Formulas and Middle Men

Let me first say that I'm not traditionally published. I've never dealt with a publishing house before, nor ever submitted my work to them for consideration.

That said, I do read articles written by published authors, and I do listen to what others have to say regarding the entertainment industry.

One of the most complained about problems with story lines, whether in movies or books, seems to be the formula stories. These are the ones that follow a tried and true formula, but they become almost predictable in the process. They are a much lower risk for publishers and television networks though, so they tend to be considered over truly original works.

I think this is why I value places like Smashwords and Amazon. They provide a place for indie authors to be heard, no matter what is written between the covers of a book. In essence, indie authors are cutting out the "middle man." The result is that more original content finds its way into my library (and probably the libraries of others). Smashwords and Amazon do the same thing for writers that Youtube does for amateur film makers. The beauty of it all is that the reader/viewer gets to decide what programming to watch or not watch.

Now, one writer explains this trend toward formulas as a "stabilizing" of the industry. For example, some writer makes a tremendous change, and it's a sensation, so from that point forward, publishers follow a formula to achieve that same success. Writing has gone through many shifts. If it hadn't, we might still be writing like Shakespeare, for all we know. Even good ol' Earth needs calm periods after changes like earthquakes.

I'm starting to suspect though that people are about ready for another shift again. While I'm not exactly sure where that shift may come from (maybe even the gaming industry--who knows?), I do know that many people are sick of the "formula story." When I can make a bet as to how a movie I have never seen will end, and actually win that bet, there's a problem. While there's nothing wrong with the comfortable and familiar, it's stories that give a unique experience that I'm craving now. After all, that's what fantasy and sci-fi are supposed to be, are they not?