Length confusion, and another tip!

That is, the length of the double spaced synopsis - get your mind out of the gutter! ;)

So usually synopsis' are accepted at 2 double spaced pages, but i've been informed (okay, so i doubt you just a little Lacey!) that up to 5 double spaced pages are allowed for the SYTYCW final challenge.

I've just posted a question about it on the reminder blog post, but if anyone else can confirm it that would be great!


Okay, a tip: From Writers Digest.com

Here are 10 keys to creating a successful synopsis.

1.  Do keep in mind that this is a sales pitch. Make it a short, fast and exciting read.

2.  Do establish a hook at the beginning of the synopsis. Introduce your lead character and set up a key conflict.

3.  Do remember to always introduce your most important character first.

4.  Do provide details about each of your central characters (age, gender, marital status, profession, etc.), but don’t do this for every character—only the primary ones.

5.  Do include the characters’ motivations and emotions.

6.  Do highlight pivotal plot points.

7.  Do reveal your novel’s ending.

8.  Don’t go into detail about what happens; just tell the reader what happens as concisely as you can.

9. Don't inject long section of dialogue.

10. Do write in the third person, present tense, even if your novel is written in a different point of view.

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Synopsis tip

Yep, i've nearly finished mine. Will be printing it out and going over it with highlighters and pens to find all the internal and external conflicts, make sure it's only following the internal growth of each character but including enough punch to grab the editor's attention. Tough.

Here's a tip/info i gleaned from the wonderful Michelle Styles:

There are five things you need to include in any synopsis

1. The setting -- specifically where does the action take place?

2. The main characters -- what are their major motivations or conflicts both externally and internally.

3. After the magic words, When the novels begins, you tell your main story. If this is a romance, you are telling of the growing attraction and the set backs the couple encounters on the way. If it is a saga, you are telling the story of one woman’s growth arc..

4. The Back Moment. -- how does the story reach its climatic moment, what happens

5. The Resolution, the happy ending. Tell the editor how the story ends.

Do you have any tips to add?

Synopsis

Yep, that's what i'm doing at the moment!
I had gone through and put a comment at the beginning of each chapter with a brief overview of what happens to the characters, their arcs etc and am now going through and trying to piece it together.
So far i'm up to two single spaced pages!
HMB like 2 double spaced pages, so this is going to be hard!

Do you have any tips you want to share about synopsis'?
I'll be posting some over the next week, stay tuned :)

Standing out from the crowd

Well the list is up on the NV site and sadly i didn't stand out from the crowd as one they wanted to see more of.
What do you think makes someone's writing stand out from the crowd, what does it for you?
But that is not going to stop me from submitting. I think persistance is the key and also, the next two chapters show some really good character development and plot so they may change their minds once they have it and the Synopsis.

Argh. The Synopsis.
Off to write that one, but i am dreading it as i have changed my writing style and have become a Pantser. I'd found once i'd plotted everything out i was then bored and didn't want to write the story anymore!
Maybe if i make the synopsis a little vague...i do know how it will end and i have written 65% of the story, so surely that will be enough without ruining it for me!

True Love

Here i am bemoaning the fact that my husband wouldn't read my synopsis to help me cut it down to two pages and what has he done? Thought about it all day at work and come home and written a version of his own!
It is moments like this that make it glaringly obvious why he is the love of my life. Other than the fact that he takes the time to find my delicates bag for my new bras or does small every day things that make such a huge uplifting feeling to the day.
This is my idea of a true hero.
I can quite happily go the rest of my life without being rescued from a kidnapping or runaway car or whisked off my feet by a hotel billionaire because quite frankly, my heart has already been captured and continues to be so by the humblest, honest, handsome, gentle, loving man i have ever met. The man of my dreams: (i already married him!)

What is your idea of the perfect hero??

In the interest of the synopsis, my husbands version actually helped me cut mine down from 2.5 pages to 2 pages and 2 lines. Even more hero worthy in my eyes.
Okay, better go and make it up to him ;)

Helpful Husband?

Well, i'd geared myself up to showing my husband my competition entry to give me another point of view as i needed help. I've decided that i really can't enter my synopsis at 1.5 spacing as that is so not professional.
It seems to be harder to give it to my husband to read than a friend. Surely it would be easier as he in theory already knows me better than anyone else should. Perhaps it is the reality of having something so personal written down on paper - it's no about me but it's from me - that has made me hesistant.
I needn't have worried.
He took one look and decided he couldn't help. It's not his thing. It starts in the middle and not the beginning.
I tried to explain that with only 50,000 words M&B starts in the middle of the action and uses flash backs and dialogue to catch the reader up but he decided that was it.
sigh.
So now i'll just have to muddle through it on my own. Or perhaps i can get my invaluable friend to help yet again. I hope one day soon i will be able to repay the favour.
Only 1 week until deadline. Or as the other romance bloggers call it Dreadline!

Finished Synopsis

Oh my goodness, i can't tell you how pleased i am to finally have finished the synopsis. I've pruned it, plumped it, clarified and refined and polished it to an inch of it's life while trying to retain a feel of my voice and the ebb and flow of the characters' conflict.
Whew.
Double spacing, as Harlequin want it, makes it just a little over 2 pages, so i hope they don't mind that i have made it 1.5 spacing to fit on 2 pages. I couldn't cut anything else out of the story!
Now i just have to work on a flash back and polishing the first chapter and hopefully on October 29 i can hit the save and send button.
Then the real fun will begin. Thankfully i'll have a few distractions and projects to keep me sane while i await the results of the competition.
Well back to it before the kids wake up!

That Darn Synopsis

Well, i've finally tackled the synopsis for my comp sub.

It's three pages long and they require too pages. I've tried to cut out lots but what i've got is essential, so obviously i need another opinion on it, someone else will see what i've missed; make sure i've only focused on conflict driven by the characters and not plot.

I've read all i have found on synopsis's and still it's really hard to write. I just have to have all i have written in it, sigh.
Maybe i should just change the margin sizes to make sure it all fits :)
I don't think that will be right so i'll just have to keep tackling it. Maybe i just need to have a bag of marshmellows or chocolate on hand.