First, I’ll start with my rant. (#2 rant, in case you’re keeping count. 
)
The Google ads on peoples’ blogs drive me nuts!! Why the hell are they on there? Why would you add Google ads to your site? To make money? Does anyone really click on a Google ad and buy something? I don’t like them. I always feel like I am on a commercial site rather than a personal site when I see those ads on there. I think they are yucky. End rant.
I’m pleased the blog is working out for you all–loading faster and easy to use. On my end, it’s fabulous! I love it. 
I’m working on the dreaded synopsis. So far, I thinks it’s going fairly well, but I’m certain my critique partners will tear it apart. That’s why I love them. They catch all the little things I pay no attention to. A big epiphany for me was this:
Kathy Carmichael - “For a romance novel synopsis, I can’t say this strongly enough: the external plot is mentioned only as it affects the emotional arc of either the hero or heroine. If it doesn’t, then you don’t need to mention it. “
And here I was, detailing everything about the plot and secondary characters. Usually, my synopsis confuses the hell out of judges. I had one judge who wrote, “My initial reaction after reading [the entry] is that I can’t wait to read more, yet the synopsis does not compel me to read the book. Part of this may be because your synopsis is only 3 pages long, with numerous named characters and a twisting plot.”
Ouch. 
Not good. I’m going to be honest here. (Watch out.) I’ve never paid much attention to refining my ability to write the synopsis because I knew my writing would hook the reader in, despite the glaring horribleness of the synopsis. In fact, I’ve even sometimes deliberately left the synopsis out, knowing it would hurt rather than help me. But let’s face it. I have to get over my fear and learn to write the synopsis. They are a necessary evil 
and I’m not much of a writer if I can’t pull one off.
Another thing I’ve been thinking about is–where am I going with my career? What am I doing to achieve my goals?
That’s it. I have one completely finished, fully critiqued ms sitting here because of the stupid “Simultaneous Submission” rule, which I’m about to break, because jees!!! How long am I supposed to freakin’ wait? 
I’m not hunting for an agent. Sometimes, I think I should be.
I’m telling you right now, when (no if’s here, I’m working on being more optimistic.) I get published, I’m going to make it a crusade to help talented wannabes get ahead. Probably not through contests, but through simple recommendations to people (read agent and editor) I know. Word of mouth carries a lot of weight. Surely, it would be alright to say, “I know someone, [insert name], who has sent you a ms. I think they’re really good, maybe you will too.” (Of course, I’ll have to truly believe that writer is really good. )
Anyway, back to my contemplating. I think I should be doing more to get somewhere. But I’m not sure what more I could be doing. Perhaps I’m just getting impatient, which I hate.
Synopses don’t faze me because early in my writing “career”, back when I was a novice, I wrote really long, detailed ones for past manuscripts before I actually wrote the book because I was afraid of messing up the story.
From a crit friend, they heard at Dallas from Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Jayne Ann Krentz at a workshop; the synopsis: “no more than one page, two at the very max….tell a bit about what the story is about and make the rest read like a back cover.”
I agree with HelenKay about the unpublished author and the synopsis. It’s probably because alot of RWA contests require 5-10 page ones. But I also agree with Cece; master it and use the techniques for when you are published.
But the fun thing about writing is that there are really no “written in stone” rules. You go with what works for you. Me, I write my synopses and query letters in the first person from my heroine’s voice(chick-lit though *g*).
on October 14th, 2004 at 4:00 pm
I’m horrible at writing synopses. I recently baffled my agent with a synopsis for one of my single titles. He said he barely recognized the work when he read my synopsis after reading my manuscript. LOL! I know it’s really not funny. Sad really. Sigh. I either list (and then this happens, and then this happens) or I don’t make sense at all.:oops:
Kate is pretty cool about the whole synopsis thing. She just wants something that can be used for creating the blurb. I tend to send her a synopsis that not only includes what happens in the story, but reads like a blurb. (I’m much better at writing blurbs.:wink:)
on October 14th, 2004 at 2:48 pm
HelenKay,
LOL @ Stalking!!!
The Brava novella is long gone…
I wish us all luck, as I will be devastated if Kate doesn’t like it. I did run it through the critique wringer though, so if it doesn’t get picked up by Brava I can say with certainity that it was the best it could be when it left me. (That doesn’t mean I won’t cry for days. 
)
And you’re right about the emphasis placed on the synopsis. As I admitted, I often deliberately leave it out and doing so has not affected solicitations so far. Even when I’ve included one, it didn’t affect anything and they’re terrible! But this is for a contest and it is required.
Cece,
I understand. I’ve read in quite a few places that you should write the synopsis and then write the book, but I can’t do that. My characters let me start the story and then they run away with it, taking turns and making decisions without consulting me at all!
on October 14th, 2004 at 8:51 am
I feel like a nag, but one of the best synopsis lectures i’ve used/gone over is Lisa Gardner’s. I do agree w/Kathy (unless you’re writing chicklit then I think it’s all about how it affects your protagonist).
It’s all about the big picture. It took me writing a synopsis for ECGTB to finally get it (because I had to string three story arcs together). And even still I love small details (just ask Sasha LOL).
I remember Gena Shoewalter posting on her blog that she sells on proposal (synop and 2 chapters) then throws it out. Because, once you sell, you DO sell on synopsis it’s something we’ve got to learn to get a handle on. At the same time I’m such an intutitive writer it’s hard for me to think far enough ahead to write something to sell on.
Did I confuse you? LOL
on October 14th, 2004 at 8:45 am
My sense is that unpublished authors put much more emphasis on the synopsis than everyone else in the entire universe
I sent out a query to Wanda Ottewell at H/S at the beginning of the year - didn’t include a synopsis. Then managed to send her 3 chapters and forget the synopsis. She requested the full and didn’t seem to notice or care that I forgot a synposis. Of course, since I have no luck other than bad, Flipside then went under so the whole process was moot in some ways, but you get my point. Also, Kate Duffy gave a little speech at the query workshop I went to (yes, I am stalking the poor woman until she buys SOMETHING from me) and she said something along the lines of: I’ve never read a synposis and thought “wow, what a great synopsis, I have to buy that book” She said it’s a tool and not a very effective one for her. She prefers to see the entire novella and go from there. So…get that novella out the door!
on October 14th, 2004 at 8:28 am
I astonished with the Google number too. *scratching head*
LOL @ novella! Here’s to wishing for all of us
I’m tackling this synopsis business as best I can, reading articles and viewing different examples. The really sad thing is, the information is so conflicting!
I’m fairly certain I’m going with Kathy on this one. Plot and secondary characters really mess up the flow, so I’m mentioning them only as needed to show the progression of the love story. This is really much harder than writing the story. 
on October 14th, 2004 at 7:43 am
I agree with you about the Google ads. I can’t stand ads on professional sites (and that goes even for someone who hasn’t been published yet– if you want to look professional, ads don’t add to that perception, IMHO). But that’s just my opinion, and I am pathologically phobic about commercials– I watch TV with the mute button ready at all times! And it astounds me that anyone actually clicks on those ads, but I read the other day that about 75% of Google’s revenue comes from those ads. Go figure.
I’m terrible at writing synopses, personally. And I’ve found getting an agent to be really difficult. I hear the easiest time to find an agent is when you actually have an offer in hand… like when Kate Duffy makes you an offer on your Brava novella :wink:.
on October 14th, 2004 at 4:16 am