What Is Commercial Fiction?

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Annie Neugebauer

And why you should stop assuming it’s trash.

Book collection1

  •  Myth: The quality of writing in commercial fiction is low.
  •  Myth: Commercial fiction is less intelligent than literary fiction.
  •  Myth: Commercial fiction isn’t “deep.”
  •  Myth: Commercial fiction is trashy.
  •  Myth: Commercial fiction is the same thing as “genre fiction.”
  •  Myth: Commercial fiction is always simple.

As you can see, commercial fiction has its share of prejudices. I am truly passionate about both commercial and literary fiction (and the blending of the two), but I’ve found that not all readers are. Everyone has different tastes and preferences, and that’s perfectly okay. However, many commercial lovers don’t even consider literary novels in their options, and many lit-fic lovers shut themselves off to commercial novels – when in reality, most readers could probably be enjoying some of both. Part of this, I believe, is due to the misconceptions and stereotypes associated with commercial fiction.

Unlike lit-fic, I don’t think commercial fiction is three separate things (not usually, anyway) – which might explain why people are generally less confused about what comprises it than what comprises the ever-elusive “literary” fiction. Plus, “commercial” is a pretty universally understood term that means “to make money,” so one way to look at it is that commercial fiction is specifically written to drive big sales by reaching lots of readers.

But still, commercial fiction can be discussed in the same three categories to highlight the differences between commercial and literary.

1) Style-

sentence structure, vocabulary, pacing, and a generally easier to read quality.

I’ve heard it said by an industry professional that the difference between literary and commercial fiction is the motivation of the author. Literary fiction is written for the love of the art form, whereas commercial fiction is written to make money. While at its root I have no problem with that definition, I do see a lot of potential there for insult and hurt feelings. For one thing, it implies that a writer can’t want both, which is silly. Ask any literary fiction author if they want to make money; if they say no, tell them their pants are on fire. And secondly, it implies that commercial fiction writers don’t care about the artistry of their craft. This, quite simply, is untrue.

Both types of fiction require talent, practice, and honing of the craft; they just have different goals.

Literary fiction does put the artistry first. If they have a gorgeous, complex metaphor that’s perfect for a passage, they keep it at the risk of isolating some readers because they believe the art form is the priority. But commercial fiction puts the reader first. If they have that same metaphor and know it will confuse some of their readers, they’re more likely to simplify it to reach the greatest number of people with their message. (Or, I suppose, you could just argue that they have such different readers that it’s unclear when artistry or readers win out, or if they are one in the same.)

Ultimately, the end-goal drives style. Commercial fiction tends to go by the type of writing rules laid out by Stephen King and Elmore Leonard: few adverbs, economy of words, and clear meaning… As opposed to literary fiction, that often experiments more (and thus risks losing a portion of its readers). Both can be executed well or poorly. “Good writing” is not only a matter of taste, but of style.

2) Genre-

established plot and character expectations, usually within a specific genre (romance, mystery, horror, etc.).

Here’s another important distinction: “genre fiction” is not the same thing as “commercial fiction,” although most genre fiction is commercial (see my lit-fic post for a quick discussion of “upmarket”). But a book can be commercial without fitting neatly under the category of fantasy, sci-fi, etc. When people say “mainstream,” they usually mean contemporary commercial fiction, meaning it’s written for the general public (commercial) and set within the last fifty years or so (contemporary) but doesn’t fit into one of the big genres.

So what makes a book commercial in genre? Plot and characters.

Specifically, something needs to really happen in the plot. Something big, definite, and external. As Melissa Crytzer Fry pointed out in the comments of the literary fiction post, internal plots are often dubbed as “no plot” or “weak plot,” and are generally less commercial and more literary. This doesn’t mean that commercial fiction can’t have internal plots, it just means that they’re usually mixed with external plots. Commercial readers prefer to be consistently entertained, so when I say “lots” needs to happen, I mean that the external (action) plot must not be far away throughout the duration of the book – not just at the climax. (And by “action” I don’t just mean explosions and gunfights. Divorce papers and dinner scenes can be action-driven as well.)

In the literary fiction post, we talked about intentionally unlikable characters. In commercial fiction, it’s generally accepted that the main character needs to be likable, vibrant, and memorable. This is where you often hear phrases like “larger than life,” etc. While literary readers might prefer a protagonist who is so flawed as to make the reader contemplate humanity, etc., commercial readers are more likely to love a protagonist they can root for. This doesn’t mean an oversimplified, one-dimensional character; it just means a (preferably deep, complex) character worth liking (in contrast with a character still worth reading but not worth liking). Again, this is a matter of taste – with plenty of space for gray areas.

