How to Manufacture a Best Seller
Excerpt from Michael Maxen's article, "How to Manufacture a Best
Seller" published in the New York Times Magazine on March 1, 1998.
"He confirmed the basic details of the formula," Baldwin said.
"Then he added a few points that had not been apparent to me."
It was after this chance meeting that the formula took its final shape:
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The hero is an expert.
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The villain is an expert.
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You must watch all of the villainy over the shoulder of the villain.
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The hero has a team of experts in various fields behind him.
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Two or more on the team must fall in love.
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Two or more on the team must die.
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The villain must turn his attentions from his initial goal to the team.
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The villain and the hero must live to do battle again in the sequel.
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All deaths must proceed from the individual to the group: i.e., never
say that the bomb exploded and 15,000 people were killed. Start with
"Jamie and Suzy were walking in the park with their grandmother
when the earth opened up."
- If you get bogged down, just kill somebody.
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