It's All in How You Wrap It
So my best friend is like the Halloween Goth Martha Stewart. She's also the best cookie maker east of the Mississippi. Possibly the world. And Monkey can back me up on that. When her cookie packages arrive, my kids turn into wild dingos. And . . . she wraps presents like a professional from Barney's in NYC.
Me? Consider yourself lucky that the packages aren't taped together with duct tape.
Over time, I have come to realize that how you feel about receiving a present is sometimes dictated in how you wrap it. Getting a present from my best friend is an event. Mine? Not so much, though I'm working on it. (Two words: Gift bags.)
Which brings me around to books.
So much of what a writer can get away with is in the expectation. Let's start with the cover. Starbucks got her e-book cover. I don't know about you, but most e-book covers . . . my expectation is if they were printed, I would line the litter box with it. Not hers. WOW! Pops. Sexy. Good photo. My expectation going in is that . . . it's going to be a great book. SO happy for Ms. Betsy! Now I was going to compare her cover to some e-book covers that are horrible, but then I felt bad because some author may LOVE his or her cover, so you all know what I'm talking about.
Then, at the very, very tail end of yesterday's comments section (which got lively), Fake Frenchie made a comment about reality versus fantasy. The gist of it is reader's were disappointed when a series author had her heroine make an historically accurate choice rather than a happily ever after choice. I'm with Frenchie in that I accept that reality is if you tied it up with a happily ever after it would seem false. But there again, some of how much a writer can get away with is in the expectation.
Buy a book expecting a happily ever after and have the author not deliver? Expect unhappy readers. Why do you think back covers or reviews will say "in this bittersweet tale . . ."--they're tipping you off. You go in with a different expectation from "in this romantic comedy . . . ."
Same even with certain author "brands." People don't buy Dan Brown or Clive Cussler expecting to rapturously idle over every precious word. They buy 'em to turn pages fast and read an adventure or a thriller that takes you on a wild ride.
Reach the point where you get personalized rejections and you'll even see that creep into an editor's or agent's comments. "I liked this, but based on the first three chapters, I was expecting x or y, and then it didn't deliver."
Hopefully from the cover to the last word, authors deliver on expectation. Or from your query to the end of your manuscript you deliver on what you say you will. That's why I consistently caution against overselling your manuscript by comparing it to another. "My book is like Dan Brown meets James Patterson." Whatever you SAY you are going to deliver, you had better.
Same with pricing and e-books. Give me a book for free and have it be BETTER than what I think a free book might be? You may have me. Ask me to lay out $9.99 and hand me a typo-laden, poorly plotted book and I'm going to be irrititated. Subconsciously, my expectations color what I think. (Though give me a book for free and STILL have it be awful and I will never read you again--free or otherwise.)
I think perhaps we forget how much expectation comes into play. But really, it's the difference between a shiny present under the tree with cellophane and bows, and one wrapped in last week's comics and duct tape.
Thoughts? How much do you keep in mind expectations?
30 comments:
Sometimes I take a book on recommendation and have no expectations at all, except that I'll like it (or not). A friend handed me her copy of THE HELP and said, "Here, everyone loves this, and I thought it was OK. You read it and tell me what you think." So I did. I didn't read the back of the book or the jacket copy, I just started reading some time in the next day or two. (I read it in one sitting, btw, loved it. One of the benefits of having teenagers who can make their own meals.)
Book covers are huge for me. If I don't like the cover it's hard for me to buy a book - same goes with wine. Gotta like the label.
In life, as in books, expectations can sometimes lead to disappointment. I squelch mine often, be that right or wrong. I also know though that without expectations we rarely get what we want or need.
Just an aside, my MC bakes cookies. I can't bake to save my life.
Hi Amy:
My book club is reading The Help in a couple of months. I'm looking forward . . . trying not to hype it too much since I heard such good things.
Book covers are huge for me, too. And first paragraphs. Back covers. I know what kind of story I like, so I'm always looking for those three things to pull me in--and then the book to live up to my expectations.
E
E,
When you read it I'd love to know what you think. My book club is discussing it in January but I'd also love to tackle it from a writer's perspective.
Amy:
Will do.
:-)
E
Expectations? I have a few. If it's my favorite author who has never let me down, I can't help but expect brilliance. Well, no one is perfect and sure enough, favorite author's last book sort of let me down, but I got over it. :-)
Books that are hyped by the world usually disappoint me. For instance, The Secret: Just another woo-woo drivel that I unfortunately bought in audio and the author's voice was fingernails over a blackboard. Another one: Eat, Live, Pray. Nothing against the author's success, but I just didn't get the hype over a person's divorce upheaval. I'm sure it had a point, it was just lost on me.
And I steer clear of certain genres because of their covers. I look at them and say to myself, "Self, are they kidding me?" Maybe the inside is good, but the outside keeps me from finding out.
I agree with what you said in the comments, Erica, first paragraphs are big with me. I didn't realize it until I started writing, but I like for a first paragraph of a book to give me a taste of the theme and what's to come. Not just an introduction to setting and character.
Most of the books I pick up now are based on strong recommendations. So sometimes I pick up books without knowing anything about content--with very little expectation. Just that the book was well received.
But I think that if you grow as a writer, it means that you'll try new things, and some fans might be put off.
Erica, three words, colored duct tape. The green duct tape with matching red ribbon duct tape makes a lovely, almost dynamite proof package.
You can use scissors to cut small strips to form the streamers.
Once wrapped, you get to enjoy hours of watching your kids opening their gifts. There is plenty of time for photos, or even a piece of cake with ice cream.
Not that I have tried this before.
