Thats what agent's say. Send us a query, synopsis and a couple of chapters. I can find lots on writing queries (the best on that was over at Bookends ), and I have my chapters ready to send...now I have to write a synopsis...
Is there a good site on how to do this? I've written these before, but was never sure if I'm doing it right. Turn a three hundred and some odd page book into three pages? Oh yeah, easy.
Do I condense every chapter into two sentences? What do I leave out? Are they judging my writing on this chop job?
What I really want is to read the synopsis on Stephen King's The Stand or even Misery. Ok, I'll take Cujo--do you think he'd share that with me???
Is there a formula to this process? How do you approach your synopsis?
Help!
4 comments:
Hi Aimless:
I sell on synopsis now . . . and love writing them (weird, I know). Email me at
erica@ericaorloff.com
And I'll send you one of mine if you want. I think of it as . . . like a longer (4 pages) book jacket blurb. SELL 'em on your book, hitting the high points and nailing your character down.
E
Miss Snark did a crapometer on synopsis that gives you a good idea of what they are looking for (and not looking for). Check her archives for the week around 12-25-05.
didn't you have that beautiful photo of a bird? I first came to your blog because I saw it next to one of your comments on Nathan Bransford's blogs and thought it was so gorgeous!
Thanks Heidi, I'll check it out. I haven't been to Snark's site since she stopped posting.
Bird? Maybe it was Elvis? An african grey? or a Rockhopper? I like birds so when I find a neat pic I use it.
:)
*Glances up at Erica and wonders if she has been put on an endangered species list yet.
I detest the thought of writing a synopsis, query or pitch so violently I have decided to just start writing a second book when I finish Paladin. I'll just continue to write books and be happy.
None will sell, of course, because they were never submitted, but at least I will die sane.
Wish I could offer you some advice, but in lieu of anything useful, I will send condolences on having to go through this.
Julie
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