Writing tip

K M Wieland on her blog Word Play has a great post about using There as a passive verb and how, by getting rid of it in your writing, by rewording your sentence, you make it more vibrant and assertive! Check it out here

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 :)

Passed vs Past

Does anyone else have problems with knowing when to use the correct one?
Going through my ms, i have been struck with the knowledge that i am confused by it, so much so that i change them from one to the other and back again, but still don't think i know!

I try to remember that:
* Passed is the past participle of to pass

And,
* Past refers to time. (But that changes when someone walks past a shop!)

This article is very good, but i still don't think i have a handle on it.

Can anyone help out? How do you know which one to use?