Don simpson and the hollywood culture of excess new edition by fleming, charles isbn. Think curious george, the velveteen rabbit, the berenstein bears, winnie the pooh or even fancy nancy. In fact, a clever picture book is one of the hardest things to write. If a person can tell me the idea in twentyfive words or less, its going to make a pretty good movie. How to write a book that could become a bestseller for authors of fiction, nonfiction, and childrens books. Michael hauge, a hollywood screenwriting consultant, offers this definition of high concept. It is not dependent on casting, name director, execution, good word of mouth. High concept is primarily a term used in pitching movies but these days, we find it a helpful shorthand to describe a certain kind of book. Steven spielberg once said, i like ideas, especially movie ideas, that you can hold in your hand. Epic read amazing childrens books online unlimited. The industry wants the next big thing, and highconcept often delivers it.
High concept narratives are typically characterised by an overarching what if. You add characters with goals and fears and motives, and you add plot, via the obstacles that are going to arise between the. Many of the most recent blockbusters were based on childrens booksand many more are slated for movie release in the near future. These books are great teaching tools, but they teach while entertaining. Chuck sambuchino august 25, 2009 whether youre writing a kids novel, adult genre novel or screenplay, youre ahead of the pack if you have a good hook. The naturals by jennifer lynn barnes, dreamology by lucy keating, the westing game by ellen raskin, cloud atlas by david m. I write many posts about adult novellength fiction, however i do represent children s books as well and im going to share a bit of my wishlist. Using the life and career of producer don simpson as a point of departure, high concept takes readers on a journey inside the hollywood of the 1980s and 1990s. Examine great highconcept hooks for childrens books writers. Generally, artwork plays a greater role in books intended for younger readers especially preliterate children. What if writing a supernatural ya mystery comes as naturally as a quiet non fiction picture book. How to write a childrens book in 9 easy steps complete. We just normally see realistic high concept in movies or in books with movie tieins. The projects i like to work on have a great voice, a marketable hook, and fantastic.
The five requirements are in descending order of importance. A high concept is a story concept that is strong enough that it will draw an audience without any other components. High concept is a term thats been confused, misunderstood and misused by writers for decades. In hollywood, every movie starts out in the form of underlying material, such as a novel, a screenplay, a comic book or even a great idea. Many aspiring and even accomplished authors dream of writing a childrens book. Id still love to see some examples of highconcept picture books, since almost all of them hook me right in. Skull of disguises by michael karpovage, the lincoln myth by steve berry, inferno by dan brown, map of t. Capstone publishers, the leading publisher of childrens books in the u. The books, which are all part of series, feature high concept stories with illustrations on every page.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The common belief is that its any movie that can be pitched in one sentence. The books clever high concept premise is the secret to its success. Mar 05, 2015 ive taken math classes up to calculus and so i am always surprised when there are childrens books which introduce concepts i dont know about. The premise or logline is the core of high concept. It can be contrasted with low concept, which is more concerned with character development and other subtleties that are not as easily summarized. The pitch for a highconcept book most likely precedes the work itself, and the idea is so creative that people lots of people will want to read it based off an incredibly brief description. Spielbergs comment embodies the essence of the high concept film, which can be condensed into one simple sentence that inspires marketing campaigns, lures audiences, and. Throughout the period, simpson and his partner, jerry bruckheimer, were the most successful independent producers in the history of moviemaking. Capstone publishers and sports illustrated kids team up to publish highconcept childrens books.
High concepts can take several specific forms like. Settling in with married with childrens highconcept, lowstakes bottle episode. Books featuring asian americans, pacific islanders for. Have you ever wondered how to write a childrens book, and if you have what it takes to create one. Children s picture books often serve as an accessible source of high quality art for young children. The premise is where your awesome concept idea starts getting personal. Jun 16, 2010 in defining high concept, we talk about the premise of your story, not what happens in acts 1, 2 and 3. They can make us laugh or cry by giving us a character we want to care about. There are multiple criteria for selecting excellent childrens picture books.
Maybe you have an incredible idea that you cant stop thinking about. To be equally obnoxious as anne marie, otto grows down is a highconcept pb since it asks the question. If your pitch can be short and succinct, you will have a better chance at focusing your writing, whether or not youve got a high concept writing idea or not. High concept fiction for childrens or teen books writing. Find bestsellers, new releases, award winners and our recommended books for kids at. Aug 25, 2009 examine great highconcept hooks for childrens books by. When i first set out to write and publish childrens books, i saw over and. High concept book definded writing and illustrating. But if the feedback you consistently get on your work is that it is quiet or that the agent just didnt fall in love, its possible that a high concept is the thing you need to pull ahead of the pack.
