The Printed Book is Terminal…

How eBook Readers Will Change Everything.

There is a lot of buzz going on today about how many Kindles were sold this Christmas and how eBooks outsold paper books for one day at Amazon. This is not the story!

The printed book is terminal and its death is coming much faster than generally expected. It’s not just the death of the printed book that’s important. It’s the unexpected changes eReaders will bring to publishing in general and authors in particular.

Here’s the game changer: eBook readers will become virtually free. Like the box of film that became a free camera, eBook readers will come free with eBooks in the future. If you think this sounds implausible, think of the greeting card that plays a full song when you open it. Then think how this dedicated digital tape player, plus the greeting card itself, cost less than five dollars.

What happens when eBook readers are free?

Think about the highly political and highly ‘corrupted’ school textbook industry. What if, overnight, excellent quality textbooks became free? This would be a blessing to school districts and students alike. This will happen one day and I hope it will be one day soon.

Here’s what will happen. First, eBook readers become virtually free. Next, non-profit institutions commission textbooks to be written for a flat fee from noted authors. These books will be offered for free to any school system that wants them. Textbooks would be updated as often as needed and available for students to download at any time. Students would have only one book: an eBook reader. Gone are big book bags and backpacks. The readers will be so cheap that it will make no difference if they are lost, stolen, or damaged.

Young ‘Turk’ professors, from lesser known universities, will ban together and write a chapter each (or several chapters each) of a textbook for use by their students. They will offer this book free to all -- even other university students. This will help make their ‘reps’ and bring them much praise and perhaps a full professorship years earlier than is customary.

It has been said that the key to growth in the future is knowing how to give away a product for ‘free’ and still make money. The advent of virtually free eBook readers will open an entire industry to this money making high speed ‘freeway’.

Where Do Authors Fit In?

So where do authors fit in this brave new world of paperless books and competition from free books? First, they need to read the book “Free” by Chris Anderson (which was offered as a free download on Sony's eBook site) and be planning now on how they can profit by giving their work to the public or having it purchased for free delivery by an entity that can make money by doing so on there other products.

This will be the subject of a future post. I have to figure this out myself! I have a basic real estate textbook that I might update and give away for free – if I can figure this out. Stay tuned.


Vince

Announcing: “Philosophy of Romance” Book of the Year for 2009:

“Autumn Rains” by Myra Johnson
Heartsong Presents, 2009, 172 pages

A Distinctive New Voice! -- ‘Romantic Realism*’

While “Autumn Rains” meets all the requirements of a genre romance**, it still reads with the natural realism of a Steinbeck or McCullers novel.

I don’t know if there is an official subgenre of romance called ‘Romantic Realism’. I have never encountered it in the literature. I checked Google and didn’t find an entry for ‘Romantic Realism’ there either. If this is the case, and there is no official ‘Romantic Realism’ subgenre, then I suggest that “Autumn Rains” is a logical candidate for being the first novel in this ‘new’ category.

As I turned the pages of “Autumn Rains”, I didn’t feel like I was reading a category romance. The story had the ‘look and feel’ of serious mainstream literature.

An Authentic New Voice

I found “Autumn Rains” to be the most distinctively realistic romance that I’ve ever read. Myra Johnson writes with an authentic new voice…a voice which reminds me of the first time I heard an Enya song played on the radio. Enya’s voice was so unique that I wanted to hear another Enya song right away. I felt this same way after reading “Autumn Rains”. I wanted to read another Myra Johnson romance immediately. I am very curious about what she will write next.

Myra Johnson is a very serious author. Her first published book, “One Imperfect Christmas” (reviewed on this blog) is an insightful look at life from the perspective of three different generations. It’s no surprise that her literary skills would be highly appreciated by “The Philosophy of Romance blog. “Autumn Rains” was the clear choice for our “Book of the Year Award for 2009”.

The “Autumn Rains” Difference

Examining how “Autumn Rains” differs from a typical genre romance is almost a study of the romance genre itself.

The title of the book “Autumn Rains” is significant. The author uses natural events,(in this case, the oppressive heat lingering well into the fall season) to mirror the conflicts going on in the characters’ lives. This is a literary technique that has been used by great writers like Thomas Hardy and many others. In the contemporary romance field, Elizabeth Lowell also has used this literary technique extremely well.

