Blog for Bristol Services Intl.

QUESTION: A client wrote to me after receiving his critique on his fantasy manuscript and asked, in part:

“My book unravels lots of tiny mysteries. There are many, many things in my story like the (special weapon) and this (mysterious) character. Perhaps my book is too complex?”

ANSWER: Fiction, especially fantasy, is often complex. There are layers of symbolism and clues and both inner and outer conflicts and any number of complexities in everything from physical details to the emotional impact of a story. Suspense stories and mystery stories also often have involved clues and lots of potential culprits afoot.

However, any story–fantasy, mystery or any other genre–if needlessly complex will be hard to sell and it will lose readers. The key is this: is the complexity needed or not? Take any specific detail you have created, like a minor character, a secret code or maybe that special weapon. What purpose does it serve?

Extra Characters: Does the minor character maybe offer a bit of comic relief to what had become an intense tone? Good. But does that character serve another purpose too? Is he an ally for the main character, who offers some insight along the way? Or who causes the main character to change directions or take some needed action? All the better. Does this same minor character link the hero up with yet another, maybe main, character? Great!

Added Objects: How about that secret code or special weapon: does it prove out a theory the main character had been already considering? Does it lead to a lesson learned? Or maybe it is a trigger to gain a needed insight? In other words, does it fit either a real need in the plot or in the character development … or does is it just inserted without a required and significant relationship to either plot of character? If it fits BOTH plot and character in some way, it is a strong element. If it fits only one, it may be useful, but take a look at other objects and facts in the story. Maybe another one will fit this same purpose as well, is already in place, and benefits both plot and character development.

Use your details–whether they be minor characters or fascinating objects–to fill several roles and then the complexity they add to the story becomes an important element and worth including. Readers don’t mind complexity–if it fits and adds fullness to a story as a whole.

A question from one of my clients

There’s a question I need to inquire about: Do famous writers such as Steven King and John Grisham when interviewed for their latest book say “My editor has written a portion or filled in the weak places?”

Answer:

Most writing involves getting guidance along the way, whether authors like to admit it or not. Most are gracious enough to say they’ve been assisted here and there. Many authors wonder at what point that guidance needs to be formally acknowledged. For that purpose, authors frequently use the Acknowledgments page in the front of their book to give credit to various people for research, assistance, editing, reviewing, etc. and often an agent, editor and publisher (among others) are listed there. At book signings and in interviews I’ve also heard credit being given for all sorts of guidance that was offered in the writing/publishing process. But that acknowledgment does not make the book any less the author’s work. It is like anything else we accomplish in life: the effort and result is our own but there are always other people who have helped along the way. It is gracious to mention that, but not obligatory.

COLLABORATION: As for actually stating that a portion was written by someone else, that is only necessary if you and that other person had intended to write something “together,” such as a collaboration. Which is a touchy and tricky partnership at best and worthy of a separate blog altogether.

GHOSTWRITER: If you hire a ghostwriter–someone who takes your ideas and does the writing for you–most often that ghostwriter will not be given direct credit for the writing.  You paid for the service which usually means you paid to have your name on it as the writer (hence the “ghost” writer is invisible). This should all be determined in writing before you contract with a ghostwriter.

OTHERS: But if any other professional–editor, publisher, agent–is helping you along in your manuscript, then a simple mention of gratitude for their help is appreciated, but not required.  For instance, with me, I am paid by clients such as yourself to provide suggestions and editing, and whatever I write as suggested changes in your manuscript are for your full use. I have no claims to it. As I state in the first letter I write to every client: “I hope my suggestions help point out ways you can strengthen the story to your own liking. The sentences I have included as suggestions are simply some ideas—you are free to use them, rewrite them as you wish, or discard them.”

The bottomline? Making a decision on what to use or to discard of the multitude of suggestions from friends, family and professionals alike, is as awesome a task and as creatively challenging as the writing itself at times. The final decisions are yours–and, unless you have a contract otherwise, the final form and wording of the manuscript is yours. But, hey, it is nice to give–and get–a simple “thank you.”