What’s your point?

Quick Question: What is the point of your novel or memoir?

 Well, it's about this woman whose adult children are fighting over–

 Nope, not the plot. The point.

 OK, it's about my year:

working at Planned Parenthood

watching nothing but The Real Housewives franchise

quarantining with my widowed father and the much-younger woman he married a year after my mother died

 Those are interesting scenarios, for sure, but they don't tell the point of your story.

 Jennie Nash, the founder of Author Accelerator, says that at its heart every book is an argument for something:

·      a belief system

·      a way of life

·      a vision of the future

·      a way to heal your soul

 If your novel or memoir idea is tugging at you, it's likely because you have something to say about friendship or family dynamics or fighting for the right to be heard.

 Your point is what readers will take away from your book. And your whole story drives toward that very point .

 Your point might sound like a cliché. Not to worry. There's an infinite number of stories that can be told with a similar point. And it means you're digging deep into something universal.

Some examples:

Anne Patchett's Tom Lake–Even those closest to us remain a mystery

Stephanie Land's Maid–Our government support systems are broken

Elizabeth Strout's My Name Is Lucy Barton–You can never fully escape your past

 Cheryl Strayed's Wild–The only way out is through

 Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games–Love will always triumph over evil

 JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings–Love will always triumph over evil

 See, even classics can have similar points!

Next Steps:

1.        Take three of your favorite books off of your shelf (or find them on your Kindle)

2.        Jot down what you think the point of each book might be.

 Now think about the book you're writing or want to write or think you might want to write.

Write down the point of your book. It may change as your write–or rewrite–but give it your best shot here:

The point of my novel/memoir is:

Of course knowing the point of your book is only one part of the story.

Working with a book coach is a great way to make sure your memoir or novel has all the elements to make it unputdownable.

Whether you have just the germ of an idea or are frustrated enough to push that third draft through the shredder, I can help you get–and keep–your manuscript on track.