Naturalism – Not a One Time Event

I’m not talking here about one rain storm to reflect one scene in a book. I’m talking about an aspect of naturalism where nature almost ‘breaths’ along with the characters from the start of the book to the last page. This is not easy for an author to do and it is not even necessary in today’s commercial market. An author uses this technique to add texture and depth to the reading experience. It’s a sign the author cares deeply about her craft.

Tension and Resolution

When the autumn rains finally arrive, to end the emotional pressure-cooker of the seemingly endless summer, the characters are ready to simultaneously experience a catharsis of their own. These simultaneous events come at the end of a book-long buildup. This is very powerful writing. You’ll have to read it for yourself to enjoy the full impact.

About ‘Romantic Realism’

Romances tend to be idealized. I always know when I am reading a romance because my expectations are usually fulfilled. The hero is handsome, usually over six feet tall, he has broad shoulders and in most cases has a college degree or is certainly smart enough to earn one. When the hero and heroine enter a public place, other women are sure to eye the hero with envy. Difficult or unpleasant topics are usually avoided as romances are generally written to provide a comfortable reading experience. I agree with and enjoy all these romance genre conventions. Indeed, I’ve read and enjoyed over 1000 romances of this idealized type.


“Autumn Rains” is not Idealized

In “Autumn Rains” things differ from the idealized romance. The hero is just out of prison after serving sixteen years for manslaughter. I don’t know if he is handsome or very tall. I do know he has a bad scar on his arm from a prison fight. I also know he did not finish high school but did get a GED while in prison. His name is Healy and he is a real man with real problems and he is not at all idealized.

What’s in a Name?

As a reader, I was about to object to the name ‘Healy,’ (for one who tries to heal the heroine), as being a little too allegorical, like something out of “Pilgrim’s Progress”. However, the heroine quickly makes this same observation for herself. The author beat me to it. With everyone in her family trying to heal the heroine, I think it would be inevitable for the heroine to make this same observation about the hero’s name herself. Even in this case, the author couldn’t avoid letting realism win out.

An Agoraphobic Heroine?

The heroine, Valerie, suffers from a severe case of agoraphobia. She even fears venturing out into the back yard. This condition has gone on for years since her husband was murdered before her eyes and she was severely injured herself. Counseling has failed in her case. She compulsively resets the security alarm every time she enters the house – even though there are people in the house and it’s broad daylight. There are additional problems that I won’t even mention in this review. Obviously this is a heroine who is not idealized.

Very Difficult Theme

The theme of this book is so difficult, I am surprised that a new author would even attempt it. Of 1000 romances I’ve reviewed over the years, I’ve only encountered one romance with a more difficult theme. That book was about a beautiful woman falling in love with a wheelchair-bound paraplegic with no feelings below his waist. (I am sure that everyone who has read this book can easily bring it right to mind.)

Christian Fiction & Realism

To complicate matters even more, “Autumn Rains” is a Christian fiction romance. So how does an author make this difficult theme work, in only 172 pages, while being convincingly realistic the whole time? That’s a good question. As it turns out, the characters’ practice of Christian values is the force that enables “Autumn Rains” to bring a resolution to the diverse and strongly conflicting elements in this story.

A New Level of Christian Fiction

By design, “Autumn Rains” almost must be a Christian novel. I believe that Myra Johnson’s unique structuring of “Autumn Rains” takes Christian fiction to a new level.

The Three Levels of Christian Fiction

Level 1: is a story of good people who happen to be Christians.

Level 2: is a story of people who exemplify Christian principles by the lives they live. Because they practice Christian values, their lives are better or more meaningful.

Level 3: is a story that is so uniquely structured that, by it very nature, it has to be a Christian novel in order for the plot to experience a successful resolution. That is, the story is ‘necessarily’ Christian fiction rather than ‘incidentally’ Christian fiction.

I believe that “Autumn Rains” is an example of a level three Christian romance.

The Everyman Hero

The hero is a good man who makes me think of Mary’s Joseph: he’s not flashy, not glorified, just a dependable honest man. The actions that the hero takes, in order to help others who are in trouble, are totally consistent with his past life and his future aspirations. You can’t read “Autumn Rains” without admiring the hero. This admiration is well earned. It is not idealized.

The Everywoman Heroine

The heroine is emotionally damaged and yet she’s such a worthy individual, (who has suffered so much), that the reader will ‘feel’ a vicarious victory with every painful step she takes towards recovery. Valerie is real and may be the least idealized heroine I’ve read in the romance literature.

