The Evil Evil EVIL Synopsis!

Do you feel like this when you think about writing a synopsis? I know I do!

• I’ve written a manuscript.
• I’ve polished a manuscript.
• I’ve written a query letter.
• I’ve polished a query letter.
• I’ve researched agents.
• I've weeded out agents.
• Now all I have left (what I’ve been putting off for months) is the EVIL synopsis.

I am aware that some agents don’t want it, but better safe than sorry. And I’m not capable of whipping out a synopsis on a whim. So if you are like me and need to tackle the synopsis, I’m going to share what I’ve learned:

Keep it simple. Stick to just the main plot. Leave out all characters but the main ones. Leave out subplots. Leave out as many proper names as you can. No themes. No symbolism. No flowery description. Simple. Simple. Simple.

Use story structure as your guide. I stole this from Janice Hardy’s blog (read her post on writing a synopsis) and it really helped me. A synopsis is structured something like this:

1. Opening Scene
2. Inciting Incident
3. Act One Crisis
4. Act Two Revelation
5. Mid Point Reversal
6. Act Three Disaster
7. Climax
8. Wrap Up

I used this to decide what should stay and what should go.

Use tension and conflict to your benefit. Use paragraph breaks to act as mini cliffhangers to propel the synopsis forward. Make us bite our nails wanting to know what is next.

Don’t be afraid to write a terrible synopsis. You have to start somewhere. And thanks to the magic of computers—you can always edit :)

Spoil the ending. A synopsis in NOT a hook. It is meant to show agents that you know how to construct a story. So throw it all in; twists, surprises, cliffhangers, and a well executed ending. Don’t use the synopsis as a teaser.

Get a second opinion. Once you think you have it down let someone who hasn’t read your MS read your synopsis. Does it make sense to them? Are the stakes clear? Do they want to continue reading from paragraph to paragraph?

There you have it. Sadly that is all the synopsis knowledge I possess. What about you? Does anyone have any great tips?

-Angie

Sarah Goldberg, assistant to Agent Suzie Townsend, has a great post on the EVIL synopsis :)

Making your scenes multitask!

This is probably writing 101, but when I figured it out it changed how I wrote scenes and chapters.

You know those scenes that you LOVE—the ones that are your babies—the ones full of descriptive details—the ones that go nowhere? The ones you KNOW must be fixed, but you can’t figure out how.

This was my epiphany: Make my scenes multitask!

When I am writing a scene I try and make it do three things. It doesn’t matter what those things are, but it must be at least three. If my scene only does one thing I know I need to work on it. Here is my list:

• Develop the plot
• Reveal back-story
• Develop a character
• Pose a question
• Answer a question
• World building
• Raise the stakes
• Foreshadow an event
• Up the tension
• Explore a theme
• Set the mood
• Achieve a goal
• Discover something important

I was flabbergasted when I found a post on this exact thing on Janice Hardy’s blog—she does such a fantastic job of going into great detail, everyone really should check it out! If I’m not the only one thinking this, maybe it is a universal writing truth :)

- Angie

Red Flag Words

I'm deep into line edits for my manuscript. Slowly going word by word through 93,000 words. It makes me a little crazy. Just like in yesterdays post, I found a lot of help on Janice Hardy's blog.

Some words tend to be redundant, telling, passive and inactive. These are the words that give me the most trouble:

That

Very

Almost

Really

Even

Since

Although

Thought

Since

Over

Down

Was, were

Have, had, has

Will be

Been

Felt

Janice Hardy has two great posts about this: Spit shine (for a complete list) and Send up the (red) flag.

Good luck with your edits :)

Angie

Show and Tell

This isn't quite as fun as seeing your friends pet lizard or hearing about a trip to Hawaii, like we all did in first grade--but almost :)

This post is about the millstone the hangs from the neck of all writers--show DON"T tell. I am constantly learning how to make my work show and not tell. Janice Hardy-author of THE SHIFTER, BLUE FIRE, and DARKFALL - has a great blog about everything writing related. She does a regular post called: Real-Life Diagnostic. Authors can email her 250 words and ask her a question. She will look over your work and post it and her comments on her blog. It is a great way to learn.

Last month she posted a section of my work. I asked her specifically about Showing vs Telling. I learned so much from her critique. Here is the original post if you want to see what she said. But below I have added both the original and revised 250 words. See if you notice the changes. I think the revision does a much better job of getting you into my main characters head.

Just a bit of background. This is the third time these characters meet. They don't have a relationship yet, but they aren't strangers.

-Angie

ORIGINAL

Taggert’s eyes made contact with hers as he walked forward. Other girls tried to capture his attention as he passed by, but he never took his eyes off Jocelyn. She felt frozen, like a leaf trapped by frost that lost its ability to stir in the wind, and whether by panic or fascination she didn’t know. Her feet wouldn’t move and she remained unable to pull her eyes from his. Her heart beat faster with each approaching step. She was completely unable to prevent her physical reaction to him no matter how badly she tried. Jocelyn became irritated with herself. Why couldn’t she ignore him like she did so many other men? His approach seemed unreasonably slow and when he finally reached her, she knew her heart couldn’t beat any swifter.

“Did you enjoy the matches?” his tone disarmingly casual.

“Yes, they were entertaining,” she managed, praying she sounded nonchalant and feeling anything but.

He finally broke eye contact and turned to look at the arena, now filled with boys and their sticks engaged in their own mini battles.

“I’ve noticed,” he began, “these little events sometimes develop…unusual consequences.” He turned and watched her, measuring her reaction.

“I’m not sure I understand,” she answered genuinely confused.

His brown eyes twinkled, and she noticed for the first time the little creases in the corner of his eyes. She immediately liked them.

REVISED

Taggert’s gaze made contact with Jocelyn’s as he walked toward her.

Is he coming over to me? She casually looked side to side, the girls he passed tried to capture his attention, but he never took his eyes off Jocelyn. She felt frozen and whether by panic or fascination she couldn’t quite tell. Her feet wouldn’t move and she couldn’t pull her eyes from his.

Stop it. Stop it. She scolded her racing heart. She breathed deeply then pushed the breath out slowly, but her heart still sped. Well that didn’t help. She scowled, irritated with her physical reaction. He is just walking, ignore him. Focus on something else. But she couldn’t focus on anything but his unreasonably slow approach. When he finally reached her, her heart was galloping.

“Did you enjoy the matches?” he asked his tone disarmingly casual.

“Yes, they were entertaining,” she said, praying she sounded nonchalant—feeling anything but.

He broke eye contact and turned looking at the arena, now filled with boys and their sticks engaged in their own mini battles.

“I’ve noticed,” he said, “these little events sometimes develop…unusual consequences.” He cocked one eyebrow and smiled.

“I’m not sure I understand,” she answered confused.

His brown eyes twinkled, and she noticed the little creases in the corner of his eyes. She immediately liked them. Oh, you are going to be trouble for me.