Skip to main content

"High Concept"? Sufficiently Unique? - Write a Tale That Might Actually Sell

Image
By
Aspire to be a great genre author? So what's your high concept?... 

If you fail to grasp the vital importance of this second question, you will fail to conceive much less write a publishable genre novel - thriller, mystery, fantasy, horror, crime, SF, you name it. Just not going to happen. Don't let any writer group or self-appointed writer guru online or writer conference panel tell you otherwise. You're competing with tens of thousands of other aspiring authors in your genre. Consider. WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE YOUR NOVEL STAND OUT from the morass of throat-gulping hopefuls who don't know any better?

Believe it or not, 99.5% of the writers in workshops all across the country *do not* arrive with a high-concept story. If anything, their aborning novel child is destined for still birth. They strut forward proudly waving their middle or low concept tale while noting how their hired editor from Stanford, or Iowa, or the Johns Hopkins MA program just "loves it!" As a professional, you inwardly groan, listen to them jabber, and realize within 30 seconds or less that you've heard a version of this story at least twenty times already. One of our WE contributors, famous literary agent Richard Curtis, talks about this sad phenomenon in The Seven Sins of Novel Rejection:
    "Writers don't always realize that stories that may seem unique to them are trite in the eyes of agents and editors. For every plot you write, we may see dozens of similar submissions. I freely confess to being easily bored, and I've stopped castigating myself for it, for I realize boredom is a critical symptom that a manuscript has gone wrong."
Btw, did anyone warn the hapless writers noted above of this "trite condition" before they submitted to Richard?... No. Of course not. And why? Because they didn't know any better. Now *you* will be the bad guy because you are ethically obligated to inform them in the next workshop that their story ideas are cooked to a char. You do so in the most tactful way imaginable, and you make it clear you will brainstorm the solution with them. Nonetheless, the usual symptoms are often observed: face drops, eyes freeze over, lower lip begins to quiver, and if the writer happens to be a narcissist, they begin to snarl and plot disruption. But let's return to the issue at hand.

First of all, what kind of story isn't a high concept? Several writer websites mimic each other and define a "low concept" story in this manner: 1. Not easily explained; 2. Character driven; 3. Talks about everyday life... Well, let's pause and reflect. One could actually possess a high concept novel yet be unable, at least temporarily, to express or "explain" it properly in one or two lines. We must differentiate between the actual product and the communication of that product, and by doing so, invalidate the relevancy of the first point above. In truth, with proper communication, one can "explain" (term should be "pitch") either a low or high concept, therefore, the nature of the concept itself, it's relative complexity or simplicity, staleness or freshness, has nothing to do with the difficulty of pitching it, but everything to do with the ineptitude of the person attempting it.

As for point two above, a low concept pitch or hook line might be "character driven," but it doesn't need to be. It could be plot driven and still be low concept, therefore, "character" or "plot" driven isn't the real issue here (see Log Lines and Hooks With Core Wounds--character plays a big role in hooks). And as for point three, this is actually a false statement. For example, one could pitch or discuss a story idea that sounds like a GAME OF THRONES rehash, and last we checked, ice-eyed zombies bent on global acts of decapitation cannot be classified as "everyday life." Which also points out what? The aspiring author MUST know their genre inside out, else how can they reasonably determine what is an overdone story idea and what is not?

Alright, so how do we define a "high concept"? First from Wikipedia as it relates to film:
    "The term is often applied to films that are pitched and developed almost entirely upon an engaging premise with broad appeal, rather than standing upon complex character study, cinematography, or other strengths that relate more to the artistic execution of a production. Extreme examples of high-concept films are Snakes on a Plane and Hobo with a Shotgun, which describe their entire premises in their titles."
Will we be fortunate enough to possess a novel title that describes our premise so efficiently? Most likely not, but we must possess a high-concept genre story nonetheless if we expect to be as competitive as need be while immersed in this insanely competitive market. A high concept must therefore be defined as "a story premise that presents itself as sufficiently unique and commercially viable at the same time." In other words, the premise when expressed as a hook or logline doesn't sound like one professionals have heard a hundred times in the past month. Instead, it immediately presents itself as relatively fresh, like a story publishers can market, perhaps even one that might make its way into television or film.

Let's look at examples from various genres (note they're "sufficiently unique"):
    DRAGON RIPPER by Melanie Bacon (historical mystery) - The sister of Sherlock Holmes, anxious to prove herself and earn her rights in a man's world, teams with the daughter of Jack the Ripper to fight an ancient evil society threatening the streets of London with murder and mayhem.

    GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn (domestic thriller) - An unhappy and frustrated husband returns home to find his wife mysteriously missing, not knowing she has faked her disappearance and written false diary entries to implicate him in first degree murder.

    DON QUIXOTE by Miguel de Cervantes (literary classic) - A delusional 50-year-old Spanish nobleman obsessed with chivalric notions asks a fat farmer to join him as his dutiful sidekick and the two venture forth to fight windmills.

    THE HAND OF FATIMA by Ildefonso Falcones (historical fiction) - A young Moor torn between Islam and Christianity, scorned and tormented by both, struggles to bridge the two faiths by seeking common ground in the very nature of God.

    THE BARTIMAEUS TRILOGY by Jonathan Stroud (young adult fantasy) - In seeking revenge on an elder magician who humiliated him, an apprentice mage unleashes a powerful Djinni who later joins him to confront a danger that threatens their entire world.
Again, strive to understand your genre before you initiate your first steps towards writing a novel, and in this way, with a little wisdom and imagination, you've got a chance at inventing a high-concept that will sell to both New York and Hollywood.