Realism Enhances the Enjoyment

When a romance makes you feel good in situations in which you expect to feel good, the experience is enjoyable. However, when a realistic novel makes you feel good in situations where you did not expect to feel good, then the reading enjoyment is compounded. It’s a richer, more rewarding, experience.

Try a New Reading Experience

If you have yet to read a realistic romance like “Autumn Rains”, I suggest you read this book. I found the difference between reading “Autumn Rains” and a traditional romance, similar to the difference monaural music and stereo. Of course, this difference will never be more pronounced than it was for me during this ‘first time’ encounter with Romantic Realism.

What about the HEA?

One could well ask how does a realistic author handle the HEA: the Happily Ever After? Realism is realism. How many HEAs are there in real life?

In nearly all the traditional romances I’ve read in the past, I’ve vicariously enjoyed the HEA along with the hero and heroine. That is, the HEA was something I would have liked to experience for myself.

The HEA in “Autumn Rains”

The HEA in “Autumn Rains” seemed different to me. It is not an HEA I would prefer to experience for myself. However, it is the HEA that the characters in the story would want to experience for themselves. This fact is evident in the epilogue which takes place a full ten years later. Ten years is a very long time for a traditional romance to wait before the epilogue begins. Too many bad things could have happened in ten years. I’m not even sure that the romantic part of me even wants to know what happens ten years after a romance story ends. Yet, I believe that this long wait and what happens in the meantime is part of the “Autumn Rains” realistic charm.



Many Excellent Christian Secondary Characters

There are many good Christian characters in “Autumn Rains”. There are also some Christians that are not so good. Even the good Christians have their faults. Just the same, all the characters play an important role in demonstrating Christian values. Even more, they do this without preaching to the reader. I hate to be preached to in a Christian novel. (I’ll read sermons if I want to be preached to.)

“Autumn Rains” is the most authentic Christian qua Christian romance that I’ve read.

“Book of the Year” 2009


The Philosophy of Romance, ‘Book of the Year’ is awarded to the best Romance book. The fact that “Autumn Rains” is also a work of Christian fiction is just a bonus.

Look for more Awards in 2010

I expect “Autumn Rains” to be nominated for other ‘Book of the Year’ awards in the months ahead. For maximum enjoyment, I suggest that “Autumn Rains” be read now. The reader can then enjoy watching what happens with the book in 2010. I know I will.

Is There a Future for Romantic Realism?

Will there be more Romantic Realism novels in the future or is “Autumn Rains” a one-of-a-kind romance? I don’t know but it is going to be interesting to find out.

Vince

*I would tentatively define ‘Romantic Realism’ as a subgenre of romance that:

1. features a non-idealized hero and heroine
2. avoids romantic clichés and stock situations (e.g., toes curling, knees turning to jelly, whisper soft kisses, etc.)
3. avoids standard romantic themes (like: hidden child, marriage of convenience, mail order bride, runaway bride, etc.)
4. tends to be perceived by readers as being mainstream love stories rather than category romances.
5. may have a more realistic HEA that the reader feels less happy about than the characters do.


**A romance is a story with its central focus on the process of two individuals falling in love and which ends happily with a marriage or the expectation of a marriage in the near future.

The Philosophical Problem with ‘Writing Rules’

How the Big Picture is Often Obscured by ‘Rules of Thumb’

A thumb is a very useful thing to have on your hand. A writing ‘rule of thumb’ can also be very useful to an author. But no one would want ten thumbs! Being useful and being true can be two different things.

An author is creating a ‘reading experience’ just as a composer is creating a ‘listening experience’. Both the author and the composer must consider how their individual actions impact the total experience being created.

When I read a writing ‘rule of thumb’ like “change all ‘telling’ to ‘showing’” or “add conflict (or tension) to every sentence” the philosopher in me just cringes.

When I read that conflict is what keeps a reader reading and when things are going smoothly for the characters that the writing is boring, I want to shout: No, No, No! I don’t even believe this is true for a suspense novel.

Can you imagine a symphony where all you hear is tension and conflict, measure for measure, until the climax of the piece? It would be hell.


“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Hamlet Act 1, scene 5, 159–167


There are also more ways to keep a reader’s interest other than conflict and tension. In fact, the reader can be kept turning pages as long as she is being rewarded for reading.

Such rewards are many.

