There’s a publishing company that uses algorithms to
calculate the number of elements and probability of success for book
manuscripts. Now as a capitalist my support is strong for ethical endeavors
that up the odds and accelerate the speed of generating profit. And winning
recipes and formulae have been applied in literature composition for millennia.
The Iliad and The Odyssey rely on the repetition of visual cues
and cycles of conflicts, journeys, and returns to keep listeners (originally)
and readers engaged.
Other storytelling templates and tropes endure: the
three-act structure; the poor, innocent ingénue and the wealthy, jaded older
man; star-crossed lovers; the love triangle; the mistaken identity and many
other popular storylines. But how can a mathematical formula calculate the
unquantifiable x-factor that makes Room by Emma Donoghue an
international bestseller adapted into a critically acclaimed and commercially
successful movie when other novels about traumatized, yet triumphant young mothers and children
fail to thrive in the marketplace?
A formula that dissects word counts between story elements
and eye blinks per certain phrases may chart patterns of similarities among
bestsellers; it also establishes predictability when universally applied. Some
predictability in fiction is expected and appreciated by readers—like a
happily-ever-after ending from conventional romance authors. At the same time,
surprising twists and turns along the way to that HEA earn praise. Just read
reviews for Beverley Jenkins, Sherry Thomas, and Linda Howard.
An author’s variations and improvisations on established
themes in new contexts and from different viewpoints combine to distinguish the
traits of a unique voice clearly identifiable among the cacophony of hacks,
copycats, imitators, and posers. Adele’s voice is clearly distinguished from
Denyce Graves’s voice, which is distinctly different from Renee Fleming’s; all
sound heavenly.
Development of a writer’s voice shares aspects of the
process for developing a singer’s voice. Power, range, and depth get explored. Personal
experiences shape, guide, and influence. Emotion infuses.
Writers have institutionalized formulae in M.F.A. writing
programs, prestigious literary awards, and literary events. Singers have social
media platforms, competition shows, and radio airplay. Even with these multiple
paths to public exposure for hard-working, talented artists, there are no 100%
guarantees for marketplace success. So using evolving technologies in data
collection and consumer psychology makes sense.
My concern is that over-usage of meta-data in shaping and
evaluating manuscripts will make cranking out soul-less copies of essentially
the same characters, same vocabulary, same conflicts, same resolutions, same
everything else with only superficial variations across content the norm for
publishers who are businesspeople scrambling to profit in this scary new world
of expanded competition among traditional, self-, indie, and hybrid publishing
models.
When every other title has the word “Girl” in it (even
though the main female character is actually a grown woman), and the
descriptors this man, awkward, amazing, something real,
raw, girl parts, emotional walls, and processing
keep appearing with increasing frequency across genres, titles, and authors in
mainstream women’s fiction, they seem like flags warning of a disturbing level
of content homogenization.
Books that deviate from established formulae in surprising
ways through clever imagination with respect for readers’ intelligence instead
of flimsy gimmicks or literary stunts earn loyal fans while expanding the marketplace
for content from people who write and for people who read.
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