Friday, June 09, 2006
So, after discovering the short I'd finished the draft of is not suitable for the first publisher I wanted to send it to, I look at the other options available to me. Only to discover one daunting fact - they need a synposis.
What a scary word. Synopsis. WTF? Can I run now? Can I put out enough glitter or rhinestones to get a synopsis fairy to write one for me?
Sigh - okay. So I read some articles on writing synopses. Then I discover that they are pretty much in disagreement on most items. Arrrgh. Why aren't there good rules?
I start trying to write the blasted thing. I mean, really, it's only a 12K story. SURELY any idiot can write a synopsis for it.
Apparently I'm not just any idiot.... I must have written and deleted the first few sentences about 10 times. They sounded like a 6 year old. Really.
Then I manage to get a decent first paragraph - heck, maybe I'll make it the blurb because it would work as one! I'm happy! So I send it to my ever patient author friend. She likes it...
There is HOPE. WOOT.
Finally I manage to discard my first theory of writing the synopsis based on pure plot and chronology and instead I focus on the emotions. Wow - after a few hours and about a page and a half of text, it doesn't sound too bad. So (since it's now after midnight), I mail it off to my author friend, my critique partner (Jaynie) and my test readers.
Today I heard back from 3 of the 4 and they LIKE IT.... One paragraph of correction but that's the only thing I've heard that I need to fix.
I think I need some smelling salts now.
What a scary word. Synopsis. WTF? Can I run now? Can I put out enough glitter or rhinestones to get a synopsis fairy to write one for me?
Sigh - okay. So I read some articles on writing synopses. Then I discover that they are pretty much in disagreement on most items. Arrrgh. Why aren't there good rules?
I start trying to write the blasted thing. I mean, really, it's only a 12K story. SURELY any idiot can write a synopsis for it.
Apparently I'm not just any idiot.... I must have written and deleted the first few sentences about 10 times. They sounded like a 6 year old. Really.
Then I manage to get a decent first paragraph - heck, maybe I'll make it the blurb because it would work as one! I'm happy! So I send it to my ever patient author friend. She likes it...
There is HOPE. WOOT.
Finally I manage to discard my first theory of writing the synopsis based on pure plot and chronology and instead I focus on the emotions. Wow - after a few hours and about a page and a half of text, it doesn't sound too bad. So (since it's now after midnight), I mail it off to my author friend, my critique partner (Jaynie) and my test readers.
Today I heard back from 3 of the 4 and they LIKE IT.... One paragraph of correction but that's the only thing I've heard that I need to fix.
I think I need some smelling salts now.
posted by Maura Anderson at 10:06 PM
