Formula to a successful story

[i_would]

Some computer scientists have revealed what they think to be the key to writing a best seller.

http://www.insidescience.org/content/computer-algorithm-seeks-crack-code-fiction-bestsellers/1530

Their algorithm had as much as an 84 percent accuracy rate when applied to already published manuscripts in Project Gutenberg and other sources. Among their findings was that more successful books relied on verbs describing thought processes rather than actions and emotions.

However, some disagree with the findings. Author Ron Hansen said style is not the key, but instead readers' interest in the topics in the book.

Of course they'll have considered non-erotic stuff only. What do you erotica authors think? Does this ring true to you?

 

[StrangeLife]

I do not believe that style or technique has anything to do with the success of a book. It's all about whether or not the subject coincides with the current zeitgeist or trend, and of course whether this fact is recognized by anybody.

J. K. Rowling is a technically skilled writer and so is Stephen King and both have achieved success. But so have Stephenie Meyer and E. L. James and they both write like pre-schoolers.

Correlation does not automatically equal causation...

 

[SamScribble]

What StrangeLife said.

 

[sr71plt]

The formula to a successful story is to have a publisher promote it as a best-seller from before it gets published.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Some computer scientists have revealed what they think to be the key to writing a best seller.

http://www.insidescience.org/content/computer-algorithm-seeks-crack-code-fiction-bestsellers/1530

Their algorithm had as much as an 84 percent accuracy rate when applied to already published manuscripts in Project Gutenberg and other sources. Among their findings was that more successful books relied on verbs describing thought processes rather than actions and emotions.

However, some disagree with the findings. Author Ron Hansen said style is not the key, but instead readers' interest in the topics in the book.

Of course they'll have considered non-erotic stuff only. What do you erotica authors think? Does this ring true to you?

Note that "as much as"...

Looking at the paper, they tried 15 variations on the algorithm against 8 different genres, so a total of 120 different trials. Of those 120 trials, the best result had an 84% success rate but the worst was only 51%. All in all it's better than tossing a coin, but not blindingly better.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I'm reading 5 books by 5 different authors. All of the authors are well known within their respective categories. Of the 5 an obscure history book by Joel Chandler Harris is the pick of the litter. A collection of short stories by Talmage Powell is #2 (they were sold to Alfred Hitchcock). A novel by David Goodis is #3. A novel by Jonathan Latimer is #4. And a novel by Nelson Algren is #5.

Joel Chandler Harris is easy to read, his lessons are easy to absorb, and he makes his case simply. Ditto Talmage Powell. Algren is almost incoherent. Algren's effort begs the story.

The other night, at supper, the cap blew off a bottle of Coke, with a loud bang. It was startling but the noise isn't the story. Harris writes of how Eli Witt was fucked out of the money his cotton gin created. That's the story. Another story involves how the federal government fucks the states; THE FEDS FUCK THE STATES, AND HERES HOW THEY DO IT. Talmage does the same with his stories: a woman wants to secure her fathers wealth but he hates her husband, so how does she get her daddys blessing? A murderer is acquitted tho plenty of people and a cop saw him kill the victim, what the fuck! Goodis writes like Victor Hugo; its not clear how things can turn around but you know they will because the story is obvious, and something better happen or the hero is screwed.

 

[lovecraft68]

EL James found the formula that truly sells

Take a previous best seller and change it just enough to claims its yours.

Incorporate every single romance/fiction cliche you can think of stressing the "broken bad boy" and ending it with him falling madly in love with a helpless bubble brained woman for an HEA. Oh, and throw in some bondage so the herd can preten they are reading something edgy to feel cool.

People want to read the same damn thing every single time out. Originality these days is a curse. Writing/music/movies even comic books everything is been there done that now lets do it again and again.

Want a successful book? read recently popular ones and rip them off.

We are living in the age of the herd.

 

[StrangeLife]

Amen to everything Lovecraft just wrote.

 

[PennLady]

Slate.com posted this article about why movies are so much the same. It's not an algorithm, but it's a guide. And unfortunately one that many seem to follow.

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/...snyder_s_screenwriting_book_save_the_cat.html

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

EL James found the formula that truly sells

Take a previous best seller and change it just enough to claims its yours.

Incorporate every single romance/fiction cliche you can think of stressing the "broken bad boy" and ending it with him falling madly in love with a helpless bubble brained woman for an HEA. Oh, and throw in some bondage so the herd can preten they are reading something edgy to feel cool.

People want to read the same damn thing every single time out. Originality these days is a curse. Writing/music/movies even comic books everything is been there done that now lets do it again and again.

Want a successful book? read recently popular ones and rip them off.

We are living in the age of the herd.

Sure. But almost every endeavor comforms to a specific style, until a new mouse trap comes along to capture the public.

 

[A_Little_Show]

[deleted]

 

[sr71plt]

Perhaps the "formula" is to define "success" as what pleases you, the writer, to have written. That saves you a lot of agonizing and frees you to go on to writing the next story, enabling you as you gain more experience and confidence to change your definition, if you like, to writing something that demonstrably pleases whatever set of readers you'd like to define and redefine. The "formula" could be about a process rather than an event.

