First off, I want to thank the Magical Musings authors, especial dear friends Edie, Liz and Michelle for inviting me to guest blog today. MM is a daily read for me, though I rarely comment because, well, I’m just lax about stuff like that. 
I did a good deal of head banging about what I could blog about, and decided to focus on the dreaded “F” word (formula writing, hah!) versus writing a marketable novel.
A good many pundits swear it’s easy to write genre fiction because it’s formulaic. That is pure bull. If it were that damned easy to write a marketable book, there wouldn’t be enough bookstores in the work to house all the new novels.
Romances tend to get singled out as formulaic more than most. Though a romance is about the hero’s and heroine’s love story, and the story is expected to end with at least the promise of happily ever after, I can honestly say I’ve read few romances that were similar enough plot wise to think they were written by some magic (re: boring) formula.
Formula writing is writing by rote. In case you don’t know, rote means 1: the use of memory usu. with little intelligence, 2: routine or repetition carried out unthinkingly (a joyless sense of order). In other words, writing by rote would be boring drive that I doubt you’d see in print.
Even those wall-banging books I simply couldn’t read another word of didn’t fall into that category.
So if there is no magic formula, how does one write a marketable novel? Romeo, Romeo, let me count the ways…
Works of fiction have certain parameters that readers expect. Vogler is well-known for penning The Hero’s Journey which breaks down the elements in popular fiction to follow classic myths. Robert McKee, author of Story, has a similar framework to help writers understand what basics are essential for a work to be marketable.
I’m always asked how I wrote a novel, and the simple answer is sit down and write from the heart. Generally, readers don’t care to know the nuts and bolts of the craft.
I came to writing knowing and understanding the three-act play. It’s simple and works for me every time because it doesn’t require I do extensive pre-plotting before starting a novel, and allows my muse free reign.
• Act 1: Intro of major characters, their goals, and motivations and the roadblock that changes everything.
• Act 2: Conflict, conflict, conflict. Or as I call it, the one-step forward, two-back for the hero and heroine until it seems as if they’ll lose it all.
• Act 3: Climax and resolution. Find the courage to do the impossible, learn from mistakes, and go after the dream (girl or guy).
Though any number of things can spark a plot, it’s the author’s imagination that makes each story as unique as their fingerprint. I’ve never heard of or seen a write-by-number outline for novelists, and I wouldn’t want to adhere to one if such a beast existed. Can you imagine something so stifling to creativity?
In addition to my three-act system, my only hard and fast rules to plotting are that every scene must progress the story, and/or advance character Those two generally keep from going off on a tangent that leads to a dead end. (Note the word, generally. There are days…)
A synopsis is another tool that helps me target key possibilities in my story, though I often don’t stick to it verbatim, and often don’t write one until I’ve written anywhere from 60-100 pages of a story.
That’s my roadmap to writing a marketable book. I can write linearly or piece it together like a puzzle, which is often the case. New developments to character or plot take me on detours and uncharted courses. Though I may bitch and moan about deadlines and plotting gaffs, I couldn’t ask for a better or more fulfilling job that writing.
Jan Kenny
Jan Kenny’s Western historical romance One Real Cowboy, is out now.
I’m doing character sheets right now, and doing GMC for each one. What I’m not doing is splitting it into the internal and external GMC. I found out that’s something I never go back to. I use the archetype book to look up the main characters’ archetypes, and that works for me too.
Formula writing is one thing that DOESN’T work. I know I’ve read some great Superromances (Amy Knupp’s, for one) that could be mainstream women’s fiction if they were longer.
Jan, I love that you’re a write-from-the-heart gal! YAY! If I analayze too much, I’m screwed. Luckily, my characters know the jargon. They also know I’m bored with those details, so they leave me alone about it.
I don’t write the synopsis till after the book is finished. I like that you at least wait till 60-100 pages. lol
Thanks for your insight. Your book,ONE REAL COWBOY, sounds like a keeper to me. I must buy!
