24 July 2012

B is for Bravery, Brevity, and Brand

If there is anything I'd like to say about the pleasures of reading, the 3 B words: bravery, brevity and brand come to mind. If your work employs these three things while creating content, I will stay tuned! Let's explore each.


Bravery

When a writer is brave enough to throw it all out there, we readers are in awe. It is very difficult to put what's in your head into the public view, even if it is under the safety net of being considered "fiction". If you wrote it, your brain created it. There is the risk family and friends will read it and pass judgment. How do we make fiction feel real if we don’t add a little truth? Therein lies the problem.

We invoke thoughts and feelings from our characters and make their actions as real as any human would be inclined to make during candid moments when nobody should be witness to them. A writer who wants to be honest with her audience would express these things. She must engage on a level which I believe requires a certain amount of bravery.

There are moments a writer must consider the human condition, exposed, and not become inhibited by his fears of judgment from those who may turn out to be his biggest fans, the very people who would uphold his fictional creations against the moralistic standards of his peers.

It is the very reason 50 Shades of Grey is such a hit. It is brave to put your work out there, not knowing if there is an audience who will support it, thrive on it even. I haven't read it, but I will defend it because it worked.


Brevity

Have you ever received an email and wanted to close it right away because it was so long and had very few instances of white space? I have and it’s rather annoying. That’s why it is important to keep things as brief as possible. The last thing you want any reader to do is put down your work because it was just too cumbersome to read.

Tell us what you wish to convey in as few words as possible without having to struggle with long drawn out sentences. Every word I read, which I feel I didn’t need to read, makes me a little grumpy.

Don't tell me her skin was dark brown and she wore blue eye-shadow and her skirt stood out in shades of yellow and orange, and all other colors of the rainbow, in folds of chiffon patterned fabric, while she moved across the dance floor sashaying and twirling like a ballerina.

Just tell me she looked like RuPaul auditioning for the lead in Black Swan.


Brand

But what’s going to keep me coming back? I think for me, it is your brand. I can pick up a book by Stephen King or Dean Koontz or Danielle Steele and right away I know to whom it belongs. That sort of connection is what you want your readers to feel. I want to pick up your work (or visit your blog) and go, “Oh yeah, so-and-so wrote that!”

How does that happen? Consistency is the key. Do you write once per month, once per week, or on a daily basis? Do you provide funny stories with artwork like Super Earthling (sorry, had to plug one of my favorite blogs)?

It is the thing which makes you rise above the many others who do the same ole thing.

So, are you verbose or brief? Are you brave or still concerned about your privacy?



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27 comments:

  1. I was just talking about brand with my agent this afternoon. It can be good and bad. I write mostly YA paranormal/fantasy. When I write outside that genre it can cause a problem for me because it doesn't fit my brand.

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    1. I know exactly what you mean too, Kelly.

      James Scott Bell didn't want to offend his reader base of mostly Christians, because that's basically his target audience, so he created a pen name before starting his adventure with zombie tales. :D

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  2. Great post! And this is great advice! Indeed, many writers fear the 'bravery' part, but if it is done it will make the reading so much better! Take care!

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  3. Diane, I totally agree about the bravery. That's why I wrote about Fiona this week because being fearless is something important in my manuscript.
    "Consistency is the key."

    "It is the thing which makes you rise above the many others who do the same ole thing."

    Isn't consistency the same ole thing? Just wondering.

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    1. Yes! I think once you get the bravery down, you sort of need that consistency until people see a pattern in your presence and voice, enough that they see something which is "connected" and it's something they learn to like because it was brief enough and more meaningful that all the others.

      I'm brave, but I'm not consistent.

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  4. Loved the way you broke this down. I'm struggling with the bravery part. I have my moments when I start deleting words or sentences because I'm afraid they might offend someone. Funny enough, I love authors who's stories don't pull any punches. Thanks for the reminder ;)

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    1. I love stories which cut the edge and make me think! That's what I want my readers to feel, eventually. I want them to feel what I feel when presented with the situation I imagine. It makes me feel real when they respond how I imagine I would respond.

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  5. I try to be brave. I know my work is different. It seems to be working somewhat, but I still tell very few friends about it.

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    1. I love your blog, Tracie! Your sense of humor is something I look forward to each time I notice "Crack You Whip" on my blog reader timeline as having a new entry.