The author can provide fascinating information, stress relieving humor, interesting insights, heartwarming resolutions to minor conflicts, and the discovery of new feelings. The reader can enjoy the author’s poetic beauty as a character describes seeing the stars of the southern hemisphere for the first time while camping in the Australian Outback. There’s charm, surprise, delight, and wonder. The writer has no fewer instruments of interest in her pen than the conductor has instruments in his orchestra.

Now, conflict is good and it works well to keep a reader’s interest. However, I think putting conflict in every sentence is like using a hammer at every stage when building a house.

Rules of thumb are limiting by their very nature. That is, “do it this way and you’ll be OK.” You give up the beauty of complexity for the safety of simplicity.


The author should consider the total ‘reading experience’ and judge each action on how that ‘reading experience’ will be impacted. When it makes sense to add conflict, then add conflict. When it helps to change ‘telling’ to ‘showing’, then make the change. The problem lies when an author makes every rule of thumb change thinking it will produce a better story.

An author should be able to step back, see the total picture, and think in terms of the reading experience and not worry if she has followed every rule of thumb in her toolbox.

'Rules of thumb' should be taken with a grain of salt whenever they are not taken with a little more gravitas than that.

Vince

“One Imperfect Christmas” … A Perfect Reading Experience!

“It’s Like Watching a Hallmark Hall of Fame Movie”
By Myra Johnson

Abingdon Press, 272 pages, copyright 2009


Simply telling what “One Imperfect Christmas” is about does not do the novel justice. It would be like saying that “Tom Sawyer” is simply a story about 19th Century boys growing up in the Midwest. “One Imperfect Christmas” is a serious book and warrants a serious review.

In good novels the characters change in significant ways as the story unfolds. In serious works, like “One Imperfect Christmas”, not only do the fictional characters change but the reader changes as well. This potential for growth in the reader’s consciousness is what gives great literature its universality and its timelessness.

Serious literature has the potential to impart experiences, knowledge, and sometimes even wisdom. More importantly, literature can enlighten the reader in a way which might not be possible in any other fashion.

Here’s what I mean:

Have you ever lamented: ‘If I only knew then what I know now’?

I think this lament is common to all mankind. The desire to learn from our mistakes, before we make them, is so prevalent that some have even said that ‘youth is wasted on the young’.

This is because young people usually lack the life experiences necessary to view life ‘now’ as they will eventually view it in the future when they are older (and hopefully wiser).

Why mention all this in regard to “One Imperfect Christmas”? Because reading this book reminded me, in a most forceful way, that there is a way to bring the future into the present. This can be achieved via the vicarious experiences provided by serious literature.

“One Imperfect Christmas” is serious literature. The situations covered in the story span three generations. Therefore the reader ‘sees’ and ‘feels’ the story from three distinct perspectives.

When reading “One Imperfect Christmas” the reader will experience what it is like to be a middle aged mother overwhelmed by the guilt and anger she feels towards her incapacitated mother while at the same time having to deal with her wayward teenage daughter.

The reader will feel what it’s like to be a husband who is trying to do everything within his power to save his marriage and help his beloved wife. And the reader will suffer his anguish when nothing he does works and when, time after time, he is rejected by the one he loves most.

The reader will also experience what it feels like to be the teenage daughter who has no idea of the depth of her parent’s problems. The reader will watch helplessly as this loving daughter tries simple and naive solutions to the complex problems facing her family. The reader will feel the good daughter’s sorrow when her ‘foolproof’ plans come to naught.

Life often does not provide simple solutions to complex problems. The reader will also experience what it is like being a helpless parent in her sixties seeing how her problems are causing serious discord to the ones she loves most. Indeed, the reader will feel the angst of being powerless to do anything about problems that seem self-induced.

“One Imperfect Christmas” is a drama that calls for faith. It is a faith based story that is full of hope and challenge. The story features a beautiful fifty-year romance and what might yet, with God’s help, become a second fifty-year romance. While the story has ‘Christmas’ in the title, the action spans the period between two Christmases a year apart. It is a timeless story that can be read at any time of the year.

The story shows that sometimes the stresses of life can be too much. Given enough stress, a personal crisis may cause even a well disciplined life to spin out of control. Since this loss of control can be hidden from everyone else, at least for a little while, the victim is likely to suffer without any support. Others may even think the suffering victim is causing his or her own problems.

