Comments for Smita Jain's Weblog

Comment on Second Batch of Cover Designs by smitajain

smitajain — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:01:38 +0000

@Arjun, Animesh, Arati, thanks for your feedback. we’re working on another batch, keeping these suggestions in mind:-)

PS: It’s weird all of you are named starting with A.

Comment on Second Batch of Cover Designs by Arati

Arati — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:13:38 +0000

Hi Smita

I think 7 and 8 are going in the right direction, though there’s a ways to go yet.

Cheers
Arati Devasher

Comment on My Bestseller Story by smitajain

smitajain — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:25:23 +0000

@Sookie, of course, lots of things need to be figured out. How does the Earth play spoilsport? As for the alien invasion bit, the Earth as a player is adding the requisite sci-fi element. But, maybe you have something there with the hybrid theory. Me like. And no, Lychans are not werewolves. They are a different species.

And I’ve just been told Lychans are werewolves. I always thought they were different. Anyhow, minor glitch. We can always invent another species:-)

Comment on My Bestseller Story by Sookie

Sookie — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 03:07:51 +0000

This is awesome! Well the ending would depend on the type of deal you would cut out with publisher. You may withhold just one chapter which would turn the novel into a series or just a random one.
Amazing storyline of course. I feel like I watched at least six movies and reminisced about four scandals once I finished reading.

Also, you have left out alien invasion bit.
Maybe the girl is actually a alien-human hybrid who is born out of a test tube in a lab which conducts super secret top military experiments and during the run (or in sequel) she realizes her super powers and tries searching her roots while the aliens who live amongst them plan on taking over the world?

Sookie

PS: Just a doubt: Aren’t werewolves and Lychans same?

Comment on Sure fire ways to produce a bestseller by smitajain

smitajain — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:56:26 +0000

@Sookie, abracadabra! Blink and it’s here!

Comment on Sure fire ways to produce a bestseller by Sookie

Sookie — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:33:45 +0000

Smita!

Tomorrow came and went!
Your post is nowhere to be seen!

Sookie

Comment on Second Batch of Cover Designs by Animesh Raj

Animesh Raj — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:30:04 +0000

option 12!
looks trendy, is eye catching, bright and very inviting!

Comment on Sure fire ways to produce a bestseller by smitajain

smitajain — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:04:47 +0000

@Sookie, lol! About vampire novels, true, they’ve been around but none was the phenomenon that Twilight became. And you’re so right about characterisation / motivations etc. My publishers’ one directive to me always is: dumb it down. About the winning story idea, I’ll post it tomorrow. The post was getting too long.

Comment on Sure fire ways to produce a bestseller by Sookie

Sookie — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:59:09 +0000

Well Vampire based novels have been around for awhile now. There is “The Southern Vampire Mysteries” which is now turned to critically acclaimed HBO series (which you might want to watch ) and then “The Vampire Diaries” which is mother of Twilight in lameness. (Now they have a TV series too!)
But then again Southern Vampire…is not exactly a hit among young adults because it does not exactly evolve as a romantic novel. So there is your first risk.

I think the next risk would be complexity of the characters. Keep the characterization generic, make it as superficial as possible, you have already reduced second risk. (Going back to Twilight, in one page he wants to drink her blood and few pages later, they are declaring themselves. The transition between repulsion and attraction was completely lost on me.)

The third risk is, I guess, story line. Keep it simple and one that meets the expectation. (Boy meets girl, they like/hate each other, something goes wrong, they fight/go away/die/get together, things happen, they get back/go further away/reincarnate/patch up/move on/introduce new character, major twist, leave people hanging and pray that the author writes a sequel.)

The fourth risk is, target audience. Young adults. That’s the market. If not anything, you will find plenty of fan sites and discussion forum which automatically gives publicity to newer audience.

Do share what you think

Sookie

Comment on Second Batch of Cover Designs by arjun

arjun — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:52:36 +0000

After Sookie’s post, i think even i’d prefer option 11, though initially i thought it was a bit sleazy