Writers in the Storm

by Mara Purl

“There’s no such thing as Men’s Fiction.” This was Andrew Klavan’s immediate response to my question about whether he’d want to debate this issue at the then-upcoming 2008 Ventura Book Festival.

More recently, fellow authors and readers alike have expressed surprise, saying they didn’t know Men’s Fiction was “a thing.” Is it? It seems to me, it’s been hiding in plain sight all along.

Good or Bad Fiction?

“Fiction” used to be the comprehensive name for all books that a weren't non-fiction.

I remember a conversation with my father, an omnivorous reader. I described some of the sub-genres that were emerging at the time: mystery, thriller, romance, and several others. He pondered this for a moment then remarked, "But is it good fiction or bad fiction? That's the only thing that matters."

From his perspective, it seemed simple. But that was before books could be digitally delivered with technology that opened both new possibilities and fresh responsibilities.

24/7 Access to Every Genre

The digitization of cultural works, namely books, began in the 1970s. Flash forward to the early 2000s, which is when universities began opting in to Google’s Book Search project.

Note: This was a project against which the Author’s Guild filed a lawsuit in 2005 because authors had not given their permission for their works to be searched, and this project was thus (the first of many) copy infringments.

That kind of search referred to interior content. Meanwhile the ability to search for books by title and theme was greatly enhanced. Customers looking only for a particular type of book could begin to find it through brand new search functions. And search they did, creating the requirement on the part of publishers to label their books not only by genre, but by sub-genre.

Of course, there had always been mysteries and thrillers, romances and family sagas. But now, one didn't have to walk through bookstores or investigate library shelves to find them. Now one could search them out at home, and a few years later, from anywhere on a smart phone.

Part of Why “Women’s Fiction” Developed

In this vast pantheon of available titles, most were written by and for men. Eventually those written by and for women were labeled as such. But since all other fiction was essentially men's fiction, labeling it would be like putting up planet-wide signs to say oxygen was in the air. Men's fiction was that omnipresent and we didn't need to be reminded.

Then things changed. The sheer volume of female readers became a significant factor.

Surveys over the past decade indicate that while about 35 percent of readers are men, approximately 50 percent of readers are women.

Though they, like male readers, read just as omnivorously as those of previous generations, they also expect delivery of curated content to their shelves and devices.

Women’s Fiction Tests

In the 1985 comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, cartoonist Allison Bechdel created an episode called “The Rule.” She attributes the idea to her friend Liz Wallace. The Bechdel-Wallace Test measures the inclusion and representation of women in works of fiction. The work can be listed as Women’s Fiction if it has: 1) at least two women; 2) who talk to each other; 3) about something other than men.

This test inspired two others.

• The Mako Mori is a test about female characters having their own narrative arc
• The Finkbeiner is a test about the portrayal of women in science.

During that initial debate, perhaps Andrew Klavan and I created the first Men’s Fiction test.

Book Festivals & Breakthroughs

Back in the day, authors in SoCal (Southern California) could take advantage of a built-in tour of book festivals each autumn. Panels, presentations, readings and signings were held for about three weeks each Fall, from Ventura to San Luis Obispo.

As I prepared for the Ventura Book Festival that year, I read about fellow presenter Andrew, author of thirty-plus crime novels, several screenplays, a memoir, and more. Impressed with his writing, and figuring it to be about as different from mine as could be, I wanted to do a deep dive into what exactly made our genres so distinct from one another.

So I called him. You saw his response at the top of this post. My response to his comment was, “There is Men’s Fiction if there’s Women’s Fiction.”

Note: you might enjoy reading my earlier post on Women’s Fiction. As noted there, in today’s parlance, this is fiction written about women.

We could thus assume that Men’s Fiction is written about men. This is, of course, an over simplification. It’d be more accurate to say that Men’s Fiction is aimed at the traditional male audience.

Andrew immediately agreed to the debate. Not only did we have a blast; the room where our session was held filled to the maximum and we had our audience engaged from start to finish, as evidenced by the nodding heads, the laughter, and the applause.