3) Qualifier-

poses a larger question and answers it through plot and/or character.

Here’s the biggest misconception. Literary digs deeper, but commercial can too. Commercial fiction can just as strongly tell a message, make a point, change the world. I repeat: commercial fiction can be very, very deep. It can pose big questions and answer them, changing readers forever.

But it does so through plot and character, whereas lit-fic does so through other devices. What this means for the reader is that the message is easier to find and understand – often because the main character or narrator tells you as she herself learns it. Usually that lesson is inherent in the plot itself, which is the vehicle to force that character to change.

So let’s say an author wants to say something about how time is anecdotal and ever-present rather than linear. A lit-fic author might go about that by telling the story unchronologically through varied narrators to force the reader to ponder what effect that has on the information within. A commercial fiction author might go about it by setting a story in a world that allows the main character to time travel and experience those effects first-hand. Both can say the exact same thing – and have equally deep meaning – but literary fiction makes the reader dig while commercial fiction makes the protagonist dig. Which you prefer (when done equally well) is a matter of taste, not quality.

The Takeaway

I think we’ve all witnessed lit-fic and commercial fiction fans throwing tomatoes at each other over the years, but the truth is that no one is ever going to win the big fight. And the reason for that is simple: both types of literature have their own value for different tastes and different readers at different points in their lives. Why does one have to win? Why do they even have to be pitted against each other? At the end of the day, they both belong in the same realm: literature.

So what do you think? Do you like commercial fiction? Disdain it? What are your favorites of all time, and when does a commercial novel make you throw in the towel?

Like this post? Check out all posts in the What is Genre? series!

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Tools for Writers Part 2

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Annie Neugebauer

This is Part 2 to my post “Tools for Writers Part 1.” Part 1 covers tools for the writing process from research through drafting, and this part will share tools for editing through time management.

HK Causeway Bay Hysan Place Eslite Bookstore LAMY China pens writing tools Aug-2012

Please note that all of these ratings and reviews are my opinion. For each tool here, including the ones I gave one and two stars, I personally know people who absolutely swear by them – so take it all with a grain of salt.

My Rating System:
* Not worth it
** Worth a try
*** Great stuff
**** Indispensable

Wordle

Uses: Creating a word-cloud to see which words you overuse.

Pros: Free and easy to use. Fun to play with.

Cons: Word-cloud can be too large/hectic for entire novels. Best for shorter works.

My rating: *** Great stuff

Where to get it: here

Tips to use it: Play around with font, color, and text orientation to make the program the most useful for you. You can also remove common words (the, an, in) and words in other languages. Try making a Wordle out of your WIP and setting it as your computer’s desktop background for inspiration!

Cliché Cleaner

Uses: Searching your word document for clichés.

Pros: The first few tries are free, and can help you become more aware of which clichés you’re most guilty of abusing.

Cons: You have to convert your files to .txt files first. Larger documents take forever to scan or don’t scan at all. Plus, some of the words and phrases listed aren’t truly clichés, and it misses phrases that aren’t exactly like the version in their database.

My rating: ** Worth a try

Where to get it: here

Tips to use it: Be sure to adjust your “output options” before you run your scan, where you can choose how strict you want it to be in catching clichés and repeated phrases, plus how you want them sorted.

Dropbox

Uses: Backing up your work.

Pros: Since Dropbox updates automatically, you will never lose work again. Also, it sincs to all of your devices, so no more carrying (and losing) that zip drive. It uses password-protected internet storage to save all of the documents you “drop” into your “Dropbox” – which you can just setup as your “My Documents” folder.

Cons: If you’re not very computer-savvy, it might take you a minute or two to figure out where to put the Dropbox folder in your computer. It also might take a little readjusting of your habits. Plus, if you want lots of storage, you’ll have to pay extra.

My rating: **** Indispensable

Where to get it: Get up to 18 GB free. Use my referral link.

Tips to use it: You can get extra free storage by completing certain setup steps, such as including other computers, inviting friends (like the link above), and taking the tour. If you use Google Docs (which I personally loathe but know many writers adore), you can also sinc them together. (Thanks to Brandon McLeod for that tip!)

GoogleReader

Uses: RSS feed reader. Streamlining social media/platform-building (blogs) to make way for more writing time.