My grandmother's presents were always the most fun to unwrap. Lots of bows and ribbons tied all around the box so you really had to fight to get it open. Now she does a lot of gift bags. :P
I'll be curious to hear what Spy has to say, as she just had an issue with cover last night. Personally, I'm like Amy. As someone who worked in advertising I know I should know better, but I still judge them by the covers. I'm disappointed in myself.
One of my fears if I ever get a publishing deal will be that I HATE the cover. I keep hoping that since I'm a designer I'll have some input, but I'm not expecting it.
Kath:
Hype books often disappoint me. One big name author who NEVER disappoints me is Lisa See. Love her books!
Heather:
I agree. It's a tricky line to walk as an author when you want to try new things.
E
Allen:
I sense a "cake" theme in your comments. Wasn't yesterday your chocolate cake dispenser comment? You, my friend, have a cake obsession. :-)
E
Melanie:
I have been lucky. I have had a a few I was ga-ga over--Mafia Chic, Invisible Girl, Spanish Disco, Poker Diaries, Knockout, Magickeepers. I have had a few I was mostly happy with--Double Down, High Heels in Heaven. And only a smattering that I hated. Unfortunately, the ONE book with a cover I detested was my favorite--The Roofer. And my editor left the publishing house mid-way through the publication process and I was largely orphaned.
E
I was terrified I'd hate my cover, but I got very lucky.
As for yesterday's frisky discussion that I slept through, Jude said
To me, it doesn't matter how great the symphony is if the orchestra's out of tune.
I feel the same way. The industry (no doubt driven by readers) seems to emphasize story structure over language.
Great to see you awake and joining the discussion, Steve.
Stephen:
I think writers can lose sight of the storytelling . . . makes it hard for us to just "enjoy" a book sometimes. Which is weird, in some ways, because I LOVE arthouse films, but I can enjoy a popcorn flick.
Yeah, I think expectations can be killers, frankly, whether it's the hype from the media, reviewers, or the ridiculous language marketing folks use to describe damn near everything (and not just books; now every TV show, movie, and piece of music, and, God forbid, sporting event, is described as if it's going to be world-changing. Sports media are the worst). I try to keep my expectations realistic.
Books that, to me, didn't deserve the hype? Dan Brown's books. I like them when I thought I was picking up a page-turning thriller. Otherwise, nope, no world-changing thinking there. The Bridges of Madison County? Er, no. Tuesdays With Morrie? Eh, things we all know retold and repackaged, thanks for the reminder, but...
Books that, to my mind, lived up to the hype? All the Harry Potter novels. All the Rick Riordan Percy Jackson novels. Joe Hill's "Heart-Shaped Box" (And yes, it surprised the hell out of me that it lived up to the hyped).. I imagine there are a few others and a lot more that fit into the first category.
Stephen,
Although I think the publishing industry IS focused on storytelling over the beauty and grace of the written word, I believe the reason for that is that's what the reading public wants. I don't think the majority of casual readers (and even many serious readers) either recognize good writing or respond to it. And my confession is that although I can recognize it, I don't always respond to it.
Oh, and Jude:
I can live with the first 2 sentences, no particular problem. But...
Grabbing the gilded frame, the seventy-six-year-old man heaved the masterpiece toward himself until it tore from the wall and Sauniere collapsed backward in a heap beneath the canvas.
I have problems with heaving things toward yourself, I have problems with "heaved the masterpiece toward himself until it tore from the wall"... which is a "huh? moment" for me because the "heaving" to me suggests motion, so I think it would have to have torn from the wall before it could be heaved. I'm not a fan of "heaved" and "heap" in the same sentence, although it's possibly intentional (I doubt it).
Yeah, it's crappy technique. Alternately, what I do like about the paragraph is how much information he crams into only a couple sentence, the urgency (say what you will about his verb choices, they are active verbs), it's in media res (in the middle of things) and despite the clunky prose makes you wonder what the hell's going on.
Oh. gawd. Do not get me started on covers. Sore spot at the moment, as, oh god, my one pub designs the most AWFUL covers. I wish I'd just sold her serial rights and that's it, because she does nothing but pick a stock photo and slap a terrible font on it. But I get about two-four times as many royalties from her as from the one who hires a real designer.
I don't know. I'm annoyed all over again. The next three are my most popular series, and I'm not real crazy about the whole shit-cover idea. Maybe I should send you the file. It makes me feel better to make fun of it and laugh at it.
RE: DaVinci excerpt. I loved it. Does that make me some sort of stupid person because I enjoyed the book and the writing?
When I see a new book by an author I have read I have expectations. Like Heather, I usually check out the first paragraph. Then I might open to a random page and read a sentence or two.
I read a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction. When I open an Ivan Doig novel what I expect is very different than what I would get from Dan Brown.
Mark:
I know of a few times when editor friends have said agents "oversold" expectations. Agent have to be excited and passionate about a project, but when you oversell . . . it's tricky. Same as back cover copy and so on.
E
Natasha:
:-( It's hard when you don't have control over the look. I am usually listened to, at least somewhat or even quite a bit. But when I'm not, it's frustrating.
E
Kath:
Not at all. It points to my whole thing that in the end, storytelling is what sells . . . . and you can do prose and not storytelling and never make a sale, and you can do storytelling first-rate with meh prose and for sure make a sale.
E
Shame on me for breaking my own rule and publicly bashing another author. Don't know what came over me. Won't happen again.
Erica, thanks for being one of the few writers who hasn't boiled the fun out of reading and writing. I'm already at the point where I'm quitting one, but since I admire a plethora of authors, reading remains my number one source of ENTERTAINMENT. ;-)
Jude:
Thank you for that. I think it's rude to rewrite another author's work, famous or not.
Paul:
The majority of my reading is nonfiction, and I am pretty good, also, at adjusting my expectations depending on what I have in my hands.
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