Okay, so we were onto something. But what?

It’s not Two Buckets

In our discussion, we quickly realized we weren’t talking about two buckets. Rather, we discovered these descriptors exist at the two ends of a scale, and we started to identify some markers along its length.  

1. Velocity

Men’s fiction tends to move fast; women’s fiction lingers. If you’re in the mood for a fast-paced page-turner, you could race around Rome with Dan Brown in The DaVinci Code. But if you want to slow down, you could delve into Victoriana with Anne Perry’s richly detailed view of London in her Thomas Pitt mysteries.

2. Detailed Descriptions

My favorite way to explain this is by asking you to imagine a dinner scene.

If you’re reading Men’s Fiction, the man walks in, glances around the restaurant, chooses a seat where his back is not exposed, and he can see the front door. He orders a steak and takes the measure of the people in the room, vigilant throughout his meal.

If you’re reading Women’s Fiction, the woman walks in, takes a moment to assess the decor. We see the color of the tablecloths, the type of floral arrangements on the tables, the view out the window, the aromas filling the room. We note how short the servers’ skirts are (if they’re female), the level of manners as she’s being served, the volume of conversations, the type of music being played through the speakers.

3. Wardrobe

In Men’s Fiction, the protagonist wears a shirt, pants, and a jacket. Enough said. Clothing on the females in most scenes is only mentioned if she’s in a sexy dress, spaghetti straps, or short skirt that climbs her thighs as she sits, or drifts upward in a breeze.

In Women’s Fiction, the main character chooses what to wear according to her next activity? Let’s say she dons a tailored suit, silk blouse, sleek heels, and stylish purse. She smooths her hair and captures it in a French twist, checks her makeup, and makes sure to take a coat if it’s chilly.

The important “secret code”

“Why do I have to know all that?” my husband asked while we discussed the upcoming debate.

“Because it’s code,” I explained. “My readers are mostly women. When they read that description, they get that the woman is living in a city, is a professional, is experienced enough to have been working for at least a few years, and takes her career seriously. Since I’ve said it with the wardrobe, I don’t have to say it again when I describe the character.”

A secret code? Yes! And really, not so secret. Something else that hides in plain sight.

4. Feelings

It will come as no surprise that Women’s Fiction lingers over something else too: how the characters feel. When Dan Brown’s main character is racing around Rome, there are no breaks in the action. That’s the point. And it’s great fun for the reader to do his or her best to keep up.

But when Robyn Carr’s protagonist finds herself in the presence of a certain man, she pauses to consider her feelings. What’s triggering her reaction? Is she haunted by a previous encounter? Is she confronted by something she’s never felt before? Why has her pulse sped up? Is he standing too close? Though the “action” may have stopped, the story is actually ramping up. Not only do we get her feelings, as the story continues we also get her take on other characters’ feelings, and how it might be driving them.

In Men’s Fiction, the feelings, whatever they might be, tend to be revealed by the action. My mentor and friend Louis L’Amour would show his cowboy “lighting a shuck” and racing across the landscape to head the bad guy off at the pass. He didn’t describe the man’s feelings; he showed the strength of those feelings through the action. That works! It’s just a different way of telling the story.

5. Interior Dialogue

The breakthrough that allowed readers inside the thoughts of a female protagonist was created by Jane Austen.

Until then, Regency fiction tended to place nicely dressed characters onto the chess boards of their rigorously mannered society. We saw their expectations and manipulations. But when we meet Elizabeth, she reveals her innermost misgivings about this life that’s so restrictive. We see and feel her pride and her prejudice through her actions and her dialogue.

Now, the interior mindscape of characters is a key part of Women’s Fiction and is virtually unthinkable without.

Text & Cover Styles

As these respective genres were increasingly honed in the sometimes awkward collaboration amongst authors, publishers, and readers, the interiors and exteriors of books shifted to show their respective “codes.”

In bookstores, and on Amazon category pages, specific colors became prevalent: for Men’s Fiction, red and black; for Women’s Fiction, pastels. There is much more to the art and science of cover design, but that’s a separate conversation.

