The Dread Synopsis - CrimeSpace2024-03-28T15:28:44Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/537324:Topic:143834?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A144554&xg_raw_resources=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noMy advice is don't worry too…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-06-04:537324:Comment:1445542008-06-04T08:00:44.662Zhelen blackhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/helenblack
My advice is don't worry too much about style.<br />
It will sound stilited and dull. It can't possibly include the richness of your characters or the complexity of your book. It will make the ending look pathetic and conventional - or worse - a gimmick.<br />
Just intoroduce your MC in a couple of lines - and yes millions will begin - divorced middle aged cop with a drink problem and demons from the past!!!! Then tell the bare bones of the story.<br />
And remember, once you've bagged your agent you won't have…
My advice is don't worry too much about style.<br />
It will sound stilited and dull. It can't possibly include the richness of your characters or the complexity of your book. It will make the ending look pathetic and conventional - or worse - a gimmick.<br />
Just intoroduce your MC in a couple of lines - and yes millions will begin - divorced middle aged cop with a drink problem and demons from the past!!!! Then tell the bare bones of the story.<br />
And remember, once you've bagged your agent you won't have to do this again.<br />
HB x Lukeman's THE FIRST FIVE PAGE…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-06-03:537324:Comment:1444322008-06-03T13:38:20.240ZDaniel Hatadihttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/danielhatadi
Lukeman's THE FIRST FIVE PAGES is pretty damned good too. It's the first book on writing I've found that actually tells you to worry about the sound of the words.
Lukeman's THE FIRST FIVE PAGES is pretty damned good too. It's the first book on writing I've found that actually tells you to worry about the sound of the words. There's also Noah Lukeman's H…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-06-03:537324:Comment:1444292008-06-03T13:32:48.810ZJeff Rosshttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JeffRoss
There's also Noah Lukeman's How To write a great Query letter which you can now download free from Amazon. I'm just getting into it this moment, actually.
There's also Noah Lukeman's How To write a great Query letter which you can now download free from Amazon. I'm just getting into it this moment, actually. I didn't like this at all. So…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-06-02:537324:Comment:1442382008-06-02T15:56:08.679ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
I didn't like this at all. Sounds like it's for romance novels, a very different market. However, I may be wrong. I hate writing synopses.
I didn't like this at all. Sounds like it's for romance novels, a very different market. However, I may be wrong. I hate writing synopses. I liked this.tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-06-02:537324:Comment:1442332008-06-02T15:54:44.504ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
I liked this.
I liked this. I just wrote one, which I'd b…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-06-02:537324:Comment:1441862008-06-02T05:00:24.267ZStephen Blackmoorehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/sblackmoore
I just wrote one, which I'd been hoping to avoid, but an agent wanted a full synopsis along with the manuscript. It was painful, but a very useful exercise.<br />
<br />
What helped was to break down every scene in a bullet list first. After that I was able to figure out what were all the main plot points, what could be discarded, what could be truncated and so on. I went from 7 pages single spaced to 4 double spaced.<br />
<br />
I think it's still too bulky, but it got the job done.
I just wrote one, which I'd been hoping to avoid, but an agent wanted a full synopsis along with the manuscript. It was painful, but a very useful exercise.<br />
<br />
What helped was to break down every scene in a bullet list first. After that I was able to figure out what were all the main plot points, what could be discarded, what could be truncated and so on. I went from 7 pages single spaced to 4 double spaced.<br />
<br />
I think it's still too bulky, but it got the job done. good link, daniel.
i'm in the…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-06-01:537324:Comment:1441202008-06-01T17:01:07.982ZAnne Frasierhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/annefrasier
good link, daniel.<br />
i'm in the process of looking for a new agent, and this is all new to me. i can't believe how things have changed since i started. yes, we sent query letters 20 years ago, but there was no expected format, and no place to really get info. i recall just mailing a pretty standard business letter. odd how that things have actually gotten more formal and inflexible in the initial stages of the query process. i really hate that. It makes writing/publishing feel that much more…
good link, daniel.<br />
i'm in the process of looking for a new agent, and this is all new to me. i can't believe how things have changed since i started. yes, we sent query letters 20 years ago, but there was no expected format, and no place to really get info. i recall just mailing a pretty standard business letter. odd how that things have actually gotten more formal and inflexible in the initial stages of the query process. i really hate that. It makes writing/publishing feel that much more corporate. I just remembered another esp…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-06-01:537324:Comment:1440352008-06-01T03:33:16.478ZDaniel Hatadihttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/danielhatadi
I just remembered another especially good series of articles on the synopsis and query, over at <a href="http://www.lisagardner.com/tricks/synopsis.htm">Lisa Gardner's website</a>.<br />
<br />
She sums it all up about as good as anyone can.
I just remembered another especially good series of articles on the synopsis and query, over at <a href="http://www.lisagardner.com/tricks/synopsis.htm">Lisa Gardner's website</a>.<br />
<br />
She sums it all up about as good as anyone can. i've seen a lot of bad synops…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-06-01:537324:Comment:1440292008-06-01T02:46:23.405ZAnne Frasierhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/annefrasier
i've seen a lot of bad synopses, including all of mine, but very few good ones. i even find the good examples excruciating.
i've seen a lot of bad synopses, including all of mine, but very few good ones. i even find the good examples excruciating. Many thanks, Dana, Daniel and…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-06-01:537324:Comment:1440172008-06-01T01:33:29.579ZSimon Averyhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/SimonAvery
Many thanks, Dana, Daniel and Grant. I shall take it all on board and have another crack at it.
Many thanks, Dana, Daniel and Grant. I shall take it all on board and have another crack at it.