Hey, Jan, just put your book in my online cart. Great cover! Wonder if the guy comes with the deal.
Cord is one eye-catcher.
Ugh, first off, sorry for all the typos. Third rule is ALWAYS proof pages before sending them out, and make sure to send the proofed pages.
I don’t pay attention to the archetype charts, Edie. I tried, but I tended to generate identical characters or clones. So a simple GMC sentence for H/H/V does it for me, and I only focus on their internal goals–that drives character, imo.
Same here, LaDonna. I can easily complicate a story if I plan too much. Ooo, wish my cowboy did come with the deal–the contract deal, that is. Yep, selfish me wants him all to myself. Thanks for ordering ORC.
Jan, ONE REAL COWBOY is on my to buy list as well
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I find I dip into archetype books when I’m stuck, not in the beginning. If at any point I find I’m not seeing my character clearly enough, I go look for their archetype and try to get a bit more clarity. Like you, I’ve got a lot from Vogler, and I have found Maass very helpful, too.
I like starting with an outline, but if the story calls me strongly enough, then I jump in and deal with the fall out later.
Thanks for posting such a great blog.
I’ve not read Maass. LOL, about jumping in. Those sink or swim times can be great fun. Once you start breathing again.
Generally, I try to avoid how-to books. I’m a pantser, from the heart sorta writer. I’m with LaDonna … if I know too much before I start, I’m screwed. Not that I lose interest, but for me, the surprise is gone. I love mulling and trying to figure out my character’s next moves. And sometimes… when I’m a really good girl … they may even whisper in my ear to let me know if what I’ve written is pure crap. And if my characters don’t, my crit partners will.
Liz, craft books like Vogler’s and Maass’s aren’t how-to books. They are more discussions of what makes a book good, especially Vogler. I only ever use them when the book is finished, then I go through particularly Maass and see if I can improve my story (and of course the answer is always yes
).
LOL, Jan, I didn’t start breathing until after the middle with the last book.
Maass really shows you how to get into a story deeper. I recommend it to anyone. I don’t read it with every book–although maybe I should–but the information is swimming around in my subconscious.
Liz, if you want to borrow the workbook or Vogler’s book, let me know. I’ll bring it to the next meeting.
Liz, I believe some how-to books DO screw up a writer’s natural voice. You have to find the system that works for you–there is no right or wrong way.
Agree, Michelle, though as I said I’ve not read Maass.
Edie, I think the notebook thing would have my eyes crossing and me having nightmares of days when I sweated over book reports in school, worried if I got the theme right, lol. I will say vogler is valuable in pointing out the elements that should be in good story.
Jan, I only did a couple of the workbook exercises. The book gives great insights without doing them. But keep a pen and paper by your side. My mind automatically thought of plot and character points as I read.
I bet Michelle will say the same thing.
I agree, Edie.
Jan, the great thing about Maass is he discusses a point in a chapter, let’s say, making your protagonist stand out, and uses a lot of examples to illustrate his point, then ends with one core challenge – Take a scene with your main protagonist, think of one thing she / he would never do, think or say, and rewrite the scene with her / him doing, saying or thinking that thing. Then compare the two scenes and see which is better.
Then he has a whole list of exercises you can do, but that’s up to you to do them or not, you’ve already got the main point.
Liz, Maass is a big Anita Blake fan, and he uses examples from the Anita Blake series to illustrate some of his points.
Well, then I might just have to read Vogler and Maass. Sigh … there’s always so much more to learn, isn’t there?
Yes, Edie, I’d like to borrow them. If I like what I see, I’ll get my own for reference sake.
I read a ton of writing books while I was workin on my very first draft of my first book. But I haven’t read any in years.
I did read vogler back then, and must say I didn’t get much out of it. Maybe its one of those books you need to read when you have a bit more experience beneath the belt…
Theresa, I think it’s a better read when you have a particular manuscript in mind while you’re reading it. Anyway, that’s how it worked for me.