Meanwhile the page length, plot points, story arcs, pacing, sentence length, vocabulary all also became codified to match their respective genres. Plenty of authors break these rules. Yet many also work hard to deliver within the recommended framework.

Why is it so important to clearly define genre?

Because of all the goals authors try to achieve, perhaps there’s one that’s most important. Our readers are counting on us to deliver what we say we’ll deliver. If we say it’s a work of literary fiction, then it needs to be; if it’s Men’s Fiction, it better have those taut, muscular elements; if it’s Women’s Fiction, you can count on us to deliver multiple layers of thoughts, relationships, and feelings.

As an author, you make sure your readers can count on you. What do you make sure you deliver? Do these elements it fit within the genre for which your books are coded? Do you feel your writing enhances your genre? We'd love to hear your answers down in the comments!

About Mara

Mara Purl is the best-selling author of the Milford-Haven Novels & Novellas a series of Women's Fiction books which have won 75-plus book awards, appeared on multiple best-seller lists, and are based on her hit Milford-Haven, U.S.A., with 4.5 million listeners on BBC Radio. Mara wrote for the A.P., the Financial Times of London, and Rolling Stone among many others. As an actress, Mara is best known from Days Of Our Lives and she's a frequent speaker and presenter at local and national book events, has served on the boards of author and publishing organizations for 25 years, and has taught writing and literacy programs in Colorado, California, Alaska, and Japan.

You can find out more about her at marapurl.com

Blog images were purchased from depositphotos.com

by Becca Puglisi

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about character chemistry—that spark, bond, or shared connection we often associate with strong and compelling romantic relationships. 

But chemistry shouldn’t be limited to love interests. Frodo and Sam, Thelma and Louise, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader…some of the most memorable relationships in fiction had nothing to do with physical attraction. If we can bring chemistry into the protagonist’s friendships, rivalries, or even mentor/protégé and adversarial relationships, the characters and dynamics will come alive for readers.

So I’d like to share six tips for creating that oomph between characters in any genre. 

1. Make the Characters Clash

Tension—the reader’s emotional response to what’s happening with the character—is a key element of chemistry and can be generated through conflict, suspense, uncertainty, and anticipation. When we examine tension within the context of relationships, it often arises through the interplay between the characters.

Even positive and symbiotic relationships need tension to keep them moving. So give the characters opposing traits—impulsive vs. cautious, logical vs. intuitive, tolerant vs. inflexible—to create that sense of strain. Maybe they have conflicting goals, or they’re pursuing the same objective but for different reasons. Are they opposed when it comes to certain questions of morality or ethics? Differences create friction, and friction creates interest. So make sure your characters challenge each other simply by being true to themselves.

2. Let Them See Each Other Clearly

Everyone wants to be seen; it’s something we look for in our real-world relationships, so adding that element to a fictional dynamic can give it an extra dose of authenticity. Maybe one character sees something in the other that most people miss: an undervalued strength or how they’re uniquely different. Maybe the character sees a friend’s flaws and weaknesses and are able to call those out in a way that’s challenging rather than critical. This depth of knowing each other speaks to a deeper kind of relationship that most readers appreciate and will respond to.

3. Don’t Forget the Subtext

I recently rewatched the TV show Lie to Me, and in the first episode, the protagonist claims that people on average lie three times per hour. I don’t know if that’s true, but it feels true. Whether we’re lying outright or covertly being deceptive (leaving out details, pretending to feel something we don’t, etc.), no one is completely honest all the time. 

Authentic characters hide things: their true feelings or opinions, what they really want, their insecurities and fears—even from the people they love and trust. So a character’s surface-level interactions (their words, choices, and behaviors) contradict what’s really going on inside (visceral responses, thoughts, and emotions). That subtext charges the energy in the relationship, making it crackle. 

This kind of chemistry is compelling to readers because it adds a sense of realism to the relationship. It also creates intrigue as the reader sees everything isn’t as it seems, and they start paying closer attention to figure out what’s happening under the surface.

