Friday, September 21, 2007
Commerical Fiction
I've been reading some of the romance chapters at www.gather.com. I've learned a lot in just reading them.
I've heard that editors want to see Goal, Motivation, Conflict (GMC) in the first chapter. Now I know why. Some of the chapters were very nicely written, but had no conflict. In some, we hadn't met both the hero and heroine. In some, we had nice descriptions, very little action and all back story.
I can see why an editor would want GMC right up front and all laid out. By the end of the first chapter, the plot should be discernible. The reader shouldn't have to read two more chapters to get to the "meat" of the story.
Some of the writers were open to listen to criticism. Some thought their writing was the best and the readers just didn't "get it".
Well.... there's fiction and there's commercial fiction.
They may write well enough for a blog or college class or what ever. But will their writing stand up to the market? Editors can be ruthless. I think some of these writers were missing the point that a publisher wants to sell books. They want writing that has commercial value. If a reader is bored, it won't sell. Maybe some of the chapters didn't belong in the contest.
It will be very interesting to see which chapters get advanced to the next level.
I've heard that editors want to see Goal, Motivation, Conflict (GMC) in the first chapter. Now I know why. Some of the chapters were very nicely written, but had no conflict. In some, we hadn't met both the hero and heroine. In some, we had nice descriptions, very little action and all back story.
I can see why an editor would want GMC right up front and all laid out. By the end of the first chapter, the plot should be discernible. The reader shouldn't have to read two more chapters to get to the "meat" of the story.
Some of the writers were open to listen to criticism. Some thought their writing was the best and the readers just didn't "get it".
Well.... there's fiction and there's commercial fiction.
They may write well enough for a blog or college class or what ever. But will their writing stand up to the market? Editors can be ruthless. I think some of these writers were missing the point that a publisher wants to sell books. They want writing that has commercial value. If a reader is bored, it won't sell. Maybe some of the chapters didn't belong in the contest.
It will be very interesting to see which chapters get advanced to the next level.
// posted by ~~Olivia @ 9:32 PM 
Comments:
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Readers are allowed to comment. I wanted to mention that one writer was very defensive about her writing and felt she had to explain it to the readers.
A person commented that if the reader doesn't understand, then the writer did not do his job.
I loved that!
So true.
The story should stand by itself without any explanation!
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A person commented that if the reader doesn't understand, then the writer did not do his job.
I loved that!
So true.
The story should stand by itself without any explanation!
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