The dreaded synopsis

Apologies for not updating this blog for some time now... My excuse? I’ve been busy preparing my synopsis and query letter for submission to an agent – I think that’s a pretty good one for an aspiring writer’s blog though so I'm sticking to it!

Anyway, the whole point of this blog was to share tips and really get a discussion going about writing, so I thought I ought to pull my finger out and start making my contribution… And, considering what I’ve been working on of late, I thought a post about the dreaded synopsis would be just the thing.

I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that I’ve probably got around twenty versions of both the aforementioned items sitting on my computer. I know the general consensus amongst authors – and debut authors – is that putting together the synopsis is more difficult than writing the novel itself, but I’m starting to view it as a very useful tool for a writer.

When I first started putting together my synopsis – which was sometime last year, I found myself really struggling. It didn’t take me long to realise that there was a very good reason for this: the indecision, which was apparent in my synopsis and query, was reflected in the manuscript itself. Every glaring hole in the plot or characterisation was there in black and white. It wasn’t a comfortable feeling, I can tell you – and it certainly wasn’t welcome. After wrestling with it for a little longer, I realised that drastic action was required.

So, I ending up doing a major revision of the book – during which I tightened up the plot and really took the time to examine why I really wanted to tell this story so much, for me to arrive at a place where I think the synopsis is truly representative of the novel it is selling. And not simply in terms of summarising the story either: to my mind, it conveys the same tone – and is going to give an agent a pretty good idea of what kind of book I’ve put together.

I began working on presenting it as both a detailed two-page synopsis and also a one-pager for those agents who insist on that length. Condensing all the things I wished to convey into a single page that did not simply resemble book blurb was tricky, but I found honing the two-pager to be the way to go. Once I was completely happy with that, I just took the red pen to any superfluous information that I could detect. Again, I found that being really confident about the story you’re telling and all its composite parts and themes made this a relatively easy process.

Once I was at the stage where I thought I had it, I sent it out to a couple of writer friends who came back with some really positive feedback. There were two main issues that were pointed out, however. It may well be obvious to anyone reading this, but it wasn’t to me – so I’m including them below in case you find them of use.

• Stay active: Don’t say a character ‘may’ be able to help or is fairly sure about something. As far as the synopsis is concerned, if that’s what happens in the book – then they can and they are!

• Your main protagonist:  Keep your synopsis focused on them – and don’t introduce them through secondary characters… eg, "When secondary character meets main protagonist he realises that she"

I hope my experience (albeit coming from an unpublished author!) proves useful, but I’d love to hear any of your tips, as well…

Nadia 

A little too predictable

I’ve been home alone a lot recently – and consequently, I’ve been doing a lot more reading that I would normally get away with. Which has obviously been great, except for one thing: I seem to unravel the plot within a few chapters – which just leaves me with the text to read. This has also been happening with films and television programmes – something that I’m actually finding quite annoying.

Anyone else have this problem?

I’m wondering if this is a common complaint that afflicts those who spend most of their days devising plotlines on scraps of paper or making notes via mobile phone while walking the dog? If anyone has any recommendations for a novel that is sure to confound me, I’d love to hear it because I’m really starting to miss that sense of anticipation!

Copyright Day

Any regular visitor to Jane Smith’s website – How Publishing Works – will be familiar with the Cooks Source furore and the fact that Jane suggested November 19 be dedicated to the subject of copyright.

Throughout the week, I’ve been thinking up all sorts of things to write – not least a good rant in response to the recent statements by Cooks Source editor Judith Griggs, which I have to admit have riled me good and proper in recent weeks.

However, after reading Nicola Morgan’s blog entry at Help! I Need a Publisher this morning, I realised making this a personal issue on my blog would be a waste of cyberspace. After all, we all know that this editor and her publication were in the wrong – that much is irrefutable. And as Nicola points out, education seems to be a better – and far more constructive – way to mark the occasion.

As a journalist, I have been on the receiving end of this type of copyright infringement – and downright plagiarism, in fact – many times. I cannot describe the feeling you get when you’ve gone the extra mile to seek out those all-important (and exclusive) quotes that will really make a story and then see all your efforts appearing under somebody else’s byline.

