Aristotle for Novelists, And A Strategy For Selling More Books With Douglas Vigliotti
Feb 3, 2025
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Douglas Vigliotti, an author and poet known for his latest book, *Aristotle for Novelists*, shares fascinating insights on the power of storytelling. He emphasizes that story trumps writing and explores how to craft engaging characters. The conversation touches on the importance of creating compelling complications that keep readers hooked and the intricate balance between creativity and commerce. Vigliotti also discusses authentic marketing strategies that resonate with audiences, shedding light on connecting deeply with readers.
Creating relatable characters hinges on four elements: goodness, appropriateness, relatability, and consistency, which resonate with readers effectively.
Prioritizing story over writing is fundamental, as strong storytelling forms the backbone of engaging narratives that attract audiences.
Understanding sales principles helps authors connect authentically with readers, emphasizing brand building through consistent online interactions and genuine connections.
Deep dives
Character Resonance in Storytelling
Creating characters that resonate with readers involves focusing on four essential elements: goodness, appropriateness, relatability, and consistency. Goodness refers to the quality of a character's choices, ensuring they align with moral standards. Appropriateness is about making sure characters act true to their inherent nature, while relatability hinges on their imperfections, which ultimately make them more human and relatable to readers. Consistency is crucial, even if a character is inconsistent, as it ensures that their actions align with their established traits, allowing readers to trust their development throughout the story.
The Power of Story Over Writing
The distinction between story and writing is fundamental; story is governed by principles while writing is shaped by style. It is essential to prioritize story elements, as they form the foundation of engaging narratives that attract readers. Great prose does not necessarily equate to strong storytelling, as effective storytelling can transcend genres and mediums, allowing a narrative to shine regardless of how it’s conveyed. Writers should focus on the structural components of their stories while refining their writing style through practice and time.
Complication and Resolution in Novels
A successful novel contains a complication and a resolution that engage readers throughout the plot. Complications introduce conflicts and challenges that characters must navigate, while resolutions provide a satisfying conclusion to those challenges. The ability to unravel a story's complications effectively is what distinguishes skilled writers, as they must maintain believability and cohesion in their plots. Avoiding deus ex machina solutions is crucial, as resolutions should stem organically from the narrative established earlier in the story.
Marketing for Authors: A Sales Framework
Authors can benefit tremendously from understanding sales principles when marketing their books, emphasizing the importance of helping potential readers find what they already desire. Key value drivers include time, ease, status, and money, which influence how effectively readers may engage with a book. To create a personal connection, authors must build their brands through consistent online interactions, such as blogging or podcasting, thereby fostering trust and familiarity with their audience. By recognizing that readers want genuine connections with the creators behind the works they consume, authors can leverage their individual narratives to promote their books.
Effective Podcast Pitching Strategies
Successful podcast pitches are concise, straightforward, and benefit-focused, allowing hosts to quickly understand the value of having a guest on their show. Crafting short emails that get directly to the point increases the likelihood that the host will engage with the content, ensuring that authors articulate why their presence on the podcast can provide value to listeners. Authors should remember to frame their pitches around the benefits for the podcast host rather than merely promoting their own books, creating a win-win scenario. Ultimately, aiming for brevity and clarity in communication helps authors stand out in a crowded podcasting landscape.
Why is ‘story' more important than ‘writing'? How can you write characters that engage the reader? And how can you sell more books by connecting authentically? Douglas Vigliotti shares his tips. In the intro, Bookshop.org will start selling ebooks [TechCrunch]; LinkedIn for Book Promotion [ALLi]; The Money Making Expert, branding and marketing [DOAC]; 24 Assets – […]
