Most Valued Novel Components? (and…Contest News!)
Giveaway “Contest” Update: Lots of great suggestions from the other day. Thanks to all. Further, in a surprise to me, the contest has begun! So much so, we’ve already had two winners—with more to come.
I’ll list winners at the beginning of each post, and probably create a page (link above in menu bar) or sidebar widget for them, as well.
The two winners are:
- Jane Kennedy Sutton of Jane’s Ride, and,
- Eric Stallworth, of Working My Muse. Eric, please email your address.
Jane wins because, in another life, she lived in Korea! Cool. Eric wins because he’s a hardworking, diligent blogger who is one of life’s honest to goodness nice guys. I recommended their blogs for regular visits.
Both these folks will receive a copy of Hearts of the Morning Calm by the end of March/first week in April. All I ask is they mention the “win” in some future post and link that mention here so others can win as well. That’s it.
More winners to come…I have a feeling, one of them will be YOU!
Now, to today’s scintillating content…
The components of a novel that readers care about most are, in order: story, characters, theme, atmosphere/setting.
I found that sentence in this article written by, Laura Miller. She notes that if you start at the beginning of the list, and eliminate each factor one-by-one, you’ll still have a readable, interesting book–until you reach a certain point in the novel. This point is different for each manuscript. At that point, the book, as an entity, will no longer capture or hold a reader’s interest.
This sounds reasonable. I’m wondering, however, as you write and create your fictional world, populate it with characters, and put them into motion, is the:
- Story,
- Characters,
- Theme,
- Atmosphere/Setting…
order how you’re thinking? Is it how you conceptualize your novel ideas? Are all elements present when you put metaphoric pen to digital paper? Is it how you strive to write, once you’ve outlined? If you don’t outline, how do you address these elements? Do they, like the final product, just sorta happen?
I’d be interested to hear your take on Laura’s assertions and if you think it’s valid, or at least valid for you.
By way of Props to Laura…
About Laura Miller
Laura Miller is a senior writer at Salon.com, which she helped to co-found in 1995. She is a frequent contributor to the New York Times Book Review, where she wrote the Last Word column for two years. Her work has appeared in the New Yorker, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal and many other publications. She is the author of "The Magician’s Book: A Skeptic’s Adventures in Narnia" (Little, Brown, 2008) and the editor of "The Salon.com Reader’s Guide to Contemporary Authors" (Penguin, 2000). She lives in New York.
Twitter: @magiciansbook
Email: lauram@salon.com
Author site: lauramiller.org
Thanks for stopping by, see you again on, Fun Friday. Galen.
Themocracy
Guess I’m an oddball, because I create the characters first, storyline second.
Agree with LDW – characters first, story second (or sometimes not at all).
I don’t think I think about it that much…I probably follow more the structure for cozy mysteries, specifically. But those elements are all in there, for sure.
Congrats to the winners!
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
I saw this article, too. I think I’d agree with L. Diane and M.J., characters are darn important. I’d at least put them in a “tie” with story.
I’d probably say characters first as well, although like Elizabeth, I don’t really think about all those things.
(PS – are you giving away eBook versions, too?)
Woohoo, I won (doin happy dance, doin happy dance)!!
Seriously though, a book has to have a story first and foremost for me. So I agree with this as being the first in the list. If the story fails, not even good characters can make me decide to keep reading. Wow, am I pushy, huh?
Thanks Galen, for making me a winner. I’ll send you my address right now
Theme? I’m supposed to have a theme? *scratches head* I must have been gone that day.
Seriously though, setting, or rather set-UP is usually what occurs to me first, but I can’t write ANYTHING until I get a feel for a few characters… I write several scenes with just that, then have to let it stew (for years even, though more often months) until a fitting story sort of works its way into my conciousness…
Thank you, Galen. I never would have dreamed that I could win a contest so easily! I am so psyched that I am going to buy a lottery ticket today in hopes my streak continues.
I think characters are more important to me than the story. I don’t seem to have the knack of outlining so I guess I’m one of those people where the elements just sort of happen – after much revising and editing.
Story and characters go hand-in-hand for it work. In my opinion. You can’t just have things happen out of the blue to a cardboard Joe Smith without reactions from him. Nor can you have character sketches of Austin Cody and Mathilda Broomthistle without them actually becoming involved in a story. I agree they’re more important than theme and setting. Especially in a genre story.
Interesting and valuable post. I took some notes. And kudos to the winners!
The Old Silly
I’m like L.Diane, I do characters first.