Last night I caught a bit of American Idol. I swore I wouldn't watch it this year because I have issues with JLo, but it came on and I was too lazy to change the channel.

So anyway, I listened while I worked, and after contestant Haley Reinhart sang, I found the judges' comments to be really interesting, and they brought to mind the old writing adage, "It's all in the execution." The comments are also a reminder that art is subjective.

See, two judges liked Reinhart's performance, but Randy said it was "boring." Of course the audience boo'd, and Jennifer responded by saying that not everyone has to be running around the stage and dancing, and that there was nothing wrong with a slower song.

I think Jennifer missed the point.

The fact that it was a slower song isn't why Randy said it was boring. It was boring because of the execution.

How many times, for example, have we see contestants like David Cook and Adam Lambert take tired, old songs and make them fresh and exciting, even if the song was slow and the singer did nothing but sit on a chair and not move a muscle?

When it comes to books, we're looking at the same thing. Action scenes and sex scenes are a given — they should be exciting and keep a reader on the edge of her seat. No, it doesn't always happen, but generally, it does — and should. Those are Idol's rock songs.

But what about the slow songs…the equivalent to the scenes in a book where there's little to no action?

A good writer can still engage readers, keep them glued to the page even if there's only one character sitting in silence in a windowless, featureless room and thinking about his past or how he got there. The scene could be a real snoozefest, or a skilled writer could make it just as exciting as any action scene full of explosions, blood, and broken bones.

How many times have you heard someone say that they love an author's writing so much that they'd read the author's grocery list? That's what I mean. There are authors who probably could write an amazing grocery list. I couldn't…unless you find beer, cat food, and Cheetos to be exciting. But I'd love to see what Stephen King puts on his list…

Anyway, my point is, whether it comes to a scene or a song, exciting is all in the execution. The voice. The arrangement of the tone and words.

THAT was what Randy was getting at. He wanted Reinhart's performance to hold his attention even though it was a slower song.

Okay, back to writing…we'll see if I can make a boring scene with one character in a room exciting.