4. Create Shared History or Inside Moments

Chemistry builds on shared experiences—good and bad. When you’re creating characters and their important relationships, add in backstory events that reveal a bond. When they reference those touchpoints, it reveals a depth to their relationship. If the characters are just getting to know each other and don’t yet have a history, create bonding moments—even something small, like a shared joke or win—to start building that depth early.

5. Make the Relationship Interesting

Chemistry is anything but boring, so it’s hard to find it between boring, predictable, or clichéd characters. What can you add to the relationship to make it unusual or interesting? 

• As discussed, make the characters clash through opposing traits, goals, or morality. 
• Unify them in a difficult objective. 
• Make the pairing itself unusual, as in the case of a high school chemistry teacher and his student joining forces to make meth.
• Give them a powerful joint enemy in the form of an individual, organization, a natural or supernatural force, or even the society or culture they live in.
• Add mystery. One of my favorite pairings in all of fiction is the one between Scout Finch and Boo Radley. Their relationship teems with chemistry despite them not talking or officially meeting until the very end. They were separated for most of the story, but the tension, energy, and spark were there because of the mystery surrounding Boo Radley.

Relationships are only as engaging as the characters who embody them, so invest ample time and energy in the character creation process to be sure you’re building a unique and authentic cast that readers will find interesting.

6. Ebb and Flow

Chemistry is very much about shifts and changes. A relationship where both parties are content and comfortable and everything stays the same will read as flat. One way to address this is to map out the relationship arc—all the characters’ interactions—throughout the story. Mark those events with a + or – sign to indicate strengthening (increased admiration, proven trust, bonding through adversity) or a decline (increased distance, an argument, loyalty being questioned). If you don’t see changes (if the relationship is mostly flat) add moments that create movement. This will keep it from stagnating, giving the relationship a sense of flow and evolution.

Basically, chemistry emerges not only from what the characters say and do, but through how they engage with each other. Big moments have big impact, but you can only have so many of those in a story. Capitalize on the small things that can bring about friction, camaraderie, subtext, and uncertainty in the relationship, and readers will be drawn in.

About Becca

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and other resources for writers. Her books have sold over 1 million copies and are available in multiple languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online resource for authors that's home to the Character Builder and Storyteller's Roadmap tools.

Image Credits

Top image by TréVoy Kelly from Pixabay

Second image by Krzysztof from Pixabay

by Jenny Hansen

My day job involves helping businesses clearly define their brand, so they can turn their stories into money and clients. And do you want to know the most common request people approach me with? "Can you help with my marketing?" *shakes head* This is a common thread among businesspeople AND authors.

Branding and marketing are two very different things, and yet I see people mix them up all the time. Even worse, they try to put the least important of the two at the front of the line.

Before we dive into the "what, how, and why" of a strong author brand, here's a quick overview of the difference between branding and marketing.

Branding vs Marketing in a Nutshell

Branding is the foundation of your entire author platform, and marketing is the series of actions you take to express that brand. Let's break that down.

• Branding is the Why
• Marketing is the How
• Branding = Perception and Connection
• Marketing = Visibility and Conversion

The biggest takeaway for this post...

Until you clearly define your brand, your marketing won't work.

Why? Because your branding is "Who you are." Your marketing is just how you show up (e.g. social media or your newsletter). Your brand is the emotional imprint you leave on your readers. It is your identity. It's your VIBE.

Besides your actual writing, building a strong brand is the most important thing you can do for yourself as an author.

Branding is the foundation of everything else. Everything. Without a strong brand, your marketing will just sound like a bunch of noise with no purpose except "please please please buy my book."

Branding includes:

• Your voice and tone
• Your values and mission
• Your visual identity (logo, colors, design)
• Your personal story
• The emotional promise you make to your audience (aka readers)

Branding answers the question: “What do you want people to think, feel, and say about you and your books?”

The greatest strategic creative in America

The greatest strategic creative of our time (IMHO) is Dolly Parton. She's not just a singer, she's an icon. Her fans have followed her across musical genres, watched her movies, stayed in her hotels, and visited her theme park. And do you know why? She is a strategic branding guru with a clearly defined philosophy, which is...

