Ask a Published Author: "How do you keep from being cliché?"

Susan Dennard  is a writer turned marine biologist turned writer again.  Something Strange and Deadly  is the first in a Gothic trilogy, and the sequel,  A Darkness Strange and Lovely ,  has just released. She shares with her heroine Eleanor a healthy appetite for baked goods.

I want to publish my first fantasy novel to Kindle after I revise it, but I had some people tell me it wasn’t “unique enough" after I asked for an excerpt critique. But then others think it sounds awesome. So my question is, how much do you have to worry about being “cliché"? Should I just risk it and see, or try a different idea? —Anonymous

Yes, uniqueness is very important to writing a sellable novel, but oftentimes what makes a book feel unique is the writer’s voice and particular storytelling style. There are thousands upon thousands of epic fantasies or cozy mysteries out there, yet what makes each feel different is the author’s approach. Only you can write your story in your particular way, and that might very well be enough to make the premise not cliché.

That said, I am an author who firmly believes that every book should be thoroughly critiqued and edited by external eyes—no matter what publishing route you opt to take. You should draft your novel, revise it until you are sick of it, and then let your critique partner(s) read it. They can help you spot areas that feel cliché as well as problems with plot, character, pacing, etc. If you don’t yet have a critique partner, I’ll direct you here and here for help on finding one. (NaNo HQ: And you can always check out our Critiques, Feedback & Novel Swaps forum!)

I honestly urge you to avoid publishing something to Kindle without also finding a professional editor—or at the very least, a slew of very thorough, very experienced critique partners. Perhaps you are already planning to do this, but I just wanted to mention it.

These days, the successfully self-published follow all the steps a traditional publisher would take: multiple rounds of professional editing, copy-editing, professional design & production, etc. As writers, we are simply too close to our own writing to properly spot errors and issues, and that’s why external, objective feedback is crucial to getting our best possible work out there.

Happy writing!