Unless you've researched what the common factor is for books on the best seller list, chances are you may not be familiar with the term "high concept fiction."
In general, high concept fiction appeals to a large number of readers and also interests the movie guys from HBO, Disney, Warner Brothers, and other powerhouse film companies.
From wikipedia. Most of it applies to novels.
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The plot of a high concept movie is easily understood by audiences, and can often be described in a sentence or two.
The story line is extremely efficient in that every scene and character is used to drive the plot forward. Often in high concept, characters and scenes that at first seem unnecessary are later used to reveal or explain a plot twist.
High concept movies feature relatively simple characters and a heavy reliance on conventions of cinematic genre.
Stylistically, high concept movies tend to be high-tech, crisp, and polished. Such movies also rely on pre-sold properties such as movie stars to build audience anticipation, and use heavy advertising, market research, and test screenings to ensure maximum popularity.
This brings me to the point of tonight's post.
When I began Book #1, I did my best to write a story that I knew I could pour my heart and soul into. In other words, I wrote for myself and no one else.
But being the first time author that I am, I worried if my young adult novel would connect with a mass market audience (my target readers are teens, tweens, librarians, and teachers).
It has taken months of researching and even a few beta reader's constructive criticism to finally convince myself that Book #1 has the potential of being a high concept story.
Whether or not my project finds representation, I guess we will just have to wait and see if an agent believes there is a market for such a story.
In the meantime, please cross your fingers and say lots of prayers!
I wish you all a wonderful night! Tory
