Synopsis Question...

I've finished my revisions, and I'm now writing synopsis drafts. Chuck Sambuchino, Editor of 2009 Guide to Literary Agents, says you need to have these 5 things ready when you send out your manuscript:

• Logline: 1 sentence summary
• Pitch: 3-6 sentence summary (also known as book jacket pitch)
• Short synopsis: Front to back telling of the story. Introduces characters, conflict, and includes ending. Told in present tense. 1 page single spaced, or 2 pages double-spaced.
• Long synopsis: General rule of thumb - one page summary per 30 pages text
• Full (spotless) manuscript

I have a logline, draft of a pitch, and a completed manuscript. I'm working on a long synopsis, and I will write my short synopsis last. My question is, how many of you have a completed long and short synopsis before you begin querying?

Writing Confessions and the Wisdom of Letting a Manuscript Rest

I have a confession to make... well maybe two.

1) I've broken my first New Year's resolution. I promised to write 6 days a week, and I've not written a word since last Monday. To be fair (make excuses?), I've had a headache since Monday. One bad enough to stay home from work on Tuesday and go the the emergency room on Friday. Staring at a computer screen was out of the question. Unfortunately, there were no sick day clauses in the resolution, so now it's officially broken. My lazy self is saying, "Hey, you're off the hook! Kick back and relax that routine a bit!" My I really want to become a published author self is saying, "Back on the wagon, girl!" Back on the wagon it is.

2) (I thought) I finished the revisions on my current WIP at the end of January. I targeted my first five agents, printed out my query letters and required chapters for the snail mail bunch, stuffed the envelopes and branded them with stamps, and I put everything in the car so I could go to the post office and mail the lot after work. I never made it. Is that a bad thing?

I don't think so. It's been six weeks since I worked on this manuscript. There's something to be said for reading it with fresh eyes. I was surprised, in a good way, about much of what I wrote. I was relieved that I hadn't sent out the manuscript when I realized that a good portion of a particular chapter didn't move the story forward. I cut 95% of it out of the book and placed it in an 'out-takes' folder. That was hard. I really liked that scene. I knew it didn't belong when I discovered I only had to re-write one line to fix the hole. I'm pleased with the results of this latest revision. Time to get up the nerve to send it out again. It's ready.

I'm glad I waited (got nervous, scared, cold feet...) to send out my book. I've decided that letting a WIP rest is a good thing. It's a practice I'll keep for future works. Live and learn!

Surfacing for Air... Again

I apologize for not posting regularly. I am working hard to meet a self-imposed deadline for revision. I plan to have revisions and synopsis complete before February so I can start sending out my manuscript. I'm ready to start another project!

Stephen King said, "The road to Hell is paved with adverbs."

Lord help me. If that's the case I'm well on my way...

Keep writing!

Surfacing for Air...

Wow. It's Thursday. What happened to the week?

I've had my eyes glued to the computer screen for days as I revise, revise, revise. A task, I might add, I'm finding I enjoy. It's very different from the creative process. Delete an adverb, fix a transition, strengthen a plot point, delete another adverb... all spit-n-polish.

My family has been great. They've left me to work in peace, mostly. The question asked most often? "We ARE having dinner - right, Mom?" I'm on a revision roll so dinner tonight is pizza - delivered, of course. At least I remembered...

A Newbie's Thoughts on Revision

I'm almost through with the first round of revisions of my MG novel. It's amazing how the manuscript can provoke such extreme emotions from me as I read.

This is so cool! I wrote that?!! (grin, giggle, pat self on back)

Or,

What a load of garbage, bunk, drivel... and other words I may think but not write because I know my mother reads my blog.

And so I edit. I edit out the hundreds of "as she" that connect the dialog tags to a subsequent action. I delete unnecessary words that seem to creep into the manuscript uninvited. Words like "just" and "really." I send a long raspberry to the multitude of adverbs and redundant adjectives now missing from my chapters. I look at the new word count, and I'm amazed to see I've cut nearly 3000 words.

My husband says, "Be careful, you'll edit the life right out of it."

A whole new set of worries begin to form in my head. What if he's right? What if it was better before I tampered with it? What if I'm delusional to believe I could possibly write anything worthy of publication? "What if" land is rarely a good place to go.

I realize that I'm too close to my project to see it objectively, so along the way I've enlisted the help of two, trusted critique partners. One who critiqued each chapter as it was finished (thanks KW!), and one who is looking at the whole novel before I send it out (thanks DR!). The goal is to begin submitting this month (ooh, were those butterflies?).

I have to admit, I'm excited - but not stupid. I know the odds are tremendous against publication. I surf the forums and read the hopeful and sometimes frustrated posts of those in the trenches. I'm joining them soon, but my hope is I won't be there long. I delight in the "Good News" posts at Verla Kay. Maybe someday I can post there too!