Simplicity

I'm thinking of the best books I've read lately, and they seem to have one thing in common, a simplicity of story and a brilliance in the telling of that story.

When I think of the Hunger Games, it can be summed up in one sentence. Young girl sent to fight to the death against 23 others. And, even though there is so much more to the story, that really is the heart of it. But the author keeps the story fascinating by constantly upping the stakes, changing our expectations, in what is a really simple storyline.

The new Sherry Thomas, taken to it's heart, is the story of two people shaking off their secret identities and falling in love with what's underneath and she really keeps the core of the book to that specific idea.

What I'm finding in the less successful stories I've read recently is that they can't be summed up as easily. they have so many different elements that are core to the story that each element loses impact in the telling.

Simplicity is difficult. It requires an inventive plot to keep the simple story humming along, while still remaining true to the central concept and compelling characters, because there is nothing shiny to distract from them.

Simplicity is really, really hard to do well.

Off I go to find something shiny to add to my current WIP, until I figure out how to make it more simple.