6 Things I Learned About Writing From Trans Siberian Orchestra

One holiday season, the hubs and I saw Trans Siberian Orchestra for the first time. We got the tickets as a thank-you gift during a public radio pledge drive. As a long-time supporter I usually don't claim a gift, but when I heard these tickets were available, I had to go for it. I had heard positive things about this group and was curious to see them live. We were not disappointed. The seats were way better than I expected. I had visions of oxygen tanks and safety harnesses but they were not required - we were on the floor level only twelve rows back. My fear of falling to my death from the 'crow's nest' seats was supplanted by fear of being decapitated by the massive lighting rigs suspended over the stage.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew they were an orchestra - duh! I knew they had some seasonal music connection. I imagined an evening of jazzed-up holiday standards, attracting the kind of audience who is excited about the first opportunity to wear their new Christmas sweater. I was wrong.

TSO is a holiday act in the same way Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Yes, there are a few token Christmas references, but at heart they are mind-boggling, eye-popping special effects vehicles. The artists are very talented. But the main attraction was the lighting and video effects. Think Lady Gaga concert meets the Harry Potter ride at Universal Studios.

So I'm sitting there enjoying the show, observing my fellow audience members, and I realized TSO has a very solid business model that can be applied to many endeavors, including writing.

Start on time
We've all heard the nightmare stories of spoiled, irresponsible, drugged-out musicians appearing ridiculously late - or not at all - for their concerts. Not these folks! Concert was scheduled for 8:00p.m. We were underway at 8:00 p.m. No opening acts, no teasers. Clock struck 8 and away we went. As writers it is tempting to assume we are the masters of our own schedules. If we want to sleep in or take a long lunch or hit the mall during off-peak hours, why not? We can make up that precious writing time. Folks, that is the road to perdition. Have a schedule. Stick to it, same as if you were catching a train or driving the kiddos to school. Must happen in a timely manner on a regular basis.

Find a niche and work it
There can't be that many 80s-hair-band-industrial-light-and-sound-Christmas-orchestras out there. That's what I call a niche. Works for TSO, works for writers. Fiction genres have become so splintered. If you can't find a niche that fits your work, that's probably a great sign that you should start your own. Also a great sign no one is filling that need, so you can corner the market for paranormal-fuzzy sleuth-amnesia-whodunits!

Understand your strengths and stick to them
TSO's performance included a long ongoing narrative preceding several of the musical numbers. The narrator had a great voice, but the story was lame and, frankly, boring. But when we got back to the lights and music, all was well. Note to TSO: get an editor.

Understand your audience and give them what they want
Many in the audience had obviously been to a TSO performance before, or owned their recordings. They cheered at the first strains of various songs. They stood on their chairs and waved that Y-shaped hand sign meaning either they are from Hawaii or a member of the Crips, I can never remember which. So hurray for brand loyalty! The arena was pretty full and from what I understand, the retail price of those tickets ran about $75 a pop. People will pay for something that meets their entertainment needs. Find out what that is, and give it to them.

Show your audience you are giving 110%
One of the cast/band/orchestra/whatever was a violinist. Now keep in mind we were in an arena setting. Seats thousands. Sound system second to none. The set was two stories tall, with speakers to match. We are talking LOUD rock music, multiple electric guitars, not one but two electronic keyboards, and a drum set bigger than my car. And the guy with the smallest, lowest decibel instrument in the place is brandishing his violin like a Tahitian fire juggler. Could anyone hear his violin? Nope. Did he care? Not a whit. He wore himself out running all over the place, bowing that fiddle like there was no tomorrow. I don't know if he sounded any good, but A for effort. Your writing should show the same amount of dedication in the finished product. Show the reader you care enough to provide a quality entertainment experience.

Craft a satisfying ending
Endings are tough for musicians. No matter how great the performance, they can't possibly play every song in their catalog, and some fan is bound to disappointed not to hear their favorite. Not having any knowledge of TSO's music, I didn't judge their performance on what they may have left out. Rather, I evaluated it on the 'story arc'. Overall they did a good job. They started with a literal bang, had some peaks and valleys, built to a big finish, didn't stop there, and finished a little bigger. Much like a good fireworks show, it was disappointing but obvious when it was over. As writers, we have it a little easier in that we aren't expected to include each and every character or setting or situation in every story. Because we are not performing live, with proper planning and editing, we can wrap things up neatly and avoid disappointing the audience with sloppy loose ends.

We enjoyed the performance, but I'm not ready to become a TSO groupie. That's not a knock on them. I'm a change junkie. There aren't many experiences that I enjoy repeating ad infinitum. But I do appreciate their professionalism and talent. I look forward to bringing the same level of dedication and hard work to my next project. Anyone know where I can buy a fog machine and some strobe lights?

this post first appeared in 2013

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