March 28, 2008
Getting High?
I’ve been trying to wrap my brain around the idea of the HIGH-CONCEPT NOVEL. I know it’s not “new”, but I found a very good article written by Kimberly Whalen and Jenny Bent online from the Romantic Times Magazine, here.
It’s great advice that can be applied to any genre. Basically, “The high-concept novel is simply a conventional idea taken to the next level by adding a fantastical element.” It also offers a few great examples, like “Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Slaying Soccer Mom”, which became a lead title for Berkley.
Apparently, editors love them.
And here I thought vampires, menages, werewolves, and ghosts were cutting-edge stuff.
It always seems a fine line for an author to walk. The voice has to be right, and the characters and situations must be persuasive without seeming ridiculous, yes?
So maybe our vampire huntress faints at the sight of blood? 
Or our dominatrix has a latex allergy? 
Or a high concept version of “The Wizard of Oz” might be something where the batteries in Dot’s shoes finally run out of juice after frequent trips back to Oz, and she has to work her way back to Kansas on her back? Like, “The Scarecrow’s Lion, A Hard Man Was Good To Find?” Or, she services the Munchkin men in, “I Was A Ho On The Little Dick Road?”
Yeah, yeah I know…my brain still has some wrapping to do… 
So, what do you all think? It’s certainly one way to prod the old creative juices!
That’s funny (and timely)–Lori Wilde has a high concept workbook and I just started going through it with one of my open WIPs to see if it will punch it up. I am still in the early stages of the woekbook so I will have to get back to you and let you know it/how it works….
FYI: here’s the link–i can never get it to do the hyperlink right so you’ll have to cut and paste it
http://www.loriwilde.com/the_write_stuff.html
Or a high concept version of “The Wizard of Oz” might be something where the batteries in Dot’s shoes finally run out of juice after frequent trips back to Oz, and she has to work her way back to Kansas on her back? Like, “The Scarecrow’s Lion, A Hard Man Was Good To Find?” Or, she services the Munchkin men in, “I Was A Ho On The Little Dick Road?”
That’s just… disturbing.
>>“I Was A Ho On The Little Dick Road?”
My brain keeps sliding off.
I think Vamps werewolves etc have become SO commonplace (and can you believe I’m even saying that?) that yes, you’ve got to think high concept when it comes to anything paranormal.
How about a vampire who faints at the sight of blood?
LOL. Too funny. I like the idea of a vamp that faints at the sight of blood. lol. High concept works as long as there’s something to back it up. If it’s just a one trick pony– or gimmick– with no depth, etc., you might as well go low concept.
Thanks, Den—will check it out.
**That’s just… disturbing.**
A girl’s gotta make a living, Bernard.
**My brain keeps sliding off.**
Ah. A sister in brain-wrapping disfunction.
**I think Vamps werewolves etc have become SO commonplace (and can you believe I’m even saying that?) that yes, you’ve got to think high concept when it comes to anything paranormal.**
You’re right, Ames.
Even with fairy tales…
Ann, lol.
**High concept works as long as there’s something to back it up. If it’s just a one trick pony– or gimmick– with no depth, etc., you might as well go low concept.**
Good point, VJ. It has to be developed.
Sadly, I still have no idea what the hell high concept means. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of it and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
And I thought Dorthy had already serviced the munchkins, “hi, ho, bye, ho, off to see the witch she goes.”
Mel…for whatever this is worth I found this and i might try to do a blog post next week or something.
WHAT IS A HIGH CONCEPT?
When a studio or production company refers to a High Concept, they mean a story idea that has all four of these components:
1. It is unique.
2. It appeals to a wide audience.
3. It can be said in one sentence and…you instantly see the whole movie.
This is in relation to movies but also applies. Sometimes writers will compare their work to movies–ie Forbidden is Xmen meets Bladerunner or even now, Xmen meets Jericho.
Also if you go back to this post
this would also be an example of high concept–HOWEVER HC HAS to deliver. ie the suggestion of a vamp that faints at the sight of blood could be, well, bloody brilliant if done right.
Also, Mel, check out the article from the link above.
I think it’ll help.
To me high concept stories have to have enough wattage to power the story and electrify the reader’s imagination. Like the premise for the movie “Speed” — there’s a bomb on a bus; if the bus slows down, the bomb explodes. Very simple premise. The bus is the conventional element, the bomb is the fantastic, but the speed-dependent bomb trigger was the real wattage — that’s what fueled the entire movie and kept everyone riveted.
It’s the wattage that is the hardest thing to nail, but you just have to step outside the box and go into new territory. Who would have thought an ogre could be a hero before Shrek, or a pain junkie could be a heroine before Kushiel’s? There are a million ideas waiting to come to life on the page. Your vampire huntress could be a hemophiliac; your dominatrix could be a psychic empath. :)
Lynn, that’s bloody fantastic. It adds an element I hadn’t considered.
Conventional setup, fantastic element, burning fuse/wattage. Thank you.
(and a hemophiliac in a vampire story…I love it, lol).
Oooo Lynn I just saw this. Thanks for weighing in. It’s a great explanation!