But Author X Does That So What Can't I??

If you have attended writing workshops in the past, or read craft books, there are always these lists of things you should not do in your writing. The authors of these books and these presenters seem to imply that the world will collapse in on you and all of the punishments the Greek Gods could think of would happen to you.

And then...

You pick up a novel from one of your favorite authors and there they go, doing all of the things that you were told not to do. Not only did those Greek Gods not rip their livers out and strap them to a rock, they graced these authors with a book ending up on the NY Times Bestseller list.

Why is the world so unfair? Why do they get to "head-hop" and you aren't allowed to?

The answer is actually two-fold.

The first is that they have earned the right to. They have put in the time. They have a following. They have readers who will buy anything they put out and everyone is making money. Let's face it. Money talks.

But the real reason is the one that actually is the most important. These authors know how to do it successfully. They know how to manipulate grammar and craft in such a way to get a message across to the reader and to get the right tone and voice in the story.

Here is an example. If you have ever read Ernest Hemingway, you would know that the Grammar Gurus cringe when reading it. This guy really messes with the grammar, and yet, it works. The reason is Hemingway was very well versed in grammar. Remember his background was in journalism. He knew what to do. But he also knew how to use that grammar in such a way to get the right feel for the story.

When you have an author who understands grammar (and tools of the craft) so well, they can pull this off flawlessly. Sure, if you are examining the stories with a fine-toothed comb, you will see it and it can be annoying, but, in most cases, the writing flows so well that you ignore it. You aren't seeing those errors. You just walk away knowing you enjoyed the writing, the characters and the story.

Like all things in publishing, there are really no fixed rules. Yes, you can get away with pretty much everything. But, if you want to start messing around with the rules, you better know them inside and out. You better be able to make those changes without thinking about it. It has to be natural. Until then, I highly recommend you stick to the rules and write a really good story. Trust me, you will get to the point where you too can mess with the rules.

Only When You Are Amazing, Can You Break The Rules

I was reading some Hemingway recently and it got me thinking about a common statement I hear authors say all of the time. When an editor or agent critiques someone on a strategy the author used that didn't quite work, such a head-hopping, the author says, "but [fill in the blank] does it. Yes they do, and they have earned the right to do it.

Hemingway, in particular understood grammar and story structure. He knew what made a story work and how to craft a dialogue to convey a particular meaning and message. He knew it well enough that he was able to use many of these strategies, technically in an incorrect fashion, but still making it work.

I understand that we do say, time and time again that there are no rules out there when it comes to writing. We talk more about suggestions and recommendations. With that said, for many authors out there, we need to stick to the basics. This means, in all likelihood, not breaking the rules.

I would also add that we do things in a story because that strategy works in that given context and that given situation. There is a reason why another author did something in their story and why that approach may not always work for your story.

Am I saying to only write in one prescribed fashion? Absolutely not. I am also not saying that only the established authors have a right to break the rules. What I am saying is that your writing needs to happen organically. You need to know why that strategy worked for the other author and really determine if it works best in your situation.

Scott

There Is No One Right Way

I think it is time for a "reminder blog" today. I know this is something we hear time and time again from agents and editors, but authors often forget it. Much of this stems from (I believe) the way we write things here on the blogs. Regardless of the reason, we need to remember that, in the end, there is no one right way of telling our stories, writing submission letters, or even writing a synopsis.

When it comes down to it, every situation and every writer is different. This means that you have to examine your writing project and determine the needs it is dictating. The factors that control what and how you write will be determined by the genre you are writing, the publisher you are targeting, or even the agent that you are sending it to. Outside of that, it is entirely up to you as to what you want to do.

Please understand that I am not taking a relativistic approach to this and anything goes. You still need to know your audience and the piece you are writing. There are those parameters you have to work with so deal with it. But, again remember that within those parameters you can pretty much do anything.

So what does this deal with?

• Do I have to write in 1st or 3rd person?
• Do the characters have to meet in the first chapter?
• Can I start with the hero and not the heroine?
• How many pages are in a chapter?
• Does my synopsis have to be a certain page count?
• Can I do a synopsis in a chapter by chapter format?
• Etc.

Before you go and freak yourself out, consider your situation. Relax and think.

