Introduction

The publishing industry is in precarious position right now. Look around and you’ll see calls for “high concept” novels everywhere—aka, the kind of novels you can pitch in six words of less. You’ll also see a lot of scribble trope maps floating around. And you’ll see a lot of people, including myself, bemoaning that we’re now reducing our book marketing to tropes alone. In the spirit of honesty, I have an admission to make.

But first…some background.

What is the scribble trope map?

You’ve seen it, I’m sure. Book covers on a dark or light background with arrows drawn to different words. Enemies to lovers. Just one bed. Love it or hate it, it’s currently here to stay. It’s even got it’s own Canva template. Just look!

What’s the point, C.J.?

So, why am I talking about this much-used, often-loathed thing?

Because I invented it.

In 2019.

Don’t believe me? Here, I’ll show you. Back then, they were on Instagram and they were called #CJsBookBreakdowns. The first ever diagram was for Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House. And they looked like this.

If you’re wondering why there’s a weird glare? It’s because that’s a real photo of the book sitting on a crumpled black table cloth on my floor, and there was a glare. Then, I imported the photo onto my laptop, which was a touch screen with a stylus, where I doodled all over it.

Believe me now?

It’s true. It was me. I’d never seen something like this before. Then Leigh Bardugo actually reposted it and I went mini-viral.

The rest is history. Before long, people were asking me if they could copy my design. (Um, no?) Then they stopped asking. The breakdowns had broken containment. They were in the wild, and became far more popular, ubiquitous, and divisive than I ever would have imagined.

So why did I create this awful, reductive thing?

Say it with me: because it was fun.

In 2019, I was going to start querying. I decided to stop reviewing books because I didn’t want to potentially say negative things about a “colleague.” However, I did want a way to feature books I was excited about, in a cute way.

So, the breakdown was born. It was never meant to replace back-of-the-cover copy or thoughtful reviews. It was always meant to be something fun, for me, to do as a way to stay engaged with the book community as an author.

Where we’re at now

Now that you’re up to speed, let’s look at where we’re at.

In scribble trope hell, that’s where.

We’ve hit a point where not only do agents and editors crave books that can be pitched in a sentence or two, but they don’t even care about a pitch; they’ll press like on a “pitch” that’s actually just a list of tropes (or even a trope map itself!) because the content matters more than the concept. Not even the meat of the content, but the most universal, unessential elements.

Sure, it may be a devastating treatise on one depressed woman’s struggle to slay her murderous doppelganger before it kills her loved ones, but is there only one bed?

The girl who cried “trope map”

Maybe I’m overreacting. Maybe I’m having my Batman moment. But I worry about the state of publishing when we’re peddling books like they’re candy bars: contains nuts, chocolate, and strawberry cream! Oh, what’s it about? Who cares! Look at all that spice!

FYI, there’s nothing wrong with wanting tropes. Tropes are the building blocks of genre for a reason. It’s when books become indistinguishable from one another because they’ve been distilled down to only tropes that I start to sweat.

I don’t have the answers, only regret. And one question for my readers:

What is your favorite complicated book that’s not easy to pitch in just six words or a sentence? (And why do you love it?)

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But wait! There’s more!

C.J.’s Corner

Welcome to a feature of every newsletter! Get to know me and what I’m up to. Read it all or skip to your favorite section.

I’m writing | I’m reading | I’m watching | I’m listening | I’m playing | I’m doing 

I’m writing:

Watch this space. It’s going to look pretty similar for a few months but hey, some things are a’ changing!

• Necro WIP is done for now and I’m querying it again. I have parted ways with my agent and am back on the market. I am also querying my adult horror novel, now named And the Dark Will Know My Name. For more info on Necro aka The Shattered City as well as And the Dark Will Know My Name, check out the new section of my website.

• I finally submitted my story about a girl whose grandfather keeps hearts in jars to Apex!

• The Enter Here anthology is moving forward! It comes out December 2nd!

• My new novel, The Priest of Teeth, is full speed ahead! Kind of. I’m 11.5k in and then I panicked that I should be working on horror.

• I also have two horror novels in the planning stages. One about a woman who is possessed by her dead sister. The other is about a psychiatric patient in an asylum where the staff are trying to summon a demon.

I’m reading:

At least two things, because I have no chill.

I finished:

The Vegetarian by Han Kang. A beautiful literary horror novel about a Korean woman who has a dream that turns her vegetarian, which causes friction in her family. Told from the POVs of those around her, it objectifies her in way that feels purposeful and terrifying. Definitely one of those books where the true terror is in your own head.

I’m watching:

My friend made me start Haunting of Hill House. I am two episodes in and very intrigued. I’m also watching lots of football. Go Bears!

I’m listening:

I have finally listened to the new Taylor Swift album! I like it, except for a couple songs. “Fate of Ophelia,” “Elizabeth Taylor,” and “CANCELLED!” are bangers. Anyone freaking out over it doesn’t get that she’s mostly being sarcastic.

I’m playing:

Board games! My friends and I played a cute one called FLAMECASTER at a cafe, where you are a dragon trying to help stores in town.

I’m doing:

More crochet! I have made some hats. I have also started digital painting again and am pretty happy with the results! If you want to check out more of my art, you can look at my Cara portfolio.

That’s all for now!

If you like my words, don’t forget to subscribe!