Hooks don't need mythology

[Cli-Fi]

It took me a long time to understand this so hopefully it helps other people out. As my profile name suggests I read a lot of books that are layered in mythology or have weirdo climatic or religious events that just so happens to shake the world or brings the main characters together.

Usually when I read book summaries about these novels, they start with describing said event. EX: The rapture happens, or yellowstone blows up, or asteroid strikes etc and then it goes deep into the characters and what happens in the story.

I always am on this mindset that a story needs a hook like that in order to grab people's attention and in my particular case my WIP did in fact evolve out of a simple idea like it. However, no earth shattering event caused these characters to come together. My WIP is a pure revenge story with lots of mythology, but the way I've been pitching it to people, I leave most if not all of it out.

I've found that all the mythology honestly gets in the way and is not needed to tell people what the story is about. I got tired of explaining to others how the world I came up with works, because honestly it's meticulously explained in pages and pages. At this point I'll just tell them to read the dang book if you want. Has anyone else experienced this while writing their WIPs and explaining it to people?

 

[Phyrebrat]

I think you've just outlined a good example of realising what to cut. Often, the personal, character-side of the story is the hook and if people get on with that, you're singing.

'Following [an extinction level event]...' is all you need to tell people if they ask, but if the prose bears this out, then they'll be fine as you say. And don't forget beta and crit comments which should highlight any shortcomings in that regard.

In TV land, Rick Grimes wakes up after the Zompocalypse in The Walking Dead; The Twelve Colonies are already destroyed in the BSG pilot; and when we first saw Star Wars, the Empire's tyranny was already well entrenched. In literature, there are countless examples of the big event being played offstage, or having already happened. How did Samuel Beckett's nihilistic 'society' in Endgame come about? We're dropped in.

Funnily enough when interested parties asked me about my novel, I used to trip over explaining it. Now I just say 'It's a haunted house story set over 1000 years, dealing with appropriation, Religion, racism and the different things people put value in.'

Incidentally, How does cli-fi relate to myths? I can't work it out; just thought your screen name meant you're called Clive and you loved SF.

pH

 

[Cli-Fi]

I think you've just outlined a good example of realising what to cut. Often, the personal, character-side of the story is the hook and if people get on with that, you're singing.

1. We're dropped in.

2. Funnily enough when interested parties asked me about my novel, I used to trip over explaining it. Now I just say 'It's a haunted house story set over 1000 years, dealing with appropriation, Religion, racism and the different things people put value in.'

3. Incidentally, How does cli-fi relate to myths? I can't work it out; just thought your screen name meant you're called Clive and you loved SF.

pH

1. Funnily enough I just drop people into sort of the beginning of mine even though there is established mythos and everything out there. It's only what the character experience themselves that's truly important to the story. You can have a lot of other people going on other adventures in my world.

2. I don't even say that. That's too much for me, because this is a brand new high concept world with a bunch of original ideas. I would have to explain how random systems or policies work just to get people to understand the stakes. On the other hand, just saying Time Travel story takes away from all the mythology I put into it. So I'd rather focus on the characters.

Basic summary: A cop becomes an unwilling participant in a cosmic battle between two distraught time travelers.

3. Nope my name is John. Cli-fi is a short-hand I came up with to describe climate fiction. One of my favorite genres. So asteroids, earthquakes etc... Oddly enough the WIP doesn't include climate fiction, and only one natural disaster is ever mentioned.

 

[Dan Jones]

Climate fiction. Love it!

Ph, I'm sort of in the same position with my WIP. It's set about 150 years after a "Digital Extinction" event called The Crash. The reader is just dropped into the story, with references every now and then to said event. I have been mulling over whether to extrapolate the origins of the crash (I have one up my sleeve that fits, it wouldn't simply be shoehorning it it), but am wondering if it's necessary.

I think the answer will be to finish the book and see whether the explanation is needed. If it's not, I'm minded to omit it. Any world building not linked to plot can be burdensome for the reader.

 

[tinkerdan]

This might help::
5 High Concept Requirements Defined Once and For All
::I hate buzzwords like high-concept and don't necessarily espouse their helpfulness; however it might help in this case.

When people ask you about the story; they want you to pitch it to them and that works with high-concept.
The problem in that is not all novels or stories adhere to high-concept so it might take creativity to get it there.

Using my own terms::

This could contain some standard trope as the idea; but should also have some twist that makes it different and that's the pitch.

But it should further contain elements in the description that would have mass appeal and it this instance might be your Pitch-hook.

Then the story that makes the book unique and even possibly a description that might tie it closely to a specific genre. This might be your actual hook.

This is what I try to answer when people ask; however if the Pitch and the Pitch-hook don't really exist you might have to be creative and very brief and get right to the real hook as quickly as possible.

ie::
This is a story about Time Travel, everyone can do it just like everyone can board airplanes and fly. Just like flying Time Travel has it's own TSA keeping things under control. However there are some specials who manage to work outside those laws.

The story is about one of these outsiders who finds himself being pursued by those in authority who wish to control him and anyone like him because they pose a threat to the whole structure of the Time Travel industry. However their agenda goes far beyond protecting the industry and he has to remain free from them or everyone will suffer.

I really like that, even though it is lengthy. If I want the mythology in there I have to explain a lot before even getting to the characters. I have always struggled with the mythological stakes of this story due to it's scope.

It can and should be shorter.

Just like airflight, Time Travel is regulated by it's own TSA; however some specials manage to work outside the laws.

 

[Cli-Fi]

This is a story about Time Travel, everyone can do it just like everyone can board airplanes and fly. Just like flying Time Travel has it's own TSA keeping things under control. However there are some specials who manage to work outside those laws.

I really like that, even though it is lengthy. If I want the mythology in there I have to explain a lot before even getting to the characters. I have always struggled with the mythological stakes of this story due to it's scope.

 

[Cli-Fi]

Climate fiction. Love it!

Ph, I'm sort of in the same position with my WIP. It's set about 150 years after a "Digital Extinction" event called The Crash. The reader is just dropped into the story, with references every now and then to said event. I have been mulling over whether to extrapolate the origins of the crash (I have one up my sleeve that fits, it wouldn't simply be shoehorning it it), but am wondering if it's necessary.

I think the answer will be to finish the book and see whether the explanation is needed. If it's not, I'm minded to omit it. Any world building not linked to plot can be burdensome for the reader.

Sounds like another story idea I had, but yes as always finishing the book helps. I'm not finished but after ten years of working on it, I have a pretty good idea where it's going and how it ends

 

[Cli-Fi]

Just like airflight, Time Travel is regulated by it's own TSA; however some specials manage to work outside the laws.

In the novel I have the "TSA" as the Holy Temporal Council. Yes, there are huge religious undertones in this story. They regulate because up to this point time travel was considered rare mythical and only accessible to the few. People were aware of its existence, but nobody really believed those guys until my main character proves it on TV. Even that is too much explanation for the hook, so I probably won't even mention the HTC, as it requires too much explanation for a hook.

 

[Martin Gill]

It's set about 150 years after a "Digital Extinction" event called The Crash.

Ironically what I'm working through to see if I have a full plot right now is a chain of events that leads to a digital apocalypse