totally unique plot line that the characters they place in the book have really all become secondary characters and plot devices. In other words, we keep the characters around so that the author can tell the story. The result of this approach is that the characters become very two dimensional, cliche and stereotypical. That feeling of satisfaction is just not there.

When I pick up a book, or read a submission, I want to really be drawn into the lives of the characters. I want to form a bond with this person to make me want to know more of their story. This simply cannot be forced through ho-hum narrative or external description. We need to see it in everything the character does and says.

Here are several examples from Greyhaus authors:

• Helen Lacey - This is my amazing special edition author. In DATE WITH DESTINY we are so drawn into Grace and Cameron's story. They each loved each other in the past but for different reasons, that relationship was completely severed. Now they are back together. What is great here is seeing how both of them have their own personal walls they have to break down just to allow the other person into their lives. This is very real and something almost everyone in the world will have to deal with at some time in his or her life.
• Jean Love-Cush - You have heard me screaming about this book a lot lately. ENDANGERED, which is coming out July 1 throws the reader into the life of Jenae as she has to watch the racism of the criminal justice system deal with her son who is accused of murder. I have to say, with this one, we are drawn in wondering "What would I do in a situation like this." Her realism makes us each question who we are as individuals.
• Bronwyn Scott - With Bronwyn and her characters, you get to see people that I do believe we could all be more like. She isn't afraid to let those characters be a little more daring and say things that we might all be thinking but too afraid to say it out-loud. I think the other thing that stands out for me with her characters, such as Channing and Alina in LONDON'S MOST WANTED RAKE is her ability to keep that sexual tension amazingly high through the book. She can push the characters right up to the brink and then pull them away, making you as a reader only want to see them together again.
• Ann Lethbridge - One of my other amazing historical authors brings in the emotional internal side of very three-dimensional characters. In RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL GILVRY, Andrew and Rowena give readers a chance to be immersed into the internal lives of the characters lives. With her stories, you are constantly wondering how each will somehow work through their own internal struggles that aren't as easy to solve as we might think on first glance. Ann has the ability to make the reader think, "Oh, that solution is easy." And then, on second glance think, "This solution might not be that easy."

When it comes down to it, I am looking for those characters that are real. No, this does not mean non-fiction. I am simply talking about characters who are very three-dimensional and could very much live in a world of today (or in history if it is of a different time period). I want characters who do belong together but don't see it yet. I want characters who are not manufactured just to tell a story and are certainly not stereotypical. And most importantly, I want those characters saying things and doing things he or she would really do.

Remember - characters are not plot devices!

Effective Language In Your Queries Will Make A World Of Difference

Recruiters often state that they look at a resume for 10-20 seconds before making a decision. Of course many out there think they should clearly spend more time on the resume  to "really see what the person has to offer." While this sounds like a great idea, in reality, those recruiters don't need that amount of time. They can see whether or not that person is going to be right for the job or not. 

In publishing, the same goes for those query letters. We can tell in an equally short time whether or not that project is going to work for us. In many cases, it is the premise of the story, or simply a genre we aren't representing. Unfortunately, there are also a huge number that get passed on simply because the written communication skills of the author are not there. If we struggle to get through your query letter, or it would take more than one read through just to figure out what your story is about, the odds are it means you will be seeing a rejection letter. 

I am doing a presentation next week discussing just this idea. One of the elements we are focusing on in the workshop are 6 elements of what effective language skills look like.

• Concrete and Specific - This is really a big one in query letters. Since you are limited by the amount of space you have to provide all of the information, you have to be crystal clear for the editor or agent who is seeing this for the first time. We need those specifics about the characters, the plot, the conflict and their motivations. We need the specifics on the genre and so forth. A good example of this last one would be authors who try to put their novel into multiple genres in the hopes that A) it will appeal to everyone; and B) at least one of those genres might stick with the editor or agent - "I am pitching a 90,000 word women's fiction, inspirational romantic suspense with paranormal elements." If we struggle to grasp where you are going to with this project, consider it a reject. 
• Concise - This element, like the first one deals with the amount of space you have. Query letters, synopsis writing, pitches - these all deal with word economy. Again, remember we aren't spending a lot of time on your query so you have to get to the point, Eliminate the fluff, eliminate all of those secondary characters that aren't really part of the central story arc. Don't drag it out!
• Familiar, not obscure - I see this a lot from authors who, I believe, are trying to impress us with their literary knowledge and background. While editors and agents read a lot and are familiar with a lot of different texts out there, making references to bizarre titles and authors, or ideas that only a few would understand isn't going to help you.
• Precise and clear - Word economy, word economy, word economy. Make sure all of your words mean exactly what you intend them to mean. Make sure you are very clear what your genre is and where it fits. Make sure you are crystal clear about all of your biographical information. Don't try to hide the fact that you haven't been published for over 30 years, and try to make it sound like you are a current author. 
• Constructive - This one is really an issue of your personal voice. Don't come across as negative. Don't downplay your work. Don't try to make excuses. Stick to the point and SHOW the editors and agents you are ready to play the publishing game.
• Appropriately formal - This is a business people. This means your letter needs to reflect that same professional tone you want to be remembered for. You are not sending "a txt to ur BFF" and you certainly are not here to self-disclose all of your personal problems, hang-ups and baggage. 

In simple terms, think of what you are "communicating" to that editor or agent. 

How To Decide Which Conference Is Right For You

Attending a conference in your field and discipline can be one of the most rewarding times for anyone. This is a chance to talk shop, to attend workshops and certainly to network. There is one catch though. Conferences cost money and certainly do take up a lot of time out of our already busy schedules. We simply cannot attend every conference, so it is crucial for us to pick and choose which ones we will attend.