“One Imperfect Christmas” is not always easy reading but it is always worthwhile reading that is both rewarding and heartwarming. It’s not easy because it is so true to life. It’s not easy to watch and experience the obviously self-destructive behavior of the mother who is trying her best to get professional help but who is too fragile to find traction. It’s not easy reading but it is always enjoyable reading. I loved every minute reading “One Imperfect Christmas” from the first page until the last.

“One Imperfect Christmas” is serious literature. After reading the book I felt wonderful. I felt I had seen God’s hands in action. I also felt like I had done something good for myself: that I had learned things that will make me a more understanding and sympathetic person in the future. Reading “One Imperfect Christmas” was like watching a memorable Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. I believe most readers of “One Imperfect Christmas” will feel the same way.

I not only give “One Imperfect Christmas” my highest Recommendation – I consider it the Required Reading for One’s Christian Heart.

>“One Imperfect Christmas” Will Make A Keepsake Christmas Gift!

Vince

What Kind of Writer Are You?

Do you Strive to Write Books a Reader Can’t Put Down?

Or...

Do you Strive to Write Books a Reader Never Wants to End?

First, before I answer these questions, let’s stipulate that all writers are trying to write both kinds of books. At least, that’s what they think they are doing. Along these lines let’s also stipulate that all authors write both to the ‘needs of the novel’ and to the ‘reading experience’. Now let’s look at the real world.


The difference between the “can’t put the book down” (CPBD) authors and the “never want to end” (NWTE) authors demonstrates a difference in writing philosophy.

The CPBD authors are very interested in hooks. Hook the reader into the story, then hook her into the middle of the first chapter and then hook her into the next chapter. This is pretty much a cliffhanger approach in which the reader cannot resist reading just a little more to find out what happens next.

The CPBD approach is dominate today in much of romance. Everything seems to be in turbo mode with action going faster and faster. Active voice, POV descriptions, no time allowed to savor the experience. We are told that everyone has a degree of ADD. The MTV generation can absorb 250 images a minute. Life becomes a three minute video.

Editors seem to want CPBD books. Readers pick them up at Wal-Mart read the first line of the story and are hooked into buying the book. This is very good for sales but is it good for the craft? What is it doing to the story? Does it produce a sea of sameness and a hollow victory at the end after the last cliff is safely climbed? I think so. Yet, the statements: “I couldn’t put your book down" and "It kept me up all night" seem to be the highest form of praise.


The NWTE authors write books that provide the most enjoyable page-by-page ‘reading experience’. They may reward the reader five to ten times on a page with writing that makes reading a joy. This is often done with humor or with splendid descriptions of exotic places. NWTE books are fun to read in their own right. There is not an almost mindless rush to find out what happens next. It’s what is happening now that so enjoyable. NWTE books can be put down to be resumed at another time just as one would not ordinarily eat an entire box of fine chocolates at one sitting. You want to savor the book because you know you may have to wait a year for the next book.

NWTE books have their share of cliffhangers and hooks. A good use of a hook is in itself a reward for reading.

A few authors who write great NWTE books are: Janet Evanovich, M.C. Beaton, Alexander McCall-Smith, Lilian Jackson Braun, MaryJanice Davidson, and Diane Mott Davidson. I am now reading “Petticoat Ranch” by Mary Connealy which I would also would put in the NWTE category.

What’s the lesson here?

CPDB books are in demand by editors and readers may feel if a book does not grab them on the first page, it’s no good. This is not a good development as many classics would thereby become no good. I wonder if we are meeting the needs of ADD or if we are causing it. I think the 'cure' may be part of the cause.

I also think the rush to CPBD books will be short lived. Like exciting fireworks.

On the other hand, the NWTE can be read over and over because it is not that important to find out how it ends. These books, the best of them anyway, can be much more enduring and are more likely to be keepers.

A compromise is needed in the real world. I would like to see authors write their CPBD books but also enrich their stories with rewarding features that make the reading experience irresistibly enjoyable. To this end I would like to see a lessening of hooks and cliffhangers.


Vince

Debut Novel -- Dreaming of Home – A Five Star Delight!

Highest Recommendation! Future Award Winner!

Dreaming of Home, Glynna Kaye, Love Inspired, 2009, 213 pages.

I enjoy reading debut novels. I search them out. There’s always the chance of ‘discovering’ a new Star! I also enjoy reading debut novels very carefully to see if the author is doing anything especially well and original that I could incorporate into my own writing.