"Find out who you are, and do it on purpose."

That's her superpower in a nutshell. Across all of her endeavors, Dolly is true to both herself and her brand.

Dolly Parton's brand:

• Her voice and tone: country, unpretentious, kind, resilient
• Her values and mission: she cares...about Tennessee (she and Dollywood donated close to $3M for Hurricane Helene victims/cleanup), about reading (she founded the Imagination Library in 1995), about health (she donated $1M to Covid research at Vanderbilt University)
• Her visual identity: big hair, bold colors (especially pink), confident femininity, glamor, sparkle, and country charm
• Her personal story: she grew up in a big Tennessee mountain family in deep poverty, before building her career in Nashville and beyond
• The emotional promise she makes to her audience: You can shine bright, lead with kindness, and rise above life's challenges with grace and grit.

Here's a timeline of Dolly Parton's good deeds, if you're interested. (Clearly, I'm a fan.)

Figuring Out Your Own Brand is a Process

Have you ever heard the following African proverb?

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

This applies to branding in a major way, because most of us can't see ourselves clearly. An example we've probably all experienced:

You know how your author friends can sell your stories effortlessly? Someone asks what you write, and your brain freezes for a moment. Typically, your friend will slide right into describing the best parts of you and your story. Meanwhile, you might be fumbling around for that elevator pitch you imprinted on your memory, so you'd be ready for this exact moment.

We can all define someone else far more easily than we can ourselves. This applies to so many authorly things: bios, blurbs, and (you guessed it!) branding.

Below are a few "how to's" to help you dive into the heart of your own brand.

Step 1: Enlist some help!

Before you give yourself anxiety trying to do all this branding business yourself, plan to enlist some help. Below are a few exercises for you to try out with other people.

If you're already established:

Established Authors, your best resource is your superfans. There are reasons why people are buying your books, joining your street team, or adding you to their auto-buy list. Find out what those reasons are!

Here's how you do it:

1. Go to your Facebook group, newsletter, or wherever you connect with your fans.
2. Tell them you are doing some research about your author brand, and you need their help. Ask any who are interested to send you a direct personal message.
3. Schedule a phone or video call with them (20-30 minutes should be more than enough time).
4. I highly recommend you offer them a free book after they've answered the bulleted questions below.

Your questions:

• Why do you like my books?
• Why do you like them really? (The use of "really" provokes a more thoughtful response.)
• Which of my books do you like the best, and why?
• What made you join my (fill in the blank for whatever they opted into)?
• What has made you stay in my (fill in the blank)?
• Is there anything you'd love me to do more of?

Some people really DON'T feel they can do the interview. While I recommend that you DO, it's counterproductive to force things. Just ask a variation of the questions above (only one, so people are more likely to answer), as a Facebook post. You won't get the value you'd get with the process I recommend above, but you'll at least get a tiny sliver of it.

If you're trying to become established:

You will have to research differently than someone who's already well-established. In many ways, you have the advantage here because you're doing this research before you publish.

Here's what I recommend:

1. Find established authors who are similar to you in multiple ways (ex: genre, story themes, personality, settings, background).
2. Pick two or more authors and study their brand. Minutely! (Websites, social profiles/conversations, Amazon pages, book covers, articles...all fair game.)
3. Define each author's brand using the bullet points in the "biggest takeaway" section above.
4. List how you and that author are most alike and most un-alike.
5. Pick and choose elements of each author's branding that "feel like you" and re-write them for yourself. Make a few versions of this.
6. Give those versions to several different kinds of people who know you well. (ex: family, colleague, friend, fellow writer)
   • Ask them to list up to 5 adjectives/qualities that describe you.
   • Ask them which bullet point list sounds closest to describing you.
   • Ask them to tell you which individual points "don't sound a thing like you" (and why).
   • Ask them whether there is something they feel you should add or take away from the lists you compiled (and why).

Step 2: Make several drafts.

