More grist for the craft-seeking, solutions-starved author.
Day 2
Sometimes knowledge is misinterpreted as formula.
Especially if what you are writing is considered a genre novel, versus a book considered to be a literary novel, ala writers like Jonathan Franzen or Ian McEwan or Phillip Roth. Because the expectations of the genre audience is far different, and in many ways, more rigidly demanding.
Consider the best dish you’ve ever eaten. Somewhere there’s a recipe for it. Even when you or your favorite chef can whip it up straight out of your head.
When that recipe varies, the dish nonetheless turns out wonderfully because you know where it needs to end up.
But if it varies too much, will it still be that dish? Maybe not, it may be inedible. If not for you, then for some.
So is that a formula? And if you believe that it is, or even if you don’t, does that word even matter? The dish works because there is an accepted identification of requisite ingredients, proportions, and preparation that lead to a successful outcome. All of it somewhat flexible, because “season to taste” remains an open invitation. But there are also standards and expectations that tell us not to pour a pound of cayenne pepper into the wedding cake.
Formula is a word for cynics and the uninitiated, often applied to an uninformed perspective on story structure.
It is an overly simplistic view in an avocation that is anything but simple. Craft is the better word to apply.
Craft is the practice of putting knowledge to work within an artful nuance of creativity and within a framework of expectation, standards, and best practices. At the professional level, when your intention is to publish, craft becomes essential.
These excerpts are taken from my new craft book, “Great Stories Don’t Write Themselves.” Feel free to share with your writer friends, directly or via social media.
2 Responses
@Curtis. Couldn’t agree more.
Formula is another label that hides the details. Today’s culture is all about the vague label and acronym to hide the details. This way you don’t have to be intimate, and most importantly…being called out for “what you said”. Vagueness gives one an escape clause–I didn’t mean that.
Sex–has a formula. You need a mood, and some kind of physical touch, repetition and so on. People say that you need to get imaginative to have great sex. Yeah but…try it with no repetitive touching. Good luck with that.
Calling anything writing being a formula is usually a sign of disrespect. That being said, it’s clear that Nora Roberts and John Patterson have a consistent formula. There, I said it.
And I’ve love to have their book sales. Course, they’ve been at this a long time and today’s publishing business has the imagination of a mainstream talking head–play the same tune. So yes, people keep buying their books due to they’re available on the grocery shelf but–they keep buying them.
Somebody likes them. So in a vague way, yeah they have a formula for making a commercial fiction seller. But to say that they have a simple formula to write a readable and fun book? Hell no, that’s a lot of work.
Roberts appeals to the romance genre which is over half of all books read–and if any of you caught that–that means something. That and sex without touching leads to reading romance novels…which leads to touching…
Patterson appeals to fun escapism. Short and sweet, don’t worry me with the chandeliers unless someone is hanging by a rope.
Even in chemistry, there’s formulas, and they’re not easy, and not simple. They work.
What people really say when something is a formula is: I don’t know what I don’t know but they know somethin’ and that’s a formula.
Nope, they know more and Larry’s books will give you a door into that.
“Formula is a word for cynics and the uninitiated, often applied to an uninformed perspective on story structure.
It is an overly simplistic view in an avocation that is anything but simple. Craft is the better word to apply.
Craft is the practice of putting knowledge to work within an artful nuance of creativity and within a framework of expectation, standards, and best practices. At the professional level, when your intention is to publish, craft becomes essential.”
Bravo!!! Please do not screw with the above statements. That represents over ten years, if not more of your life’s work. That is called “distilled thought.” My guess it that rolled out of your head like taking a drink of water. Please know that was the result of more blood, sweat and tears than can be imagined. Your blood, sweat and tears. Don’t loose the above statements. Engrave them like the law of the Medes and the Persians on every guide post so all who come and go can see. It will be many moons before those are replaced. When they are replaced the statement will be a derivative of YOUR statement! Grace and peace