Scott

A Book's Success (or Failure) Depends On A Lot Of Variables

I have talked a lot here about variables in publishing. In many ways, you can think of seeing your book to the book shelves being very similar to a couple deciding they want to have a baby. I don't know if you have ever thought about this or not, but think of all the variables that had to be in place just for you to be here today reading this blog. The combinations of patterns that had to fall in alignment at the right time and place for your parents to even think about having a baby. Add in the factor of all that "genetic" mixing that had to be in alignment. When people say a baby is a "miracle" it truly is.

I bring this up today to not depress all of  you on before the weekend, but to address two groups of people there that might have forgotten this.

The first groups are those individuals who, when their book succeeds (or fails) will immediately place the reason for that end result on a single factor. While that factor might have had a hand in part of the success or failure, it was not the single factor.

For example, I have seen numerous workshops on query writing that have either authors, or testimonials of how "this query letter" got me published. Um, not! The query letter, while it was an important element in getting the writer noticed was not the only factor. Think about it. Would an editor really risk the time and money simply on a 3-4 paragraph query letter with only 1 paragraph devoted to the book? Probably not.

The same goes for those authors that see a book that just doesn't do as well as they had hoped and attempt to place the blame on a single factor. "You know that cover completely ruined the book." Again, this may have been an issue, but it could have also been a ton of other factors coming into play. Did the book come out at the wrong time? Did the book not get enough publicity? The list goes on and on.

The second group of people I want to address today are those out there that proclaim the single answer to success. These are the people who have written books or spend the time teaching workshops that claim "their solution" is the single and best way to get to succcess. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying 100% of all presenters out there are bad. I am also not saying that 100% of all books written about the subject are bade. What I am referring to is the approach these people take of eliminating all of the gray areas. In other words, if you don't do it their way, you will fail. If you do it their way, you succeed.

While these ideas might be useful tips, and the advice may be very valuable, it is up to you to incorporate that learning into your own personal style. It is up to you to find what will work best for you.

As many of you know, my daughter rides horses. Although she has her own horse, her instructor has been having her ride other horses every now and then. The point of the lesson is simple. The things she does with her own horse will not always work on another horse. Sure the over-all techniques are similar, but how much leg and how much rein you give to your horse will be very different. Success or failure of riding that new horse depends on a lot of variables.

Now, the point of all this is simple. There are a lot of approaches out here in the publishing world. The approaches some take may work for you exactly as  you were taught. Some may cause utter failure if you do it exactly as you were taught. Your job is to find that right twist and turn to make that approach work for you. Do not simple take a single approach and look at it out of context. There is no right or wrong way out there. There are better ways and there are certainly things that are big "no-no's" but the approach will always be different.

As you take the time to work through your writing this weekend, think about what you are doing. Are you using a technique that someone told you "was a must" or "you should never do that", or, are  you thinking about what will work best in that situation?

Have a great weekend!

Scott

Rules vs Guidelines

I was thinking about that line from Pirates of the Caribbean when they are talking about "The Pirate's Code". As said in the movie, these aren't necessarily rules, more like guidelines. I find that the same thing holds true when it comes to submission guidelines.

Every editor I work with has a different approach to what they want when it comes to a submission from me. Some are pretty casual. One, in particular will get on my case (jokingly) if I fail to put all of my contact information not only on the email, but on the first page of the synopsis and manuscript. I should also note, when I say all, it means everything - IM name, Twitter name, address, phone numbers shirt size... - O.K. maybe not that much but you get the idea.

For writers, you have many of these same "rules" and I use this in quotes. There are obviously a few things you do have to do when submitting. These are not so much rules but standards that we work with. These include:

- Double spaced
- Typed
- Standard font

That's about it.

Now, with that said, each agency and publisher may have a few other things they would like to see in their submissions. Those may include:

- A specific lenght synopsis
- Sending only certain items in the query
- Headings with titles and author name
- E-queries with .rtf or .pdf formats

I can go on and on with this list, but I think you get the idea.

The point of all this is simple. Before you submit to anyone, whether it is in person, via snail mail, or electronically, take the time to really read the guidelines and do what the person is asking.

Some authors have asked if an author fails to do exactly what was required, does it mean the manuscript will be rejected? Not necessarily, but remember what I have said about "never getting a second chance to make a first impression." If an agent is already grumbling about your manuscript before he or she even reads the story, this is not a good sign.

Simply put... don't give me a reason to not like your story.

For those of you getting ready to head off to major conferences, do your research. Please...

Scott

What Are The Rules To The Game?