Pros: You can keep all of your blogs in one place, allowing you to read them on your time. This way you can schedule yourself one hour a day (or whatever) to read and comment on blogs, as opposed to all of your email subscriptions popping up as they’re posted – which can lead down time-sucking rabbit holes. It’s also much more efficient than bookmarking your blogs and checking them for new posts periodically, as nothing shows up in your reader unless it’s new.

Cons: Some people have trouble remembering to go to their reader – especially if they’re used to email subscriptions.

My rating: *** Great stuff

Where to get it: Attach it to your Google account.

Tips to use it: Put the bookmark in your favorites bar right at the top of your screen along with Facebook, Twitter, and all of your other dailies so you don’t forget to check in. More tips here.

RescueTime

Uses: Monitoring and reporting how you spend time on your computer, breaking it down into categories of “productive” and “unproductive.”

Pros: This program can help you pinpoint where you’re spending valuable hours doing unproductive tasks. It can also tell you at what times of day and on which days of the week you’re most and least productive, as well as help you manage productivity goals.

Cons: So far, I’ve found it a bit confusing. You do have to spend some time filling out what’s productive for you, and even then, some sites you visit will show up as “uncategorized,” which is annoying. I have a feeling that this tool could become my best friend, but to do that I will need to put in more time, which is the problem I was trying to avoid in the first place.

My rating: ** Worth a try

Where to get it: Use my referral link. (Thanks to Porter Anderson.)

Tips to use it: Be sure to check out all of the options for personalization. You can signify which categories are most and least distracting to you, as well as block specific websites or set time goals for yourself.

Closing

Those are my thoughts on some tools I’ve come to love and loathe. Do you have any writing tools that you’ve found indispensable over the years? Any tips to add to the ones I’ve listed?

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Tools for Writers Part 1

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Annie Neugebauer

I’ve been experimenting with some new (and old) writing tools lately, so I thought I would share my experiences with them. This Monday I’m reviewing the first five (from research to drafting), and next Monday I will share the second five (from editing to time management).

Please note that all of these ratings and reviews are my opinion. For each tool here, including the ones I gave one and two stars, I personally know people who absolutely swear by them – so take it all with a grain of salt.

My Rating System:
* Not worth it
** Worth a try
*** Great stuff
**** Indispensable

Google Earth

Uses: Research for settings you can’t visit in real life.

Pros: Free and relatively easy to use. Allows you to “fly” over places you’ve never been, and even “sit down” into some for a 3-d effect.

Cons: Can be laggy/slow. Some more remote locations are not very visible.

My rating: *** Great stuff

Where to get it: here

Tips to use it: Experiment with the “layers” you can add and take away from the map. And don’t forget to save your most-visited research spots to your “Places” for a quicker find next time.

Children’s Cross-section Books

Uses: In-depth research and visualization.

Pros: Visual representation of your topic broken down into simple explanations. Much less overwhelming and confusing than huge volumes of written research.

Cons: There can be a limited selection, and even books about your topic don’t always show exactly the things you want them to show. (For example, I wanted a book about 17th century war ships but could only find one about 18th century war ships.)

My rating: *** Great stuff

Where to get it: Your local bookstore or Amazon – but don’t forget to click through Denton Poets’ Assembly first! (It’s the same shopping experience for you, but a small percentage of your total purchase goes to support a Denton non-profit poetry organization. Just click on the Amazon banner at the top of the page.)

Tips to use it: I highly recommend Stephen Biesty’s Incredible Cross-Sections. And I also suggest looking at a cross-section as one of the very first steps, before you write your historical fiction or whatever, because some facts that surprise you might be vital to your plot or setting.

Microsoft Word

Uses: Drafting, editing, formatting.

Pros: Everyone uses it. Almost every venue (publications, agents, editors) ask you to submit in the .doc or .docx formats. Word is the bread and butter of a writer’s meal.

Cons: Cost. Buying Microsoft Office isn’t cheap, but it’s necessary. There’s also a learning curve for each new version, and sometimes there are annoying compatibility issues with .doc and .dox, etc.

My rating: **** Indispensable

Where to get it: Your local computer/office supply store, or Amazon – but don’t forget to click through Denton Poets’ Assembly first!

Tips to use it: Check out some tips on this site.

Dragon Naturally Speaking

Uses: Oral drafting.

Pros: If you’re facing Carpal tunnel, tendonitis, or some other type of hand/wrist- immobilizing injury, this is pretty much the only way to write without pain.

Cons: The program takes a long time to “train,” meaning you have to be very, very patient to make it useful. I still haven’t gotten to the point where I can speak naturally and have it be 90% correct, although people who have swear it’s worth it. It’s also very slow, laggy, and generally frustrating.

