Why Should They Care?

Workshop for Writers of Memoir and Fiction

Find previous posts in the Memoir Miniseries here and here.

==

You’re writing a book! But why should anyone (not related to you) read it? Does the book mean anything to other people? Would readers hate it, or—worse yet—get bored?

We have a name for books which are meaningful only to the writer: we call them diaries.

You don’t invest money to professionally publish your diary.

I’ve seen more than my share of manuscripts that seem to have forgotten their reason for existence. They drag; they wander; they’re…boring. Sometimes even for their own authors. As one of my clients has said, sending me material, “This seems to be lacking a certain ‘oomph’.” Lack of “oomph” means your book is on track to put us to sleep. This symptom requires immediate investigation to save the patient.

“Why should they care?” is at the heart of all the developmental and structural work I do with clients. More than anything else, answering this question can propel writers through the hard work of the first draft—the messy middle in particular. Because when you look at your work through this lens, all sorts of niggly details become clear.

Why workshop your book (or book idea)

Unfortunately, I’ve learned that asking this question in the abstract doesn’t get a writer very far. What moves writers forward is applying this question specifically to their own work.

To that end, I’ll be leading a one-time workshop in collaboration with My Word Publishing (click the link for location, payment, and other details) on Saturday, April 13, 2019 from 9 – 11 AM MST. Our special emphasis this time around is for writers of memoir and fiction; however, the workshop benefits writers of all genres. (Stay tuned for a possible nonfiction workshop later this year, if you’d rather not hobnob with the strange creatures from another part of the bookstore.) If you’ve hesitated to do this work one-on-one with a coach or an editor, or if you prefer to have a writing community to bounce ideas off of, this workshop is for you.

This is your chance to discover whether your manuscript is working, and what to do about it if not. We’ll cover:

• Audience
• Pacing
• Tension
• Goals, Obstacles, and Stakes

We’ll also tackle my favorite targets, the Soporific Sidebar, Bombastic Backstory, and Dreary Dialogue—and why these guys are killing your book’s momentum.

This will be a hands-on workshop; I’m not going to be talking at everyone for two hours. As I said, we need to get specific in order to help you. The workshop will also give those so inclined the opportunity to receive feedback from the group. You’ll leave with concrete ideas to improve your writing and get your book back on course.

Writers don’t write boring books on purpose. Boring books happen because writers forgot to think about readers that don’t live in their own heads. Don’t let this book happen to you!

Bottom Line

If you can’t attend the workshop this time, for whatever reason, set aside time to consider carefully the question we’ll be asking on that day. Why should they (your potential readers) care?

It looks simple, but don’t be fooled. You need to ask yourself this every time you sit down to write the next chapter.

Don’t let boring happen to your book.
== ==

Are you having a hard time diagnosing your book’s lack of “oomph”? Not sure how to get your reader to care, and ready for a one-on-one session? A structure brainstorm might be in order.

Subscribe to the monthly newsletter & receive instant access to How to Find an Editor: a Resource for Independent and Self-Publishing Writers, plus all blogs delivered straight to your inbox, plus any upcoming local events and indie publishing tidbits I share.