Last weekend, at a gathering of 20 or so female, ivy league-educated 30-somethings, I was the odd man out – but not just because of my gender. I was the only person not reading Fifty Shades of Grey.
At any given moment, you might scan the periphery of the outdoor/communal area and see several people deeply engrossed in the novel. (Who has time for talking with old friends, anyway?) It got me thinking, and I wanted to know more: what was so riveting about this book, beyond the obvious? Fifty Shades readers rushed to defend their guiltiest pleasure:
“The guy emails back within 5 minutes and tells her she needs to eat more…it’s every woman’s fantasy.”
“The writing’s terrible, but the erotica is couched in a good story with believable character development.”
“It taps into common instincts/desires many women share, and gives us a way to explore that without the social stigma.”
While I don’t expect to be picking up a copy of Fifty Shades any time soon, I do find it valuable to engage with my peers on why the book compels them. It has had incredible mass appeal – reinforced by a hilarious feature on SNL this past weekend – and that’s because the author deeply understood her audience. Taking a closer look, what do we have to learn from E.L. James’ Fifty Shades goldmine?
-Rethink the genre. James thought carefully and strategically about what traditional elements of her genre were already in place.. How could those elements be tweaked, refined or elevated for a broader 21st century audience? How could the market be disrupted?
-Develop a convincing story skeleton/plot structure. Story matters, regardless of genre, and is the engine through which dramatic tension courses. So, the framework for the story must be believable in order for the tensions to surface (and for audiences to stay captivated). Frequently writers excel at this piece or characterization, but rarely both.
-Even heroes and heroines are flawed, and even heroes and heroines fail. The boldest, most convicted characters must still feel human, and face their own internal hang-ups and moments of indecision. How textured, balanced and real are the participants in your story?
-Know your audience. How well do you know your reader–what are their preconceptions and desires? What do they want and what do they expect?
Now, don’t go getting any ideas…erotica isn’t the best inspiration for your admissions materials. However, these are all great tools to consider when writing for an admissions audience, and an audience that has grown weary of reading ‘more of the same.’
So, when you sit down to pen your personal statement this year, make sure you consider your reader. Your submission – er, admission – depends on it.
Cheers,
Janson
Managing Editor
Ivy Eyes Editing
www.ivyeyesediting.com