The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, a high concept example.
High concept is something I repeated say I, and other people in the industry, am looking for. But what is it?
My succinct definition is highly unique concept with mass-market appeal. This also relates back to my post last week on agents and editors not knowing what they want until they see it. I, as an agent, do not do the creative portion of the job. The high concept book is one that revels in creativity and that ‘specialness’ that will bring the mass-market together in a way that we as readers didn’t know before. I don’t know I want it because you, the writer, haven’t written it yet. [If you have, send it over ; )]
What are the high concept key ingredients?
- The premise is often bigger than the characters.
- You can easily explain it in an exciting two line pitch.
- The short pitch will raise eyebrows and immediately attract attention.
- High concept isn’t just a ‘big book’, it’s a big book that is based on premise.
- It can be controversial.
- It can have a big twist.
- It is something that seems so obvious and straightforward, but no one has thought of it before.
- High concept is usually commercial-literary, while ‘big books’ are commercial.
- The idea and themes are universal.
The trajectory of a high concept book looks like this: an agent sees it and must have it, knowing it is something special; the agent is easily able to write a great pitch letter to editors based on a short, succinct and very intriguing hook; once the book has an editor the editor is able to garner in-house attention through early excitement; sales staff are then able to impress booksellers with a book that will stand out and sell copies; the book is then stocked with front of store placement; and finally customers do the rest! The marketing and publicity opportunities for high concept are plentiful. And, simple and very intriguing hooks are what attract Hollywood attention. Continue reading →
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This infographic about Man Booker 2011 prize plots got me thinking. There are only x number of plots in fiction. Some have argued 7, some have argued 36, some have argued over 100.
