If You Don't Play, You Can't Win
I recently received a letter from a reader about my novel, THE RAVEN'S POOL. It said, "I finished your book at 1:15 am. . . . What an emotional read - a disturbing read - a fascinating read. So many levels, I can't stop thinking about it. . . .You are a great storyteller. . . . Thank you for an amazing book." (Pam McColgan)
The ultimate reward for any writer is having a fan.
Many aspiring writers believe the exact opposite of this article's title- that if they don't WIN, they CAN'T play. They don't want to suffer the humiliation of being rejected by a publisher, a contest judge or a writing instructor. Or God forbid, a casual reader. They believe that criticism means that they aren't good enough. If Jacqueline Susann had let the biting comments of Truman Capote or Gore Vidal (both of whom said to her face that she couldn't write) stop her, her novels wouldn't be the cult classics they are today. If I had let the death of my agent, Joanne Kellock, keep me from publishing, I wouldn't have this letter.
What does it take to be a successful author? Bestselling sensation Ken Follett says there are three qualities a storyteller needs: 1) imagination, 2) literacy, and 3) stubbornness. I would add a fourth. Guts. You have to be brave, daring in your writing. You must drop your inhibitions, that little voice, that invisible person standing over your shoulder, shaking her finger at you, that makes you reign in your writing, modify it, soften it, deflate it, even kill it. What you write about might conflict with your morals, your values, your ethics. But remember these are characters, story people. They are not you or a reflection of your goodness or badness.
Lolly Winston hit the big time in 2004. At age 42, her debut novel GOOD GRIEF published by Warner Books, turned the chick-lit phenomenon on its head. It made the New York Times bestseller list the week of its release. The Washington Post said, "Winston doesn't shy away from the pain of mourning, but she reminds us that we can still be funny, sarcastic, aware and smart, even when we're brokenhearted."
Note the definitive words in this statement are, 'doesn't SHY away'.
Drama is essential to a good story. Drama grabs the reader and holds him through to the last page of the book. Melodrama, however, can destroy the suspense of the plot if the action is too over the top, too sensational, too violent, too romantic, too emotional throughout. Drama works best with contrast. Level storytelling that leads to several exciting high points. If every scene is overly dramatic, then the entire story becomes homogenous and the writer ends up feeling nothing- except, perhaps, contempt for the writer. This is where the risk-taking comes in. Many writers, especially new writers, present their characters and situations in too commonplace a manner. And that is boring. If you want to be a published fiction writer, remember Rule Number One. 'Thou shalt not bore'.
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