With “Dreaming of Home” I think I’ve ‘discovered’ a rising star. I say this because there is a lot to like in Glynna Kaye’s work.

Stellar Inspirational Content!

“Dreaming of Home” provides a truly inspirational reading experience. The emotions are genuine and heartfelt. This is because the inspirational impact arises internally from the unfolding of the story itself.

This is very hard to do well. Too often, with Inspirational novels, the inspirational content is added to the story to meet publisher guidelines. In such romances characters are prone to 'talk to' God in italic type every so many pages as if this inspirational content were a jacket put on the body of the story. A jacket I might add which could easily be removed without doing an injustice to the novel. (This tendency is most pronounced in Inspirational Suspense novels where action has to be given top billing.)


In “Dreaming of Home” the inspirational content is so well integrated into the story that I felt its impact immediately on the first page and continued to experience the warm genuine inspirational feelings throughout the entire novel. “Dreaming of Home” is how to write an inspirational novel. Here’s an example of what I mean:

“What a place. She could almost feel God’s peace penetrating her heart. Her mind. Her soul. Even when in desperate need, how often had she passed up opportunities to settle down and let God fill her with his presence? She didn’t have to come to a place like this to find him. She only had to get still, wherever she might be, and allow God to find her. P.130

The whole book displays this degree of spiritual sensitivity. If you like inspirational romances, as I do, then “Dreaming of Home” is a five star delight.


Stellar Use of Conflict!

“Dreaming of Home” demonstrates a masterful use of conflict. From the first page the conflict is ever-present and continually unfolding. The conflict progresses organically from prior events that arise internally from the story. The tension is like water under high pressure which is prone to burst forth at any time at any weak point. The pressure just grows and grows from the story itself as if it were a living thing. This tension grabs the reader’s interest and almost turns the pages by itself

For example, it is always iffy whether the hero and heroine can ever find common ground. The hero and heroine want the same job, the same house, and both are not ready (for their own reasons), to form a relationship.

I find this ever-present and ever-growing use of conflict to be very unusual and difficult to execute. 'How-to' writing books often give advice calling for three acts with choke points of no return— these points of conflict often are the result of external events. This is not bad advice, however,if you read a lot of romances you can often see these events coming. External events can seem artificial.

“Dreaming of Home” happens more like real life. This provides a more vivid reading experience which will be noticed when reading the story.

“Dreaming of Home” is well wroth reading.


Stellar Sensitivity!

The sincere inspirational content and expert use of conflict is enhanced many times over by the exquisite sensitivity of the writing. The plot involves cancer and the recurrence of cancer and the writing resonates so deeply, that I just concluded that these passages could not simply be fiction. I felt that the author must have had these same feelings. I was not surprised therefore that in the afterward the author wrote:

“I have faced a time of uncertain health issues myself, so I know what it’s like to choose to trust God.”

“Dreaming of Home” is about as good a debut novel as can be written.

Here is a little information about the story. The hero is Joe Diaz, the heroine, Meg McGuire. The story takes place in Canyon Springs, Arizona which is a mile high small community in Ponderosa Pine country in northern Arizona. The location is drawn beautifully and actually takes on the importance of a major character.


Highest Recommendation! Future Award Winner!

Vince

Are You Hooked on Hooks?

You Can’t Hang A Novel On Hooks



I’m not a big fan of hooks. In fact, to the degree that a hook seems contrived to the reader, to that same degree the book is weakened. A hook should not be there simply because a hook is considered necessary by the author. A hook that attracts a reader into a story only to blend into an unexciting narrative will only alienate the reader.

An unjustified hook is like an advertising headline that promises “FREE MEDICINE” only to later in the body copy disclose that the shipping and handling chargers are actually higher than the medicine is worth. Consumers would resent this and so will romance readers.

Rules for Hooks

1. The story premise should be strong enough that employing hooks are not necessary.
2. The narrative copy should be strong enough to insure reader interest.
3. There should be a multilayered ongoing series of anticipatory events (AEs) that continually reward the reader for turning the pages. These AEs should include short term AEs which resolve in a few pages, intermediate AEs which take a chapter or so to resolve, and longer term AEs which take several chapters to resolve.

Now, after the above conditions are satisfied, then an opening first chapter hook may be advantageous. This also applies to an end of chapter hook leading into the next chapter. However, one should first strive to write in a way that renders hooks unnecessary to insure reader interest.

You can’t hang a complete novel on a hook or even a series of hooks.


Vince