In search of a hook for my second book
What does 'high concept' even mean?
When I worked with my (amazing) book coach
back in 2021 on the very first draft of It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas, she excitedly told me that the premise for my rom-com was very ‘high concept’, which would appeal to agents and publishers (and readers!).My response at the time was ‘eh?’. I had no idea what ‘high concept’ meant, nor how I’d managed to stumble across an idea for a story that warranted such a label. George explained that ‘high concept’ basically means a book has a unique, memorable ‘hook’ that makes it stand out and, helpfully, very easy to summarise. Like this:
An awkward British woman attempts to recreate a Hallmark Christmas movie in her unremarkable suburban hometown.
At the end of 2021, George was proven right: when I queried my novel to seek literary representation, the unanimous feedback from agents was that they loved the hook.
But that was four years ago…proof that, while a high-concept premise can get you a foot in the door (and, in my case, an agent), it can’t necessarily get you all the way through it. The plot, the characterisation, the dialogue and – probably most importantly – the voice of your story all have to be first-rate to even be in with a chance of getting a book deal.
I learnt the hard way that, even if your novel ticks all of these boxes, it still doesn’t mean that it makes commercial sense for a publisher to take it on. A lot of editors enjoyed my story when it went out on submission in Spring 2022, but there were elements of the story that made it tricky to neatly slot into an existing generic box.
Three years later, and while a fair amount of the plot of my book has changed, the subversive heart of the story is still very much intact, and I’m thrilled about where it’s ended up as a result of working with industry pros and seasoned readers.
But then I had to come up with an idea for my second book. And it turns out that trying to deliberately come up with a high-concept premise is much harder than doing it accidentally.
And that’s when relationships with other writers come in so handy. I happened to mention to writing pal Emma Steele (keep scrolling for her path to publication interview!) that I was struggling to find a hook, and her eyes lit up (or, I assume they did, since they were conversing via DM). Turns out, Emma LOVES coming up with hooks, and agreed to help me out.
Emma’s debut novel, The Echoes Of Us (which has just been published in paperback), has a great hook: moments before a head-on collision with a lorry, Robbie doesn’t see his own life flash before his eyes, but that of his partner, Jenn.
It’s an amazing book, like a cross between One Day and The Time Traveler’s Wife (both of which also have incredible hooks), and the Guardian named it as one of the best romance books of 2024. So I was thrilled that Emma was happy to virtually brainstorm some ideas with me, helping me to land on something that immediately felt right for the kind of stories I’m most drawn to writing. I can’t wait to share more about my next book later this year. Now I just need to write the thing…
Writing updates
Speaking of which, I’m a whole 20,000 words into writing book 2! I’m having a lot of fun with it, which is proving a welcome distraction from just about everything else 🌎😭
It’s official: I’ve submitted my final [FINAL.doc] manuscript for It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas. Any typos that remain are there forever, although if I’ve managed to produce 90,000 words without a single error it’d be some kind of human miracle. I’m a person, not a machine! That said, please don’t tell me if you find any errors when it comes out… 😆
Thank you so much for all the pre-orders – they make a huge difference to debut authors, especially those with plucky little paperbacks like me.
Away from books, I was chuffed to be asked to be a contributor for Jared Schiller’s latest zine project, I’m Not Buying It – a wry look at the demise of consumer affairs journalism through art and humour connected to BBC’s Watchdog programme. So wonderfully random. I wrote a flash rom-com inspired by customer service chatbots. You can read / buy it here!
“A good story has an excellent structure, but you can't plan for what comes out of your head in between, and that might change things along the way.”
Emma Steele, author of The Echoes of Us
Emma Steele, author of The Echoes of Us
Emma Steele is a part-time writer and mum who used to be a full-time lawyer. She lives in Edinburgh with her husband, two daughters and canine companion, Sunny.
At what point in your life did you think to yourself ‘Yes, I want to write a book’?
I wrote this line in my diary aged nine! But then life got in the way and I went away to study law. It was only after I had my first child that I thought: right, it's now or never – and I never looked back!
Do you have an agent? And what made you decide that choice was best for you? Yes I do have an agent. Personally, I always wanted to publish traditionally and agents make this much easier as they're effectively the gatekeepers of the industry.
How long did it take from starting to write your first book, to people being able to buy it?
I started writing The Echoes Of Us in 2020, sold it in 2021 and published it in Germany in 2023 – but due to my publisher being taken over, it didn't come out in the UK until 2024.
Why did you choose to publish your book traditionally?
Truthfully, I have very little interest in marketing my books alone, or in designing covers myself. I want my main efforts to be in the writing, so publishing traditionally allows me to focus on the actual book content. It's also gotten me international translations and a movie option with Amazon, which would never have happened independently.
What part of the writing or publishing process do you find the most annoying? The general uncertainty with all of it!
Plotting or pantsing: what’s your happy place?
Both: a good story has an excellent structure, but you can't plan for what comes out of your head in between, and that might change things along the way.
What was your first ‘I can’t believe this is happening’ moment as an author? When my German publisher offered me a six-figure deal over the weekend after submission. I was up north with the family and received an email that made me burst out crying.
What one thing is the most surprising thing about being an author?
How little control you actually have – you can work so, so hard but ultimately how it all turns out is down to the gods.
If you could change anything about your path to publication, what would it be?
I try not to regret things in life, though my publisher being bought and my publication date being pushed back by a year was tough.
What do you love most about being a writer?
Having a bunch of lovely people who seek out my books for entertainment – it feels like the loveliest gift to give to someone, as I take so much comfort in reading myself.
What's next on your publication pathway?
Writing. It is always about writing, then writing again.
You can follow Emma on Instagram here and on TikTok here. You can also read / subscribe to her newsletter.
Things I’ve enjoyed recently
📰 I loved this interview with Lisa Jewell in
newsletter (which is now paywall-free!) about how her characters reveal the story to her as she writes. This is very much in line with the way I write fiction, so seeing it all written down like this felt extremely validating.
📺 I’m so sorry to diehard Severence fans, but I found the second series a bit of a slog. On the flipside, I’m loving Paradise on Disney+; a political whodunnit with an epic twist. It’s so silly and fun and brilliantly written! This is how watching a story should feel.
🎧 I’ve listened to the album Underneath by Floodlights on repeat this month (and I’ve already told many of you about it!). It’s the first time I’ve appreciated trumpet on an alternative rock album, and I’d hugely recommend checking it out. I’m also verrrry excited about new music on the horizon from my all-time faves,
.Until next time!
I love these insights!!
Hi Hayley! I remember that conversation well. I'm happy the subversive heart remained in some form :-) A great hook often comes from a 'what if' wondering.