Possibilites for fudge reduction...

Further to my witterings on synopses I just wanted to make a mention of an interesting phenomenon I have observed. This is the synopsis written before the book is finished. Sometimes we do it to try and submit and sell the book before completion. Sometimes we do it to enter the incomplete ms in a competition or short window of publishing opportunity that requires only the synopsis and a writing sample - the closing date is zooming toward you at a rate of knots and it takes them at least three months plus to judge or make a decision - you're sure you can get the sucker finished before your fabulous win/contract is announced. For some writers this is how they always do business. Their synopses are perfectly formed mini-me's of their planned novel. They've sold countless works based on synopses alone. This, however, is not me. I am guilty of perpetrating the afore-mentioned phenomenon. And for a while I thought it was only me. But I have recently had evidence that other writers do it too. And what is 'it' you might ask. Well folks its the 'fudged' synopsis. You've written at least half your novel. You know roughly how its going to end, but you're not entirely sure how you're going to get there. As a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pantser I like to keep things a little vague. I feel like I actually get a better result that way. If my novel is too prescribed it loses some of the magic and it becomes boring to write and assuredly boring to read. The problem here, of course, is that when you try summarise something not yet written, the vagueness shows. Publishers must recognize that fudge factor. They must know your manuscript is not yet finished. And I didn't appreciate this until I read someone else's fudged synopsis. I could easily tell the novel was not yet finished just by looking at the synopsis. Now the big daring question I'm going to pose here is - does it matter? I'm thinking it depends on the novel. If the story idea is strong and the writing is strong and they like the story and the writing in the sample, and you look like you know what you're doing I'm picking it might not matter. It might depend on who the publishers/judges are. If they are keen on a completed novel then it will matter but you won't have been finished in time to submit/enter anyway - nothing ventured, nothing lost. Is there a way around this? If you work as I do, then the possibilites for fudge reduction are not great, although over time I think the quality of my fudging has improved. I guess the bottom line is there may be no solution, there may be no issue, but it pays to put yourself in their shoes sometimes to see how your submission is received. I'm going to assume that if my novel isn't finished when I submit it, they can probably tell. That won't make me stop submitting unfinished stories if thats the best course of action at the time but I have to appreciate that they know and what that knowledge might mean.

A sweaty juggler with too many pointy balls...

Been talking synopses with a writing friend over the last few days. These are slippery little suckers that are hard to tame and control. But I love discussing these things because it always seems to bring more clarity to the subject and I just briefly want to mention here a few things I reckon you should leave out and a few things that I believe are best to include. And remember a synopsis is a summary of your story. This is not the same as the 'essence', the hook or what you would write on the back cover if your manuscript becomes a book (aka the blurb). Don't include back story or detail. Your synopsis should be succinct (which is a euphemism for no back story and no detail). You won't have space for minor plot developments and peripheral characters either. Do include the answers to the following questions. Who is the main character, what problem/dliemma do they encounter, how do they respond, what happens to solve the problem/dilemma? Do write the synopsis in a way which demonstrates the style and voice of the story. Even though its one of your tools for winning over an agent/publisher the synopsis is not the same as a pitch. A pitch is about the essence of your story and this is where you wow them with the hook before they say yes to you giving them the synopsis and manuscript. Your synopsis demonstrates that your story has a beginning, a middle and an end, and that you know what's important, which will tell the agent/publisher something about you as a writer. More and more, synopses are becoming an essential part of the submission process.

I came across some very juicy links this morning. Loved this uplifting post on famous rejectees that includes the content of some of their reject letters at the examiner's blog via the always interesting and/or hilarious Rejectionist. It made me quit whining for at least five minutes about having had five rejections for one manuscript for which my writer friends have been most grateful. Another fab link today is at writer Nicola Morgan's blog, Help, I need a publisher - When is an idea not a book. Its a good post on where writers get ideas but also discusses the difference between idea and story. This post was particularly pertinent for me after my last post where I wittered on about fictionalising a true story (I should have said true experience). No matter how meaty this experience was I know that it is not in itself a good book without some control exerted over how events unfold, what these events tell us about the characters, and how things are resolved in a satisfying way for the reader. And all this must happen whilst I honour the true events and experiences and demonstrate their importance. While honouring the experience is essential, this experience cannot be shared without acknowledging and satisfying the reader as well. And its worth sharing. I feel like a sweaty juggler with too many pointy balls....heh...fun!

Know the enemy...

MOVIE SPOILER ALERT - Lars and the Real Girl (you have been warned :)

I've been horribly slack about editing my WIP. My children are still off school and our routine is an anti-routine. My brain has curdled in the heat and doesn't like looking at constructed sentences for too long. Tis annoying as I want to get this thing finished - it s so close and yet SOOO far and the only person that can make a difference is me (oh the pain of responsibility). And editing can be one long 'moment' of doubt and fear. For me editing is fraught with extra fear as it is the opportunity to remove any suckage, tighten up the brilliance and make the story as rocking as its ever going to get. Ha ha .If you ever suffer from the illusion that writing is easy take note: pulling out my brain through my nostrils would be a simpler and less painful process. I know what I have to do on this job but that does not make it any easier. I think its the 100% vigilance required to not get slack and lazy and lapse into cliche and adverbs and tell. And most of all to keep faith with every plot development for the entire story. I cannot do B if I didn't do A. Is A in the right place? And if I have A and B then C must turn up in the right spot and do its job. And did he still have green eyes and freckles and behave on page 100 like he behaved on page 5. Is her character development credible and meaningful and supported by what has happened to her? Do we care? After watching Lars and the Real Girl the other night and crying during the sex doll's funeral I know what result effective character and plot development can have. I am now reading the second book in Steig Larsson's Millenium Trilogy and I care about the main character so much I am dreading what might happen next. I am compelled to read but have to steel myself when I do, just in case. There are annoying things about Larsson's writing style (if he makes one more list of technical info for his key characters latest purchase or tells me the square meterage of the house some minor character lives in I may scream), but these are not enough to stop me reading. Fascinating stuff. Folks if you ever need a reminder of one of the most important things you can do to improve the quality of your own writing, it is this - read more books!!! Yes this is one cliche I am happy to repeat ad nauseum and if need be to shout it as well. You cannot write if you do not read. There is no better writing education. And this does not mean reading only literary works of genius. One must recognise bad writing if one is to avoid it. Know the enemy. READ MORE BOOKS! Read widely, and find out what you like and what works, and what doesn't.

And I have also discovered that writing a synopsis can be a helpful method of pointing out any weaknesses in a plot. I have just submitted two stories to an Australian publisher and a synopsis was required for each. I usually write a synopsis/outline before I get writing but things always change during the writing process and a corrected synopsis is required for submissions. It is a great test of the brains of your story. Does this still make sense? Would real people behave like this? Does the journey create the result? And one of my personal favourites - was the payoff worth the reading effort?

In other news I am now officially enrolled for another university paper this year and I am very excited as I have been credited an additional paper as I can demonstrate meeting the requirements without any additional effort on my part. This is jolly decent of them and exceedingly handy. I now have to get only five more papers to complete the diploma. Oh and I recently wittered on in a brief and probably insufficient way about POV. For more in-depth smart advice go check out Nicola Morgan's blog post on this very subject. This writer knows her stuff.