The Invisible Promise
When we consume art, we take in a promise from the creator.
A thread buried below the ink and paint.
Not something obvious or overt, but rather a whisper of what it will be, if you just give it a little more time.
It’s an invisible promise.
As creators, we ask people to consume our art with the strong belief that doing so will change them for the better. It doesn’t matter if you have painted a mural 50 feet long or made the world’s tiniest sculpture. When they give us two minutes or two weeks for our creativity, they are leaning in and trusting us.
For writers, this promise feels bigger. The time commitment for books is large, and with our vision spelled out in literal black and white, readers are asking direct questions about our promise.
What kind of story is this and will I enjoy it like the author claims I will?
They want certainty your story will leave them with a specific feeling before committing hours to it. And I don’t blame them. In a world of fast fiction, there are a lot of writers focusing on quantity over quality. Often those authors haven’t paused long enough to 1: realize they’ve made invisible promises to their reader or 2: taken time to ensure they met those promises.
But our promises matter. And it’s our responsibility as creatives to think about it.
So what is it a reader looks for when they pick up your book? Well certainly they are asking themselves the basics like who is this character, where are they, and what are they doing, but it’s more than that.
Their subconscious is looking for that invisible promise.
1. Am I intrigued?
You can call your character whatever you want, give them whatever features you find adorable/ghastly/irritating/alarming, but who are they beyond that? What about them creates that bit of curiosity? Readers need to see your character is interesting enough to follow around and it’s our job to ensure they are the most intriguing person on the page.
2. How does the story make me feel?
This sits above your tropes, plot, and characters. It’s the feeling the reader will have, not only at the end of your book, but throughout the whole read. What does your story evoke? Is it invigorating as the police detective wanders through the dark house? Is it anticipation as the male lead takes one step closer without breaking eye contact? Or perhaps the hope of an alien race at battle for their home planet? That glimmer needs to be buried in page one, giving them a taste of what is to come.
3. What is the tone?
This is arguably the most important piece. And it’s not about the tone of your story.
It’s about your tone as an author.
If you don’t sound confident as a writer, the reader will sniff it out from a mile away. Of course every story starts with uncertainty. My draft zeros are a hot mess, littered with a half commitment to the idea. Still, as you work toward completion, the subtext of your story needs to be standing proud. Show your reader this is one worth finishing! That author confidence comes through a smattering of details in your writing, and when they combine, readers are left itching for more.
As writers, if you can’t identify the invisible promise, and feel it in your core, I can guarantee your reader won’t either. It wont matter if your story is good or bad, because they never gave it a chance.
This is why I’m teaching a mini master class on Openings That Hook. These questions are big. Questions that ebb and flow throughout the course of drafting. And they start on the first page. When that reader picks up your novel at a bookstore, and thumbs to the first page, they are deciding within a few hundred words if they will keep reading.
It’s one shot to really show them what you are made of.
We will dive deeper into this concept, breaking down the details that make great first pages work, and giving you tools to apply to your own work. And the best part? After you revise, you can send me your first page for editorial feedback! My hope is you will walk away feeling confident in your invisible promise.
This class is in person on April 12th from 4:30-5:30 pm. You can also turn it into the perfect writing date, by coming at 3:30 for writer’s group and staying for the class. If you would like to sign up, you can reserve your spot here.
As you move through your week, think about what invisible promises your creative work makes. It’s in everything, from how we design our home to how we serve our dinners. So what is that feeling behind what you create? What is it saying? Does it differ from project to project or feel like a through line in your creations?
I’d love to hear about it, so please drop me a comment or reply so we can chat.
Speak soon and keep on creating,
How my creativity looks this week: I have been volleying between drafting and research this week for my next novel. One of my main characters isn’t as clear in my mind as I’d like, so I’ve giving him space to come alive.
Where I’m seeing the muse: Formula 1 racing. I’ve always found the way in which these cars are built and the team dynamics fascinating, but the biggest plot twist is my daughter has found it (and Lewis Hamilton) very inspiring. We have been diving in as a family learning more, and it has been so cool watch her come alive talking about it.
A Creative Reminder from King of Swords. Show up with honesty at the forefront. Focus your creative efforts around the clarity that honesty brings. Your vantage point allows you to see how your past and present worked together to get you to this moment. And your strategy and intuitive knowing will get you where you want to be.
What a fantastic idea for a mini class! If I was a true writer, I would be there in a heartbeat.