This issue (or a slight twist of it) came up recently on another website that I like to hang out on. The writer was asking the question of what the right approach was when it came to the troublesome Point of View. In this case, the writer was trying desperatly to follow a rule she had been told, but in the end, realized the scene was in the wrong POV. She had done it from the heroine's POV and it really needed to be in the hero's. Needless to say, she was VERY troubled.

So, with that said, what are the rules?

The simple truth is there really isn't any rule. The goal is to tell a dang fine story and to make it work. In her case, I told her that if the ratio of POV shifts was 75/25 and it worked, then do it. And really, the rule works for all of those other wonderful "rules" that writers like to preach in sessions at writing conferences or on their blogs.

Now, please don't get me wrong. I am not saying this is a time for a complete free-for-all writing fest where writers do anything. Remember the goal is to tell a story that makes sense, is marketable and draws the reader in.

I had a conference with my son's fifth grade teacher today and she was describing the perfect type of story. She wanted her kids to find that story that when they were finished with it, they were upset it ended. That is the rule you shoot for when it comes to writing. Write a story that works just like that and you have a best seller. Hook me from the first line and keep me hooked until the end.

Scott

The Rules of Writing

We hear all about these pesky little things. You know what I mean - The rules we as authors have to follow as authors to get our books published. The list can become endless. Don't start a query letter with a question. Must insert high concept in first line of query. First sentence must be so amazing we wet ourselves. Head hopping... and so on, and so on, and so on.

Now, I am not one to say to avoid these things. Writing is a matter of communications and we have to follow guidelines for effective communication. But, when it comes to writing, there are no fixed rules.

I spent the weekend at the South Carolina Writer's Workshop and heard time and time again writers saying things such as, "But do we have to do it this way?" The answer is always "sometimes." There are always exceptions to the rule and we can always find a ton of those exceptions.

Still, when we talk about these rules, these are suggestions that will always make your writing better. I am personally of the opinion that many authors who want to challenge the rules are the writers that might not find the success they are looking for. Somehow, in their heads, they feel they are above following the rules. Their writing is somehow different. It may be, but in most cases, listening to those rules might be a wise move.

I should also add, and I have mentioned this before, that using all of the rules in a single piece of writing might become awkward. The best analogy I can have would be adding things to a truck to enhance the look. Adding nice tires - fine. Adding a stabilizer - fine. Adding everything and you look like a fool.

So for those of you that are "anti-rules" I would advise you to stop before you do anything. Really look at your writing and be open-minded. Not only will you find that you may be wrong in places, you may also find yourself finally getting published.

Scott

Rules, Rules, I Hate Rules

Whether we like it or not, the publishing industry does have rules and we do have to follow the darn things. As frustrating as this may seem, it is something you have to learn to deal with if you want to be in the business professionally. Now I know many of you feel this "ruins your creative ability" or "hurts your individualism" but you will have to deal with it. I also know many of you leap into the "independent publishing" side of things because you want to keep things your way. For those of you, there really isn't much I can say. Today, we are going to focus on those that want to go the more traditional route.

Each publisher has a set of rules for what they look for and the style of their books based on what sells and what doesn't sell with their book buyers. Remember that, while the books may be available in a number of outlets, each publisher has a specific market they target. Sure, every now and then they expand and change that market, but they work with what is making them money at that time. It goes back to that old saying, "if it isn't broke, don't fix it."

Harlequin is a great example of this. While many might find the specific lines they have to be confining, these lines still work. In a recent TIME article, it was highlighted that revenues for Harlequin were up 8.7% and revenues at $225.5 million in the first half of the year. Not bad. But why does it work? Simply put, the rules they have established are set for the market they sell to.

As a writer, it is up to you to make sure you fully understand the rules to the game. Sure it can be tough, but demonstrating that you can follow the rules and still make an amazing story will show your strength as a writer.

Now with that said, I have to also highlight that agencies also have rules. We know what works and doesn't work for our agencies. We have rules for submission and what we look for. Following those rules is also crucial for success. I frequently have people submit stories that are far from the genre I am acquiring. What amazes me is the email response I get after I reject them. "I had assumed you would look outside of your comfort zone." Excuse me?

So, your homework this week? Get out there and research the rules for where you want to send your stories. It will be tough. Oh, and if you want to send it to places that say "read what we publish and you will know what we want" means you should do just that.

Scott