My rating: * Not worth it (if you can type just fine) / ** Worth a try (if you’re patient and/or desperate)

Where to get it: Your local computer/office supply store or Amazon – but don’t forget to click through Denton Poets’ Assembly first!

Tips to use it: Many people have trouble using the crummy headphone set it comes with, so if you’re going to make the time and money investment, I’d say go ahead and buy a decent headset, too.

Scrivener

Uses: Plotting, re-arranging, and brainstorming your chaotic manuscript.

Pros: Multiple features all in one place. Scrivener is like the corkboard with index cards, the 3-ring binder, and the files of research all rolled into one digital program. If you don’t write in order, or need to do major structural work on a book, Scrivener will save you time and paper. If you’re a poet compiling your poems into a chapbook or manuscript, Scrivener will save your sanity.

Cons: Not great for drafting, fine-tuning, or final printing. Also, very overwhelming if you don’t take the tutorial, which lasts about 2 hours. You have to have great patience to make this tool useful, as it has dozens of features to learn and consider.

My rating: ** Worth a try (novelists) / *** Great stuff (poets)

Where to get it: Start with your free 30-day trial.

Tips to use it: My favorite thing so far is putting different media into folders for inspiration. I created a folder of inspiring photos — like Pinterest/Tumblr just for me & this book — and I can arrow through them to create a flipbook effect that almost looks like a book trailer. If I do this while playing some of my inspiration songs, the effect is pretty awesome. More tips here at Writer Unboxed.

Closing

Those are my thoughts on some tools I’ve come to love and loathe. Do you have any writing tools that you’ve found indispensable over the years? Any tips to add to the ones I’ve listed?

Part 2 to come next Monday!

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What It’s Like To Be Married To a Writer

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Annie Neugebauer

Back in February, erotic romance author Roni Loren shared a really interesting post: AmyBeth Iverness interviewed Roni’s husband Donnie on her blog. The post centered around what it was like to be married to an erotic romance writer.

Well, Febe Moss and I were absolutely smitten. Donnie’s answers were so much fun to read, and it instantly set us to wondering how our own husbands would reply to similar questions. To satiate that curiosity, we’ve decided to cook up a version of the same concept. Here, below, you will find Daniel’s answers about his wife, Febe. On Febe’s blog you will find my husband Kyle’s answers about me. We hope you enjoy!

***

Annie: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done to help your wife with writing?

Daniel: I really have not done anything that I would call “weird.” I brainstorm and read over some of her stuff. I read a lot of fantasy and my fantasy knowledge has helped with her current book. I often cook dinner for her (I make a mean cheddar biscuit), and clean the litter box for Noodles.

Annie: What’s your favorite thing she’s ever written?

Daniel: Despite my outright dislike of poetry, I would have to say two pieces that she did are my favorites. Both are poems, one being about her Dog Jules, while the other is about the contents of her mother’s purse. The bits and pieces she’s shown me of her current novel, “Kissing a gorgon” have been really funny too. Like laugh out loud funny.

Annie: What do you do with yourself when your wife is working on a big project?

Daniel: Read, play Red Dead Redemption on the PS3, TV, Videogames, Go to the library, Videogames, do laundry. Did I mention videogames?

‎‎Annie: How do you feel when people ask about your wife’s job?

Daniel: Well, I simply tell them that she is working in the Admin office at TWU for now, but she is working on a novel and would like to eventually write full time. I get a sense of pride when I tell people this. Febe is not just chasing a dream, she is making it a goal and really going for it.

Annie: What is the worst part of being married to a writer? The best thing?

Daniel: That is a loaded question. I find the best and worst thing are the same thing. On one hand, the worst is you have to pick up some slack. Do more around the house. Take care of things your partner normally might do, because she is away at a conference, at a writing group, or in her office writing. But, that is also the very best thing. Because each task is something she does not have to do. She can keep moving forward and achieving that goal she has set. Though it is extra work, it is also something that is helping your spouse get to where she wants to be.

Annie: And as we all know, every good writer has a cat or two. How do you and your writer’s cat get along?

Sir Daniel with Sir Noodles

Daniel: I love our little/big Noodles. He can be a pain at times due to his love of scratching furniture. He also requires A LOT of attention for a cat. He takes after his “Mommy” in the fact that whenever he gets in trouble, he stops and will look at us as if pretending he was not doing anything.

Annie: Thanks Daniel!

***

So many thanks to our wonderful husbands who took time out of their busy days to answer our silly questions and always support us in what we do. We love you guys!