Plagiarism and copyright infringement are different things, of course – but in the end it all boils down to having respect for an author’s hard work. I would urge anyone unsure of the rules to read Nicola’s very useful post so that instances like this can be avoided in future. 

Day – and night – jobs…

If there’s one thing that I hate about being a freelance journalist – it’s pitching ideas. You work on polishing a punchy letter… outline what you hope is a corker of a story…  click ‘send’… and then, very often, never hear back from the publication in question.

Unless you’re lucky enough to have regular clients – and believe me, they are a rare commodity in this recession-hit age when magazines are closing left, right and centre – it seems you don’t even warrant the courtesy of a response.

Sound familiar?

It hit me today that I really must be a glutton for punishment. Not content with enduring such treatment in my day job – I’m planning to put myself through the same ringer with literary agents too!

But then I thought this: pitching – whether it be in the form of a feature proposal or your manuscript – is essentially much the same thing. You’re selling yourself and your idea in both.

So I’m now telling myself that writing pitches in whatever form is invaluable experience – rather than a chore. No, I’m not convinced either…

Revisions, revisions...

Having given myself a stern talking to and knuckled back down to the day job, it’s been a struggle to get around to anything other than writing fiction in my spare time – so apologies for not making any posts of late. I consider that to be pretty bad form, so aim to make up for it this month!

I’m working on what I hope are the final revisions of my MS – although chances are I’m not even close. I read somewhere recently that an author will spend at least the same amount of time revising their book as they will writing it… something that actually made me feel a bit better about mine, because the constant polishing feels like it’s taking forever. 

Strangely enough, while I’m really looking forward to turning my attention to a different story, I’m not sick of my characters. If anything, their motivations are becoming increasingly clearer to me – which I’m taking as a good sign. 

Hopefully, my constant tweaking will make the finished product stronger, but I’d love to hear any tips from you all about how you tackle this stage of the process. For instance, is there such a thing as too much tinkering? 

It occurred to me that much like self-diagnosis of a minor ailment, too much attention to the details could   easily diminish what would otherwise be a good story. It suddenly feels as though I'm walking a very thin line... 

Best regards,

Nadia

Vanity – or common sense?

A friend of mine emailed me a story over the weekend – which detailed a new Kindle ereader scheme that would offer authors an online platform for their work in exchange for a 30 percent share of the profits. All a writer had to do was send in a completed manuscript, set the price – and voila – they would be in business…

I immediately sent him a note back – a regretful one, I might add – stating that to my knowledge this type of self-publishing was classed as ‘vanity’ by the conventional publishing industry, and was therefore the kiss of death to any author hoping to make a name for themselves.

But then I got to thinking…

Could this actually be the perfect opportunity to establish a profile that would ultimately attract a publisher or agent? Okay, the odds of it would be fairly small, but consider this: US singer Mike Posner made his name by uploading his music to MySpace… something that didn’t stop a music company engaging his services when his popularity became apparent.

I thought this would be a great topic for discussion – so am looking forward to hearing your thoughts. I’d love to hear from anyone who has gone down, or is considering, this route. 

Best regards, 

Nadia

Serendipity & Co…

Without wishing to direct you away from this blog (no, please come back!!!) there’s a great story by Anne Rooney on an Awfully Big Blog Adventure that I think you’ll enjoy – if you haven’t come across it already that is. Click here to read... I think you’ll agree that it was a great use of hot pink during a time of frustration!

Anne’s story is a corker in itself but it got me thinking about those little details and coincidences that writers are always looking for. Since I seriously set about coming up with book ideas and storytelling, I’ve been amazed at how much inspiration there is in many of the everyday events I happen to witness and the people I meet. As a journalist I am required to concentrate on newsworthiness – and depending on the publication I am working for, it can be a challenge. When it comes to writing fiction, however, I am suddenly at liberty to draw on all those quirky characteristics and situations I come across and use them as I see fit! Writing aside, I think that’s why I love the creative side of this industry so much. I may not know what it feels like to be a published author, but there’s no doubt that I’m already looking at life through an entirely different lens.

Best regards,

Nadia