No matter which of the above categories you're in, you've just done a heck of a lot of detective work trying to figure out your brand. It's a bit overwhelming to do all that research on yourself. Take a minute to sit with it before you do anything with what you've learned.

Note: The majority of authors are introverts. If that describes you, then all that people-ing has earned you an intermission!

Maybe go put your feet up, and sip on the beverage of your choice.

When you're ready...

Sift through everyone's answers for the things you didn't expect, or comments that don't fit how you thought about yourself. Those are some of your biggest clues on where to focus your brand strategy. Because, again, we rarely see ourselves clearly. Those people you interviewed didn't just give you their time, they gave you the gift of insight.

Remember: "Branding is what people say about you when you're not in the room." It's almost impossible to figure out your strongest author brand without some help.

The Why of Your Author Brand

We've talked a bit about how to figure out your author brand, and what defines that brand. But why is it so important for us to do this?

Your brand is what builds recognition, loyalty, and trust.

Without those three emotions, no one will be moved to spend time or money on your stories. Marketing is largely a waste of your time and money if you don't build it around a strong, consistent author brand.

Taking the time and energy to build that brand thoughtfully is a love letter to your readers.

Put the best of you in your branding.

Your brand needs to reflect YOU.

For example, if you love sewing, small towns, animals, military, libraries, scuba diving, gardening, the beach, or something else, that thing you love will absolutely be in your books. The more specific the thing you love, the more "your kind of people" will be drawn to you (and your books).

Don't be afraid to be specific.

You don't need a gajillion fans to earn a living. A thousand or more will make a significant impact on your bank account. Start by building a brand that attracts the first hundred, and expand from there.

Why must you include what you love in your branding?

Including what you love will make you happier as an author. Don't brand with "what you think will get you readers," brand with a vibe that is pure you. Plus, branding with the things you love means that there are tax write-offs for the smart authorpreneur. Those things you love become "research" and "marketing expenses."

Some examples:

I know an author who loves chocolate and travel, and has incorporated both into her newsletter and giveaways. Plus, she holds a few travel events every year. Just imagine being paid to travel by taking some superfans along!

Another author loves small towns and cooking. She makes videos of herself cooking and creating recipes. She also gives recipes away in her newsletter. Guess what is a write-off for her? Her newsletter software, any ingredients or cooking supplies she uses in her videos, and any branding elements she created as background for those videos.

Still another author friend is into all things gothic. She really adores black, purple, moonlight, and wine. Her books are paranormal romance (vampires), and her Amazon pages and book covers are very distinct with those four elements. She is her brand, and her brand is her.

A thriller author who contributes here at WITS has done police ride-alongs and courses on all sorts of badassery that she uses in her novels. Every bit of that is a tax write-off and it is all incorporated in her brand.

Note: Bestselling authors usually have someone branding for them. For our purposes, they don't count. We are looking for ways that newer or midlist authors can use branding to build strong brands that can grow with them and make them happy.

Final Thought

I'll say it once again: Branding is not marketing.

Branding is what authorpreneurs need to do BEFORE they start marketing. Like historical authors whose research informs the direction of their story, branding will point you to the marketing efforts are a great fit for you.

If you've never put thought into this, then today is a great day to start. Conversely, if you've branded something that doesn't feel authentic to you, today is a great day to begin giving your current brand a glow-up.

The more thought you put into your brand, the farther it will take you, and the more your marketing efforts will build into sales.

Have you worked on your author brand? If not, what's stopping you? Are you willing to share your brand, and why you chose it, down in the comments? I'm happy to brainstorm and talk branding with you!

About Jenny

By day, Jenny Hansen provides brand storytelling, LinkedIn coaching, and copywriting for accountants and financial services firms. By night, she writes humor, memoir, women’s fiction, and short stories. After 20+ years as a corporate trainer, she’s delighted to sit down while she works.

Find Jenny here at Writers In the Storm, or online on Facebook or Instagram.

Top photo created in Canva. Dolly Parton photo from Flickr, CC License 2.0.