A Tale of Two Manuscripts and the Kings of Leon
So I was asked to read two manuscripts (not by any followers of this blog, so breathe easy). One was charming. It had a concept perhaps done before, but the writing was cute and sparkly with characters I cared about. The other . . . to be honest, I read it three weeks ago, and I cannot recall a single thing about any of the characters except one person's profession. Occasionally, dialogue was enough to make me smirk or laugh (in a good way, it was supposed to be witty), but . . . in the end, I finished and thought, "Why did this novelist write this? What did he have to say?" It felt like a big blank to me.
Which brings me to my new obsession:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHhhcKxflMY
I was listening to this song yesterday with Oldest Daughter and recounting a Rolling Stone article in which the journalist said that Caleb was, as the band was forming, encouraged to add studio musicians, and instead insisted on his two brothers and a cousin. It could have been career suicide (he was an unknown), but the boys' background in the Pentocostal church and strange upbringing (no formal schooling; just traveling in an Oldsmobile to revivals with their preacher-father) probably meant the family was who he felt comfortable around. To which Oldest Daughter replied, "It was him they wanted. His voice is unique and no one in music right now sounds quite like him." And she's right. There is, beyond garage boogie--Southern gothic--grunge metal something, an unusual quality to his voice. The label wanted Caleb. And if it meant the other boys coming along for the ride, that was okay.
Which brings me to the tale of the two manuscripts.
I have conceived of, easily eight different ideas this year for books. Probably more. All "hook" concepts, playing with voice. I don't KNOW, but they all feel pretty unique. All high-concept. But it's a question of voice and follow-through. I mean, concept is okay--but what are you going to DO with the concept. As I write and explore, I am constantly looking for what's different. What makes my story unusual and why am I the one to write it?
The type of music the Kings of Leon make has been done before. But not quite the same way. So it was with the manuscripts. One somehow took a premise of a mystery chick-lit and made it her own. The other . . . I can't think of anything in the voice that made me pause and think, "This guy is fresh. This is original."
There's a lot of chatter about bringing your A-game now that the market is depressed, and the book biz is scrambling to reinvent itself. I would hope (though I know it's not true entirely) that it means everyone is nailing the basics of storytelling as far as back story dumps and characterization, and plotting, and conflict. But A-game, I am consistently feeling, is that not quite quantifiable voice that makes an editor pause and think, "This is fresh."
Thoughts? Do you think uniqueness is elusive? What's special about what you're bringing to your A-game?
27 comments:
I think we constantly have to fight the collective conscience. It clicked for me quite recently that writing is about a combination of elements, and while there aren't any new elements under the sun, there's always a fresh combination. I think that's what people mean when they say that no one can write your book but you.
Starbucks:
Some of my hooks feel very original, but yeah . . . I mean themes of redemption and loss and characters like the anti-hero . . . done, right? So I am sure it is about finding those precise elements, and I am still convinced the voice is the key.
E
We had a literary agent come to one of the Writing Shows. He said one time they got a query letter that was addressed to a dead person and did everything wrong, yet there was this voice, this characteristic about the writer that came through. Eventually it became a book that hit the bestseller lists. Some people are so uniquely talented they can make all kinds of mistakes and still succeed.
I'm an idea girl. I love different concepts and the 'what ifs'. With writing, you are right--it's all about the execution. I have to take the idea and Do Something Great With It. For an entire book.
Richmond:
I can see that. Sometimes I will read a "first novel" and be amazed at the voice that's there. :-)
E
Heather:
Hooks, I got. It's finding what I want to say, for sure. And say for 300 pages. It's interesting but the meh manuscript I referenced, I finished and it was like . . . "Did this have ANYTHING to SAY? To really SAY?" It felt like 300 pages of dialogue and stuff but no soul.
E
Lately I've noticed that many writers are concerned with the "how to" of writing. They refer to books on writing, check lists, and work-shops in order to assure that their finished product fits the perceived "how to." And that's all good, I suppose, making sure all the "right" elements are covered.
Yet, I still believe that no matter how polished and shiny new the idea, the outcome is dependent on the mood of the agent/editor who first gets their hands on the manuscript. Maybe mood isn't the right word. Maybe it's what they happen to be looking for that particular day.
No matter how anyone slices it, the crap shoot known as luck remains the driving force.
A cool concept can get your foot in the door, but it's the rest of the package that closes the deal.
The concept should cause jaws to drop, the execution pages to turn. Simple formula, right?
I just finished judging a contest entry that had all the elements present and accounted for, but something was missing.
--I'm certain this writer hadn't quite discovered his/her 'voice'.