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Annie and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Annie Neugebauer

I’m not one to complain, but this is just unbelievable. I have to share. And in this mood, what the hell else am I going to blog about?

Yesterday, as you may know, was Father’s Day. Since my dad died four years ago, that’s a rough day. Which is fine; everyone has personal things they have to deal with. That in and of itself isn’t worth mentioning. I’m just setting the stage. I mean, this is so bad I feel like at any moment Ashton Kutcher is going to show up in his ridiculous trucker hat. I owe that guy a slap.

So yes, Father’s Day is rough. June 18th, the day my dad died, is also rough. This year that happens to be today, one day after Father’s Day, which is especially shitty. But hey, at least I can get it over with all at once, right?

Well, last night right before we went to bed, our plumbing did a little belch and gurgle and all of a sudden both of our bathtubs were full of suspiciously odorous dirty water. Our bathroom floors got wet, and we had to turn off all of our plumbing. Dishwasher, washing machine, sinks, everything. I had to drive to the gas station to use the bathroom since we don’t have a fence and I didn’t want our neighbors to catch me peeing in the back yard. Talk about awkward silences.

We called the plumber, who, by the way, advertises 24-hour service but is full of “bathtub water” because they don’t even answer their phones at midnight, much less come out. So we put towels under the doors, but when I got back from the gas station I was highly aware that our entire house absolutely reeked of sewage. Unsure if plumbing gases are hazardous in an enclosed space over eight hours, I decided it would be best for us and the cats to open all of the windows overnight.

But our cats are inside-only cats, and I was afraid that even with screens on our windows they might find a way out. I would be absolutely heartbroken if I lost my cats. So for their own safety, I locked them in the garage overnight with food, water, litter, and beds. I went to sleep super late, knowing I had to wake up extra early to meet the plumber.

In the morning, when I got up shortly after my husband left for work, I was made painfully aware that I had forgotten to take a sticky bug trap out of the garage first, which I had set out because of a fly problem because of the sewage. Snaps, my little one, got stuck to it. I have no idea if he spent the whole night like that or if it just happened in the morning.

Chunks of his hair were all over the bug trap, and the hair on his tail and several paws was all matted down with the glue that comes on those traps. He was scared, shaking, and absolutely miserable. Not that I would ever want this to happen to either of my cats, but the fact that it happened to Snaps is all the worse, because he not too long ago had a very traumatic experience at the vet. (They had to take out the clear box of torture.) The poor little guy has been through enough.

I called Hub-a-dub, very upset and not knowing what to do, plus feeling like the single worst person in the universe for leaving that thing out there with them. Sweet as my husband is, he came home – and picked up a bottle of baby shampoo on the way. Meanwhile, I was waiting for the plumber in my extra stinky house with a very full bladder trying to look up how the crap to fix my broken cat.

Oh, and did I mention that the big cat, Buttons, is very unhappy with me for locking her in the garage overnight with her annoying (and probably panicked) little brother? Cold shoulder is an understatement.

I found what to do online, and Hub-a-dub arrived with the shampoo even though he desperately needed to be at work because something was due at noon. We needed to rub vegetable oil on Snaps and then wash him with baby shampoo, but he hates being held down and our plumbing was broken, so we couldn’t use the bathtub. (Seriously, where’s Ashton Kutcher?)

So we ended up filling a big plastic tub with lukewarm water (the water worked, we just couldn’t put any of it down the plumbing or we’d get more backflow) and taking the sad, sticky little guy out to the garage for a forced oil-rub followed by a shampoo and bath-dip. Needless to say, that was not so much fun for any of us. And since we only had one tub of water, we could only rinse him so well.

The plumber came and we laid down $200 to fix the sewage. Could be worse; at least it’s fixed. Although the plumber did track dirt and love-only-knows-what all over our floors. Of course. And the husband had to leave immediately to get back to work.

The little cat is still sticky (slightly less than before), plus now he’s oily. He’s leaving little oil smudges every place he sits down. I can’t give him a second bath by myself (it’s definitely a two-person job), and Hub-a-dub won’t be back until late tonight. I don’t think Snaps’s tail will be normal again until he grows new fur. He’s just so pitiful, and I hate that he’s all jumpy and skittish now. The worst part is that this actually is my fault, unlike the vet appointment from Hell. I feel just awful.

So now it’s the anniversary of my dad’s death, and I have two miserable cats, oil spots all over the house, and two very unpleasant bathrooms to clean. I’m actually a little impressed by how much went wrong.

Ever have a day like this? I think I’ll move to Australia.

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