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WRITING A BLOCKBUSTING, BILLION-DOLLAR BOOK.
(If you seek to be a rich writer read this
introduction carefully to the very end)
Would you like to write a blockbuster that goes to the top of the US and UK and global English-language bestselling lists; is translated into 17 languages; turned into a Hollywood bulti-million dollar success -and turns out to be a film too mediocre to rival your book?
Such success for your pen is not nearly as difficult as you might suppose.
When I was young I watched closely several authors doing it, and decided it was actually quite easy. . . given a little luck and a publisher less obtuse than the average.
Three protagonists who come to mind are Nicholas Monseratt who was a young British embassy official in Pretoria when I bumped into him at some of the many parties he attended in the good old days before Apartheid became infamous. He wrote a truly powerful war book entitled The Cruel Sea which was a real blockbuster as described above. It broke new ground in several ways including a dribble of explicit sex, and exposure of feeling behind the essential British stiff upper lip in wartime. It was powerful stuff, following no precedent - which possibly accounts for the fact that nothing he wrote afterwards came anywhere near it.
The other two I have already mentioned in this Webspace {See "Bestsellers"). The one is a fellow called Smith, who sold probably more "blockbusters" than any other writer in the world up till the 1980s. Thereafter his ambitions and his literary craft improved until he almost left the bestselling business behind.
The other is Geoffrey Jenkins who also burst onto the world bestseller lists at that time. He wrote A Twist of Sand and several other gritty thrillers before taking the unusual and very wise step of retiring from the trade, marrying Eve Palmer who became a genuine top writer whose Plains of the Camdaboo is already, in terms of book shelf-life, semi-immortal. And Geoff found a much happier life than writing bestsellers.
However, if you'd like to write one and become temporarily world famous, here is my advice:
The secret lies in three simple steps.
First step is i) to study the blockbusters that have gone before; ii) define their formula, and use it.
Second step has three elements: i) stay focused ii) aim high, reaching almost for the incredible in your story iii) keep it simple
Third step has four elements: i) sell hard your first-draft to a hard-sell agent ii) write three more quick bestsellers iii) retire with grace to your yacht and live happily for ever after with your beautiful wife (whose name is not Grace) iv) Don't look back, and never write anything ever again.
Personally, I did not take this easy route to riches, for three reasons: i) I don't read novels. ii) I don't understand formulae iii) I don't do figures - and will be surprised if those steps above actually add up iv) My approach to writing a blockbuster had one weakness. It was wrong.
However, I did read the advice of a hugely successful publishers' agent who acted for Ken Follett and other big bestselling authors-? and it is this expert advice I wish to pass on to you.
Regrettably, I cannot remember the name of the author or his publisher, but I did trace the name of his book which is Writing a Blockbuster Novel.
Many years ago I borrowed the book, analysed and reviewed it. I recently discovered some of my notes, and now offer these guidelines. By circulating the advice, four interests benefit.
i) You can trace the book, learn from it and make your own judgements
ii) I can drop the subject, forever
iii) No Writers? Circle ever has to go through the process with me again.
iv) There's no iv), but I need to make up the numbers.
I must emphasise that I disagree with a great deal of the advice you're about to read. But what do I know? I haven't written a blockbuster, and I prefer Conrad and Jane Austin to almost all the names on the bestselling paperbacks of 21st century.
So don't mind me; go for it. |