A highconcept children s book is one that takes a universal theme and puts a fresh, original, creative twist on it. The best books for kids just learning to read article. Horror movies prone to be high concept by default the specific form of danger is the reason people show up. Even if a kids book doesnt have that central character, the language itself. It can be explained in a sentence or two and will leave you wanting to read the book. If youve got a coming of age story, where everyone is a regular human being that goes to a normal school, the girl breaks up with a bad boyfriend, but then realizes she was worthy without him, then thats probably not high concept. My comprehensive definition of high concept is comprised of five requirements, each of which is mandatory. What hit and run was to hollywood financial impropriety, and what youll never eat lunch in this town again was to sex, drugs, and selfdestruction, high concept is to the evolution of today s driving business philosophy and simultaneous backlot grotesqueries of the contemporary entertainment industry. Everyone says they are looking for a high concept book, but what. What high concept means nathan bransford writing, book.
Kid wins a golden ticket to a mysterious candy factory. Like imagery, high concept ideas spark emotion, but not just any emotion, usually it is a primal emotion. Who of the following authorillustrator is noted for publishing popular concept books for very young children lewis carroll the first entertaining novel written for children, alice s adventures in wonderland, was written by. Books featuring asian americans, pacific islanders for kids and teens. Out of 3,600 childrens book titles published in 2012, ccbc found that only 3. Shannon hitchcock writing a publishable picture book. If the story concept is the bones, then the story premise is the first of the flesh. These books all have titles that establish their stories premises with attentiongrabbing snazziness. Capstone publishers and sports illustrated kids team up to. Sep 20, 2009 can you name some books with a high concept and the concept as yes, this is a question i have asked and would love more clarity on. Throughout the period, simpson and his partner, jerry bruckheimer, were the most successful independent producers in the history of moviemaking, responsible for the hit films flashdance, beverly hills cop, top. The snowy day, corduroy, and clifford the big red dog are just a few of the beloved picture books featured in this list. Examine great highconcept hooks for childrens books. High concept writing for kids while raising them tara lazar.
The high concept concept stems from the movie industry where concept is kingbut more and more high concept is creeping into the world of childrens literature. The term high concept does come from the movie business as a way to quickly pitch an idea in a creative way. A story premise is the next step up from a story concept. If your goal is to write high concept picture books, that s what your stories have to do. With cherished classics and contemporary award winners, written and illustrated by the superstars of childrens literature, these books are sure to delight readers. Picture books for preschoolers feature simple, yet timeless stories and pictures.
An insanely lurid adaptation of a dean koontz novel, demon seed has poor julie christie taken hostage by her scientist. Good childrens books, no matter how simple or complex, offer a sense of joy. Im talking stuff like iain m banks, alastair reynolds, peter hamilton, dan simmons, hannu rajainiemi. Sep 04, 20 the highconcept concept stems from the movie industry where concept is kingbut more and more high concept is creeping into the world of childrens literature. Spread the lovepitching a high concept novel can be the key to skyrocketing to the top of agents slush piles, according to angie hodapp of nelson literary agency. Shop for children s books by age, series, author, subject and format.
But what is and isnt high concept fiction, and how do you go about pitching your high concept idea. School zone big preschool workbook ages 4 and up, colors, shapes, numbers 110, alphabet, prewriting, prereading, phonics, and more school zone big workbook series 1,441. Just because a movie or book is high concept, it doesnt necessarily mean its high quality. Books with cinematic imagery are almost always high concept stories. When reading concept books to children, it is a good idea to ask questions to assure that the concepts are understood.
Receive book suggestions, reading tips, educational activities, and great deals. Whether youre writing a kids novel, adult genre novel or. When it comes to being read aloud to at home, more that 8 in 10 kids 83% across age groups 617 say they loved or liked it a lot the main reason being it was a special time with parents. Oct 30, 2012 this is why high concept books make such good films when adapted.
This article contains the single most important secret that you need to know how to come up with a high concept premise. Modern children s books are illustrated in a way that is rarely seen in adult literature, except in graphic novels. A high concept book is one that takes a universal theme and puts a fresh, original, creative twist on it. The industry wants the next big thing, and high concept often delivers it. What exactly does an editor mean when heshe says they are looking for high concept picture books. The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 40,000 of the best childrens books of all time. Easy tips for teaching kids phonics at home sign up for our newsletter. A man who battles his wife for custody of their children is one sentence, but its a million miles from being high concept.