I had another entry that was totally engaging. I LOVED the characters and their voices, but there wasn't a story.
--this writer had voice, but needed to work on plot.
Guess which story I want more of--Yep, the second one.
Kath:
I think there is an element of luck. But I also think . . . take a look at something like The Book Thief . . . is there anything quite like it? Nope. And it's voice and concept. The whole package, and I don't think it can be debated. I just don't think "group think" has made it a new classic. There is something about it, intangible. Yet, I don't think it's getting published had ANYTHING to do with luck and EVERYTHING to do with talent and audacity.
E
Jude:
Simple enough. Should be a snap, right?
E
"If what" are possible my two most favorite words in the world. Well...other than the words "cheeseburger" followed by "fries".
I think when you're truely into what your doing, the originality will always shine through in your work. Even if it's only a small amount.
Like I've said before, I think that I bring a lot of interesting things to the table.
My current book's theme has a lot to do with living your whole life on autopolit, then in a great flash of emotion the autopolit is turned off and seems like you're finally waking up to the world around you. It also seems to have a lot to do with trust, trust of family, trust of friends, and possibly the most vital, trust of one's true self.
I've also been thinking over a couple of "darker" ideas in my head. One dealing with a haunted house, a gay best friend, and a bunch of blue butterflies. And the other having to do with breaking down the whole hero and villain archtypes. Making the heros villains and the villains villains. Mind numbing thing to think about.
P.S. Kings of Leon rock!
magolla:
That reminded me of a workshop I was once forced to take at a publishing house where I worked. There was this huge debate over types of workers--with one side of the room being all for those that punched the clock, never took a long lunch, never called in sick and a "solid" job . . . . and ther other side (the side I was on because it described me as an employee) being for the incredibly creative person who did the wokf of two or three people in terms of workload, but never made it to the office on time, at ate at their desk four days in a row, but the fifth day took a 2 hour lunch. I think that I am the same way over books--I respond to the spark more than servicable.
E
JT:
I am intrigued by the blue butterflies. :-) They eat dead people, you know. MWAHHHHHHHH.
And yes, Kings of Leon . . . that song Sex on Fire . . . just totally ROCKS. I love them, love their back story, love their drummer . . . . and Caleb's voice. He's easy on the eyes, too. ;-)
E
According to my concept notes, they're going to be eating plenty of live people too.
*Wink*
A story just doesn't hold together for me without something to say, something that unifies everything. Kinda drives me crazy when it's not there.
Dunno what's unique about me. I'm very honest. I love my characters dearly. I have a unique voice, but my stories never seem to call for it. Sometimes my editor says I twist things uniquely, but that's not really it: I just steal from different genres, LOL.
"Hook," I think you can learn to do. "Voice," I'm not sure you can. Well, yes, you can boys and girls. Here's how you develop your voice:
Write.
Write a lot. Read a lot. Write some more. Try to find your true self in your writing. Then write some more.
And in 10 or 15 or 20 years, you will have developed "voice."
Maybe you'll get lucky, it'll come naturally to you. But most writers tend to be strongly influenced by the authors they love.
True story, so I suppose it's true (ahem). I sent off my former agent a manuscript for a novel called "Blood Secrets." He called back about a week later and left a message on my answering machine telling me how much he loved it. (Rare. Nor did he manage to sell this manuscript, but that's neither here nor there). When I talked to him, he said that when he read my other stuff, though good, he could tell, "Oh, you've been reading Carl Hiassen" or "You've been reading Robert B. Parker." With that book, he said, he felt like he was reading Mark Terry.
JT:
My Baby Girl is phobic about butterflies. Majorly phobic. Most 11-year-olds think they are pretty. She is just scared of them!
E
natasha:
Don't discount honesty!
E
Mark:
I feel like I read physics texts to avoid adopting style. I think that's interesting.
A VERY cool about your agent feeling that way . . .
E
Erica, I LOVED that video. Wow!
I'm putting a lot more of my "voice" into my mss, yet not so much I'm slowing down the scenes. I've been doing this for a year. I think -- I hope -- it will make the difference.
Edie:
i always need a cold shower after I watch it.
LOL!
E
I love the song "Use Somebody." I listen to it over and over again!
I really hope I'm bringing my A-game with my new WIP. I have two beta's reading it next week, so hopefully they'll be able to tell me!
Well, okay, but I'm still hanging on to my talisman. ;-)
Nadine:
Love that song, too. Love ALL their songs.
E
kath:
Don't get me wrong, luck is HUGE. But I think the A game is a big part of the equation too.
Yes. Keep the talisman. :-)
E
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