Obviously the first thing to consider is budget. If the cash ain't there, then you have already made your decision. In this case, take into account not just the cost of the registration, but also the other expenses including hotel, travel, dining, shopping, snacks and certainly all of those things you get in the bookstore. This adds up. In all honesty, attending a major 3-4 day conference can easily hit $1000+.

So let, say the budget is not the biggest worry. Now we get to really examine not just the conference but you as a writer. Where you are at in your career will certainly dictate which conference to attend. RWA Nationals, for example, might be a bit too much for someone just starting out. Not only is it a complete sensory over-load, your career might be better suited for something that is almost entirely set up for craft building.

The key is to examine what the focus of the conference really is. Some, like the Romantic Times Conference are focused more on connecting the writer and the reader. Other smaller conferences tend to be more craft focused.

Along the same lines of focus, it is important to understand what the speakers and emphasis will be. This is obviously easy when it comes to the Romance Writers or Mystery Writers Conferences. But what about those standard ones? Some of them tend to focus more on general fiction. The key is to understand who the population is that attends the conference. For myself, there are some conferences that are simply not profitable for me to attend since the number of romance and women's fiction writers will be fairly low. Sure, I can teach sessions, but there won't be much else.

If you are at a point of being ready to pitch to editors and agents, take the time to look at the line-up of who is attending. Let me again remind you - just because there are editors and agents there DOES NOT mean you need to be pitching to these people. Unless you like to get rejections, you need to be certain these people A) acquire what you write; and B) are the right match for you and your career. Hey if Agent X is on the top of your list, find the conference where he or she will be at and make the effort to get there.

I know this sounds like a lot of obvious things, but it is good to be reminded every now and then. Yes, going to conferences is important, and certainly fun, but you need to make it worth your while!

Writing Romance - It is harder than you think...

I always find it interesting when I see how people react when an author states that he or she writes romance. This is especially true for authors outside of the genre. Usually there is a snort, a twitching of the eyebrows, and a general look of "Oh, well isn't that cute." It doesn't shock me to see it really takes a lot of work to get that author to even admit that romance is their genre of choice. In my humble opinion, it is a shame.

And the reason is clear. Writing romance (and I will include women's fiction in this category too) is harder than hell to write. All of you authors out there that write in this genre, and especially those of you who have made the leap to published author need to stop keeping your genre a secret and really show people that this is a genre to be dealt with.

First of all, the romance genre has been around for a lot longer than many of the other genres. Even the early epic poems utilized strong elements of romance to keep the hero going through his "amazing battles of strength and manliness." Even as we scan through the classics of literature, those things that literature scholars refer to as The Canon of literature, we can see that time and time again, it is a romance that makes that list. Consider a few of the authors (this comes from the Gutenberg Project by the way):

• Alcott
• Austen
• Bronte, Bronte, Bronte (obviously all three)
• Browning
• Butler
• Cather
• Chekhov
• Chopin
• ... O.K. I am just on the C's but you get the idea.

Secondly, writing romance and women's fiction is about making a strong emotional connection with the reader. This is not about simply "telling a great story" or anything limited to the plot. The author is required to bring together the characters in the book and the reader emotionally and at an internal level. When the reader finishes the story, there should be a sense of true understanding of his or her place in the world and especially with other people on that interpersonal level.

Next, and this is the one of the hardest elements, the author has a limited amount of space to bring together two characters that, in most cases, prior to page one, had never met. The ultimate goal is, at the end of 55,000-120,000 words, these two have reached a happily ever after. Now plot wise, this can be pretty easy to map out. The difficulty, however, is to not force the issue and make this seem natural. Romance authors are tapping into Mark Knapps, 10 stages of interpersonal theory here! Heck, making a relationship work in real life is tough, but to do it in a short span like this becomes a huge challenge.

Now we add in the sub-genres of romance. These authors are now attempting to do all of the standard romance elements, in that short span of time, while also incorporating those traits of the other genres. Consider now the authors in: romantic suspense, paranormal, fantasy, science fiction and historical. No longer are these people just focused on building a romance, but the other plots have to be significant, and yet, not take the lead role in the romance. Remember, the main story arc is the romance and the secondary arc is the other genre.

Let's look at the numbers now. These come directly from the Romance Writers of America:

(source: Business of Consumer Book Publishing 2013)

• Romance fiction generated $1.438 billion in sales in 2012.
• Romance was the top-performing category on the best-seller lists in 2012 (across the NYT, USA Today, and PW best-seller lists).
• Romance fiction sales are estimated at $1.350 billion for 2013.
• 74.8 million people read at least one romance novel in 2008. (source: RWA Reader Survey)

(source: Simba Information estimates)

• Romance fiction: $1.438 billion in estimated revenue for 2012
• Religion/inspirational: $717.9 million
• Mystery: $728.2 million
• Science fiction/fantasy: $590.2 million
• Classic literary fiction: $470.5 million

Let's not forget that these numbers are (in many cases) not coming from hard-cover sales with rocking prices of $25.00+ a book. These stem from the number of books sold.

One of my authors told me recently that she recalled a creative writing instructor she had during her undergraduate work. When he found out she was writing romance, he commented that she might make it as a "snort" dime store novelist. She told me this memory hit her when she had just completed her 30th book for her editor. And yes, she did send her list of published books as well as the the total number of books sold and the countries she was now published in to the instructor.

In simple terms, romance writers (and yes, I am going to include in there the editors and agents who represent this fantastic genre) need to stand up and make the world take notice. We need to push the media more to stand up and take notice of the work these authors are doing. All of you authors should be proud of what you are doing. 

I, for one, am very proud to say I represent romance and women's fiction and I have no problem telling people this is what I represent.