Tv rights optioned for turtons high concept murder mystery. It should be a book that has high literary merit and one the child enjoys kurkjian, 2005 parents and teachers are in the best position to determine what books are. A gripping, high concept, high octane thriller ebook written by dean crawford. Jul 30, 20 1 the book helps children learn ageappropriate concepts like colors, patterns, shapes, counting, time, the alphabet, opposites, seasons, butterfly lifecycle etc. On the other hand, a literary novel or a comingofage story isnt necessarily about a single concept.
Jul 26, 2016 these books all have titles that establish their stories premises with attentiongrabbing snazziness. A gripping, highconcept thriller from the bestselling author of the martian ebook written by andy weir. Sometimes a high concept can be based entirely around whos in it as opposed to what it is, with the implication that the stars unique style or talent will carry the. You may still be able to describe the story in a sentence, but it doesnt offer the instant understanding of a highconcept pitch. When i think of highconcept fiction, i think of blockbustermoviekindoffiction. Examine great highconcept hooks for children s books by. This is why high concept books make such good films when adapted. Many of the most recent blockbusters were based on childrens books and many more are slated for movie release in the near future. How to write a book that sells understanding highconcept. To be equally obnoxious as anne marie, otto grows down is a high concept pb since it asks the question. Ill say its easier to have a high concept spec fic book. Some people include picturebooks that convey abstract. Settling in with married with childrens highconcept.
Writing for children is an extremely competitive business. International journal of educational methodology, 4 4, 103 115. What is and isnt high concept fiction, and how do you. A gripping, highconcept thriller from the bestselling author of the martian. Aug 15, 2012 i write many posts about adult novellength fiction, however i do represent childrens books as well and im going to share a bit of my wishlist. Looking for some more epic, high concept scifi ive been focusing on mostly fantasy over the past year and i want to throw myself into some big idea scifi again. Childrens poet laureate kenn nesbitt, childrens book. Concept books are typically the first informational books a child will read. Using the life and career of producer don simpson as a point of departure, high concept takes readers on a riveting journey inside the hollywood of the 1980s and 1990s.
When an agent says they want high concept, theyre looking for an idea that can be captured in just a title and a brief, pithy taglineand from that brief description. What is highconcept fiction, and how can i write it. But most importantly, their stories blend ordinary, everyday stuff with the extraordinary or outrageous. The projects i like to work on have a great voice, a marketable hook, and fantastic writing. Get 10% off your first order at the scholastic store online when you sign up. I am looking for high concept picture books, contemporary, historical, scifi, and accessible fantasy ya. At the same time, some of us recognize that you cant tell writers that all you want are high concept submissions, because some of the great picture books out there are not high concept. You may still be able to describe the story in a sentence, but it doesnt offer the instant understanding of a high concept pitch. Aug 30, 2017 tv rights for stuart turtons debut the seven deaths of evelyn hardcastle bloomsbury have been optioned by house productions ahead of the books uk publication in february 2018.
High concept is one of the most understood concepts in storytelling. Although high concept books can work well as standalone stories, you can imagine the. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read immortal. Sign up for a free 30 day trial to instantly access high quality online books for kids, ebooks, audio books, quizzes, videos, and more. I had the pleasure of attending the rocky mountain fiction. Choosing high quality childrens literaturepicture book. To honor the best books for young adults and children, time compiled this survey in consultation with respected peers such as u. How to build a compelling novel concept jane friedman. It can be explained in two or three sentences and will leave you wanting to read the book. Science books can teach children different methodologies in conducting their own projects, instilling in them a greater sense of independence. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read artemis. Learn about and purchase the best books and resources to support young children s learning and development.
But i dont think that a realistic high concept book is impossible. These are the book blurbs that make publishers and potential readers go, wow, i never thought of that before. Here are more than 60 carefully selected lists of multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators. High concept means that a novelmovietv shows plot can be described very succinctly in appealing fashion. If youve got a coming of age story, where everyone is a regular human being that goes to a normal school, the girl breaks up with a bad boyfriend, but then realizes she was worthy without him, then thats probably not highconcept. Perhaps you can be predictable in your unpredictability. Highconcept is a type of artistic work that can be easily pitched with a succinctly stated premise. Shop by age, genre, series, and more to find the perfect childrens books for both little kids and big kids. Here are a few picture books that support my definition.
Most importantly, we must choose the right book for the right child in the right situation. Once you learn what a high concept idea is and how to create exciting story loglines for your work. A highconcept childrens book is one that takes a universal theme and puts a fresh, original. When the idea of high concepts is applied to nonfiction for kids, it can create breakout titles for an author. To inspire exploration some of the best science books inspire children to think for themselves, either by showing examples of famous scientists or by mapping out the thought process in an easily. Highconcept narratives are typically characterised by an overarching what if.