 

[Catharyn]

EL James found the formula that truly sells

Take a previous best seller and change it just enough to claims its yours.

Incorporate every single romance/fiction cliche you can think of stressing the "broken bad boy" and ending it with him falling madly in love with a helpless bubble brained woman for an HEA. Oh, and throw in some bondage so the herd can preten they are reading something edgy to feel cool.

People want to read the same damn thing every single time out. Originality these days is a curse. Writing/music/movies even comic books everything is been there done that now lets do it again and again.

Want a successful book? read recently popular ones and rip them off.

We are living in the age of the herd.

Agree wholeheartedly.

 

[sr71plt]

I think there's some truth to that sour grapes response to the question, but, if you choose to define success in big gobs of money received, you'll also see the big success going to those who start new (or restart old) trends--John Grisham for the lawyer thrillers, Tom Clancy for the techno espionage thrillers, Jan Karon for the feel-good minister stories.

As with most everything, there's more than one avenue being worked. It isn't just the "why her?; I'm way better than her" sour grapes explanation--which gets whiny and irritating pretty fast even though there are those who are obsessed with it and just can't let it go.

 

[Catharyn]

I think there's some truth to that sour grapes response to the question, but, if you choose to define success in big gobs of money received, you'll also see the big success going to those who start new (or restart old) trends--John Grisham for the lawyer thrillers, Tom Clancy for the techno espionage thrillers, Jan Karon for the feel-good minister stories.

As with most everything, there's more than one avenue being worked. It isn't just the "why her?; I'm way better than her" sour grapes explanation--which gets whiny and irritating pretty fast even though there are those who are obsessed with it and just can't let it go.

I don't sense sour grapes in any responses here. Any writer worth their salt is gonna be happy for the success of another. And formula is formula; we all use it, whether consciously or not.

I think the point with Miss James' work lies in the embarrassment of what passed as writing, composition. IMO she had a pretty interesting plot line, really, but her writing embarrassed me to read it. Therein lies the mystery to me of its wild success.

But to begrudge her of her gain? Never. Whether I enjoyed her work or not, she put forth effort and it paid off for her, big time. Just not my cuppa.

 

[sr71plt]

I don't sense sour grapes in any responses here.

Then you haven't been here very long (or read too deeply, me thinks).

 

[Bramblethorn]

It's a very good article, and [spoiler alert] the article itself follows the formula.

One issue described is the prevalence of young (adolescent) male protagonists —since that’s who shows up at the multiplex the most. Women are relegated to the B-Plot as love interests or "helpers".

Where is Wonder Woman?

Good news: she's finally appearing on the big screen.

Bad news: it's the Lego movie.

(I would pay good money to see a faithful adaptation of '40s WW, but it'd never get through the MPAA.)

 

[patientlee]

Good news: she's finally appearing on the big screen.

Bad news: it's the Lego movie.

I had a similar thought when I saw the Lego movie preview. She finally comes back to kick some ass, but she's made of plastic rectangles.

 

[PennLady]

I had a similar thought when I saw the Lego movie preview. She finally comes back to kick some ass, but she's made of plastic rectangles.

I want Joss Whedon to write a WW movie (as he was apparently supposed to do some time ago but the project is all messed up, if not dead, from what I understand) and Kathryn Bigelow to direct. I'd watch that.

 

[A_Little_Show]

[deleted]

 

[StrangeLife]

Slate.com posted this article about why movies are so much the same. It's not an algorithm, but it's a guide. And unfortunately one that many seem to follow.

Movies are very different compared to books. A movie production is like a major construction project - like building a bridge or something. Millions of $$$ are hanging in the balance and they have teams of specialists evaluating the potential demographics and markets in order to maximize the return of the investment. If there's a choice between revenue and artistic integrity the latter goes out the window.

So you can actually write down a formula for success when it comes to movies.

 

[PennLady]

Movies are very different compared to books. A movie production is like a major construction project - like building a bridge or something. Millions of $$$ are hanging in the balance and they have teams of specialists evaluating the potential demographics and markets in order to maximize the return of the investment. If there's a choice between revenue and artistic integrity the latter goes out the window.

So you can actually write down a formula for success when it comes to movies.

I know, it's just a sad commentary on a few levels.

 

[jezzaz]

Have you guys not heard of the Heroes Journey?

If not, go look it up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroes_journey

This is the template that screen writing follows in Hollywood for anything with a more than $10m budget. It literally is (having been there and done it).

It's quite quite depressing, to be honest.

 

[StrangeLife]

Have you guys not heard of the Heroes Journey?

If not, go look it up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroes_journey

This is the template that screen writing follows in Hollywood for anything with a more than $10m budget. It literally is (having been there and done it).

It's quite quite depressing, to be honest.

Yeah - take that and add the Wilhelm Scream and you have all you need for a Hollywood production.

I agree - it's depressing when art becomes formula.

 

[TxRad]

Yeah - take that and add the Wilhelm Scream and you have all you need for a Hollywood production.

I agree - it's depressing when art becomes formula.

In that case, I guess the best way is to write what you want, find a good publishing house that will hype it right, and hope for the best.