      Coffee in hand...time for some Tracie! LOL

      Sorry if Tracie is not your real name, I just took it off the thousands of comments on your blog, chica!

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  6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  7. I write reviews not books, but these same principals apply. If I see a review that is long, I just skip to the bottom to see the rating. I don't want a synopsis of the story, the author slaved over a blurb for that. I try to keep my reviews short and to the point, unless it is one of my favorites then I will gush shamelessly. Great points you made.

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    1. I've done one or two book reviews which were short, but I sometimes tend to ramble on with the movies. :D

      Thanks for stopping by and your feedback, Sharon! I enjoy your reviews and I don't mind when you gush about the alpha males. lol

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  8. Great post! Can you imagine reading a thriller without brevity? Oh my!

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    1. LOL, that would be like having bad sex. :P

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  9. I worry about my Brand sometimes. Am I without identity because I shoot for variety? No, part of Bravery is to go for it. The Brand is there, it has to be- if you are genuine. Your Three B's are very helpful, Diane.

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    1. Thank you, Lynn, for your feedback. I think bravery comes first. Just the fact we jump out there and are honest, makes us ahead of the pack. :D

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  10. The three B's. I like that. I mostly write short poetry (like haiku) and greeting card copy so brevity is not really a major problem with me. Bravery is. I am reserved about what I write if I think a close friend or family member will get their feelings hurt. I know I need to move past that, and I'm working on it. Brand? I write what I write so hopefully my brand of writing naturally falls into place that way. It may not though so I'll have to pay more attention. Good blog post!

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    1. The best way to go about sharing your writing is to believe nobody cares about what you write. Then write from your heart like you're in a bubble. It's the most gratifying feeling in the world.

      Eventually, someone will interrupt with, "Hey, what did you mean when you wrote..."

      And I'll just respond with, "STFU, I'm busy with my writing."

      It's not really how we are, it's just a defense mechanism so that we can press on and get our stories out without the guilt.

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Poppy. Keep writing!

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  11. Branding is SO important. It's what shows your readers why they should want to read you. This is such an excellent post. I completely agree with your three Bs and want to link back to this in my next post. This one should be in a magazine, Diane. WTG

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    1. You are more than welcome to link back, randi!

      Thanks for your support and I'm happy to share. Post away! lol

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  12. I am verbose and try really, really hard to be brief! I'll often edit my comments - both on blogs and facebook - because I know I'm not always succinct with my point. Kind of like now! Great post, Diane!

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    1. Thank you, Lara! I like your brand and I don't notice your verbosity! I do like to feed your fish when I visit your blog. LOL

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  13. Some really great thoughts here! I totally agree. I worry sometimes about brand, because I don't always write the same genre. I hope the bit of me I put into it is a big enough tie from story to story. :)

    Have a great weekend!

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    1. Wow, thank you, Angela. I read some discussion not long ago about brand and writing different genres. I like to mention that James Scott Bell had a desire to write something totally outside his realm of christian fiction and he wanted to go into zombie mania. He totally kept his brand and started another persona under a pen name. Awesome!

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  14. Another truly fabulous post, Diane (and not just because you mentioned me--LOL)!

    Bravery: I’ve never really fit in. It bothered me when I was younger but with age and experience I’ve learned to embrace, celebrate, and make the most of my eccentricities. It’s made me a far better writer and artist. Being different can be tough at times but trying to please everyone puts a creative person on the fast track to obscurity.

    Brevity: My middle name should be Verbose. I have to edit the hell out of my manuscripts because I just go on and on and...I mean, seriously, Diane, just look at this comment! ;-)

    Brand: I’ve worked hard to develop a distinct brand/style/voice for my art and writing that’s as uniquely “me” as possible. I believe it’s one of the most important things any creative person can do to distinguish their work from that of the masses.

    Thanks so much for your kind words about my blog!

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    1. Susan, I am super stoked that you stopped by! Super Earthling is my hero of today. You are the brave and brand that we need in authors for our future. You know what they say, "What sticks is what you get!"

      You have bravery and brand. Verbosity isn't much a problem after that, because people don't mind spending time with you, because the importance of brevity has been replaced with the concept of entertainment, which isn't a "B" word! lol

      Thanks for commenting on my 3 Bs!

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