We should all be so lucky!

Scimus Via.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Unknown9:34 AM

    Within the novel development process, I believe it is possible to be inspired by a compelling story idea that excites the senses and galvanizes the writer to complete a given work. That said, the sobering reality is that their excitement might not necessarily be shared by a commercial publisher nor might their story concept be regarded as particularly unique or interesting.

    In my perspective, it is up to the individual writer to identify their level of commitment to a particular project, as well as their willingness to put forth the effort it takes to raise it to a level of high concept value--if that is what they would ultimately like to achieve.

    As a novice, I acknowledge from the outset that I have much to learn as I approach each of my story ideas. With the goal of one day producing a quality work, I try to invest the time needed to study writers I admire and show up at the page (during writing assignments) with an intention to bring forth my best artistry at a pace and level that is consistent with my ability level. There is still much to learn.

    Recognizing that I might have many years in front of me before I reach the mark, I have structured my life around learning and practice to become a better craftsman. Time, space, and resources are frequently utilized to absorb as much information as I can to strengthen my skills with the hope that I might one produce a remarkable, high value novel.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Worthy WE Wisdom

The Six Act Two-Goal Novel

By
What makes for good drama is a constant. To begin, we combine Siegal's "nine act structure - two goal" screenplay (very much like the Syd Field three act except that the "reversal" from Field's structure joins "Act 5" in Siegal's version) with the Field classic three act. The Two-Goal Structure, Siegal maintains, creates more dynamic plot tension due to the insertion of PLOT REVERSAL later in the story. We concur.  NOTE:  "Plot Point" is defined here as a major occurrence that emphatically changes the course of the story. In the genre novel as a whole, we see three to five major plot points depending on various factors: a first PP that begins the rising action, second PP defined by the first major reversal, a third PP defined by a possible second major reversal, a climax PP, and a theoretical PP residing in the denouement, i.e., we think the story is going to resolve a certain way after climax, but a surprise happens that resolves...
Post a Comment
Read more

"Top Ten Worst Pieces of Writing Advice" (and it gets worse)

By
OUTSIDE OF NARCISSISM, IMPATIENCE AND BAD ADVICE ARE A WRITER'S WORST ENEMIES . If you ever attend writer events, you will never cease to hear utterances of bad writing advice, the popular kind that circulate like  ruinous viral memes through the nervous systems of America's aborning novel writers. And each time you are exposed, you either chuckle or swear, depending on your mood and the circumstance. You might make a daring attempt to kill the meme in its tracks before it can infect someone else, or you might just stare at the writer with a dumbfounded look and ask, "Where the hell did you hear that?" Yes, the primal question: WHERE THE HELL DID YOU HEAR THAT? Inevitably, many will point to their writer's group . Ahhhh, of course , you think. Why just recently at an Algonkian event , one of my faculty (a former senior editor at Random House) and I were faced with an individual who adamantly asserted to us both that using only one point of view to write a n...
28 comments
Read more

What Makes a Good Memoir?

By
By Paula Margulies As a publicist, I'm sent books of all genres by authors interested in my services, but lately I seem to be on the receiving end of a lot of memoirs. I've also spoken to a higher-than-usual number of memoir writers, who either telephone or approach me with questions at writer's conferences. The bulk of these conversations have to do with why their memoirs aren’t selling and what the authors can do to make them better. My first suggestion for all memoir writers is to take a look at their market and identify the different types of people who would want to read their book. This is tricky, for while many memoir writers have done a good job of detailing certain aspects of their personal history, a number of them have not thought about who might be interested in reading what they've written. A lot of memoirs I've seen recently are nothing more than personal recountings of an individual’s experiences – some of which are, indeed, memorable. But I...
2 comments
Read more

Labors, Sins, and Six Acts - Official Novel Writing Guide - All Genres

By
An ideal first stop... You will discover below a series of scholarly, researchable, frank and indispensable guides to conceiving and writing the commercial genre novel, as well as the plot-driven literary novel. But the cutting edge of the developmental peels and prods as presented makes an initial big assumption, namely, that you are honestly desirous of true publication either by a classic publisher or traditional literary press , and therefore, willing to birth the most dynamic and can't-put-it-down novel you possibly can. Further, you are also naturally desirous of great sets, mind-altering theme, unforgettable characters, and cinematic scenes, among other things. Does that go without saying?   Perhaps, but you must know, it won't be easy. Labors and Sins First of all, the method-based assertions and information we've gathered and elevated before your eyes below will shiver many of you like a 6.5 on the literary Richter scale because it will contr...
Post a Comment
Read more

Loglines and Hooks With Core Wounds

By
HOOK OR LOG WITH CORE WOUND AND CONFLICT Your hook line (also known as logline) is your first chance to get a New York or Hollywood professional interested in your novel. It can be utilized in your query to hook the agent into requesting the project. It is especially useful for those pitch sessions at conferences, lunches, in the elevator, or anywhere else. When a prospective agent or editor asks you what your book is about, your high-concept hook line is your answer. Writing one also encourages a realization of those primary elements that will make your novel into a work of powerful fiction.  The great novel, more often than not, comprises two stories: the exterior story or plot line, and an interior story focused primarily on the protagonist, one that defines and catalyzes her or his evolutionary arc throughout the novel. For example, a protagonist with a flaw or core wound that prevents her from achieving a worthwhile goal is forced to respond to a lifechanging event instig...
2 comments
Read more