A Writer's Tale

On High Concepts

HIGH CONCEPTS FOR NOVELS ARE HIGHLY OVERRATED.

But what are they?

A high concept is a brilliant, earth shaking story gimmick that’ll guarantee you a huge advance from your publisher, big publicity, a sure bestseller, and the sale of film rights to a major studio.

A lot of writers beat their brains out looking for a high concept. I’ve done it myself.

Generally, this results in little more than sore brains.

I know of writers who “test” ideas. They’ll try out their concepts on friends, fellow writers, their agents or their editors, asking basically, “What about this one? Is this a high concept (alternately known as a ‘breakout idea’) or should I keep on looking?”

Some agents and editors might even request a selection of concepts from you, so they can have the pleasure of picking out the topic for your next book.

(If they do, you’re in trouble.)

Now, I’m not a-gonna say there’s no point in looking for high concepts.

They can’t hurt.

You’re certainly better off writing a novel with a terrific gimmick than one that has a mediocre gimmick or no gimmick at all. That stands to reason.

But a high concept is no guarantee of success.

A lot will depend on how well and in what directions you develop the concept. If you take it in a direction that your editor doesn’t appreciate, you’re sunk.

If you are serious about taking the “high concept” route, you really need to second-guess your editor and try to figure out how he would like see it developed. Try to read your editor’s mind. Ask questions. Write the book to order.

If you do that, of course, you are a hack.

If you’re going to be any good, you need to do it your way and take your chances that other people (including an editor) will appreciate what you’ve done with your story.

I’ve written several novels that, at least in my opinion, have high concepts. The Stake, Savage, Quake and Body Rides, for instance. In my opinion, if treated properly by publishers, every one of them had the potential to be a bestseller. They pretty much did live up to my hopes for them in the U.K., but not here in the U.S.

Why did none of them become bestsellers here in the States?

Because the publishers decided, for whatever reasons, that they wouldn’t be.

The decision is based on a lot of factors, such as your “track record” and the publisher’s notion of what sells.”

It has nothing whatsoever to do with the intrinsic value of a book.

Realize that.

Know it in your heart.

Know that book publishing is almost entirely a self-fulfilling prophecy on the part of the publisher. A book cannot be a major seller, or even a decent contender, unless the publisher decides that it will be. And the decision is made early.

It is usually made before the publisher has even offered you a contract.

See how much they offer you, and you’ll immediately know whether they’ll be putting any effort into selling your book and whether they plan to print up more than a bare minimum number of copies.

Since publishers are always on the lookout for a “high concept” novel, you might hit a homerun by giving them one.

Provided you’re lucky or cunning enough to write it the way they think is appropriate.

And provided you have no mediocre track record that’ll warn them off.

My advice, however, is to avoid treasure hunting for a high concept.

Instead of trying to come up with the greatest gimmick in the history of the world, just go for a story that you’d like to read. In other words, write something that is close to your own experiences. And write it truly.

You can never go wrong that way.

And you won’t have to worry about someone else beating you to the punch. Because if you do it right, you’re writing a book that nobody can write but you.

You are the high concept.