Old People Writing for Teens, IV

lisalulu09 · Jun 16, 2012

It's trying to think of one. I never intended to think of this...

ETA: Going to bed. 'Night, guys.

justbishop · Jun 16, 2012

I can't decide whether to write or knit tonight...after I finish making these lemon/white chocolate cupcakes for tomorrow, that is.

Sage · Jun 16, 2012

I love to do other things like hand crafts. I cross-stitch or needlepoint the most. But I also have crocheted some blankets.

lisalulu09 said:
Sage, what is Taylor-Made about?

It's about a boy who fights alongside the girl he loves for the rights of androids that are created to be the perfect boyfriend, only to find out that he is one of them and created for her. (ha, one-sentence pitch)

justbishop · Jun 16, 2012

Write it is (at least while I wait for cupcakes to cool enough for frosting). This synopsis will be the death of me, I swear.

Smiley0501 · Jun 16, 2012

Aslera · Jun 16, 2012

Say a character's birthname is Susie and she runs away from home and takes the name Mary. John meets her and she introduces herself as Mary. Eventually (plotplotplot) she reveals her name is actually Susie and asks him to use it.

if the book is being told in third person, what do I use during narration from her POV? (I alternate POVs between "John" and "Susie/Mary")

Thoughts?

In other news, I've decided that the first two in this quartet could actually be better written as a single book (aka tightening, hacking to pieces) and I'm doing some major rewriting. This is my first time going back and revising/rewriting ANYTHING because I usually give up and sulk and decide it's too bad to fix and write something else. Bad bad habit and not a habit that'll get me published eventually. So I've turned off the inner critic and so far, the rewrite is going well and it's going to be a much stronger draft. I'm really excited.

Sage · Jun 16, 2012

Lera, what name does she think of herself as? That's what she'd use in her POV

justbishop · Jun 16, 2012

I hate synopses. Just...ugh *headdesk*

Aslera · Jun 16, 2012

Sage, she uses her birthname. You don't think it'd be confusing for her to be addressed as one name and be narrating with a different name?

Smiley0501 · Jun 16, 2012

{{hugs}}JB. Synopsis=another circle of hell...seriously. Are you planning to query soon?

justbishop · Jun 16, 2012

Smiley0501 said:
{{hugs}}JB. Synopsis=another circle of hell...seriously. Are you planning to query soon?

I would like to. It's with a few more betas at the moment, but I am not expecting any major rewrites or additions to come of that. Other than that, I just have to get this stupid synopsis down, and an actual QL. Well, and then figure out who exactly to send it out to.

Seriously, though, I'm considering self-pubbing simply to avoid this synopsis mess.

Smiley0501 · Jun 16, 2012

If you get down a QL, I'm decent at kicking their butt. If you need any help with it.

And lol you can just start off by querying agents who don't take synop. first to avoid dragging the synopsis into the picture *cough*thatssowhatIdid*cough*

justbishop · Jun 16, 2012

Why did I not think of that?! Uh, you don't happen to have a list handy, do you?

Smiley0501 · Jun 16, 2012

Uhhhh...remind me what genre your novel is in? I also find Query Tracker to be helpful

justbishop · Jun 16, 2012

YA...and I have no idea after that. People keep comparing it to The Lovely Bones, so whatever that was?

I'm seriously gonna cry. I need to walk away for the night.

mellymel · Jun 16, 2012

Smiley0501 said:
And lol you can just start off by querying agents who don't take synop. first to avoid dragging the synopsis into the picture *cough*thatssowhatIdid*cough*

Ditto. I start by submitting a batch to the agents who don't request them and then I send to another batch or two who don't request them. While I'm waiting for responses, I work on my synopsis. I start with the longer one first (because some ask for a 3-5 page synop) and then I cut it down to a 2 pager.

Smiley0501 · Jun 16, 2012

Gah, I just spent an entire day talking to my family about my "book" *snort* LMAO- when I was explaining what my novel was about (contemporary, edgy, kids getting revenge, murder, etc) my cousin's eyes bulged out. Everyone else "Eh, you were writing about everyone dying at the end of your stories by age 6" :ROFL:

I'm trying to get used to this whole talking about my novel to real people and not being ashamed I wrote one/queried it......It's hard.

justbishop · Jun 16, 2012

OMFG, I THINK I MADE PROGRESS.

Well, I'll think that until I someone posts in my QLH SYW thread to tell me how many things are wrong with THIS version.

But at least I didn't cry...much :chair

JKRowley · Jun 16, 2012

I hate writing a synopsis. I can understand a wish to flee into self publishing to avoid them. LOL.

Not really. Then you have to pay money and stuff.

I have heard it is easier to write a synopsis BEFORE you write the book. Too bad I didn't do that yet. I do like having quotes and blurbs saved, because I need them pretty often.

I am doing something fun. I am reviewing my cover art.

.

justbishop · Jun 16, 2012

Ooh, fun!

And whaaaa? You mean to tell me that I'm going to have to write more than one of these freakin' things?!

Bing Z · Jun 16, 2012

I think the hardest part of self publishing isn't the money. It's the time and effort in marketing. I remember reading annetpfeffer's thread about self-publishing her "Loving Emily". She paid for professional editing, pro cover art, even IIRC paid pro reviews and she'd spent countless time on the project, so much it had become her full time job.

Well, unless you've already set up a massive network and a loyal following.

I'd rather drill the synopsis and hope a dumb agent + dumb editor come by and give me down for a used car.

Dorothy · Jun 17, 2012

I hate synopses too. I really suck at them. I had one written for MSR but I'm so glad my publisher never asked to see it. They editorial staff read my novel without it. Phew!

I did, however, have to sum up my proposal for book 2, and that felt very synopsis-ish to me. Blah.

For my last few books, I wrote the query letter first, before I wrote the book. I get a better query letter doing it that way.

lisalulu09 · Jun 17, 2012

Hi, guys.

lisalulu09 · Jun 17, 2012

Sage said:
I love to do other things like hand crafts. I cross-stitch or needlepoint the most. But I also have crocheted some blankets.

It's about a boy who fights alongside the girl he loves for the rights of androids that are created to be the perfect boyfriend, only to find out that he is one of them and created for her. (ha, one-sentence pitch)

That sounds awesome.

How DO you come up with your ideas?!

justbishop · Jun 17, 2012

Dorothy said:
I hate synopses too. I really suck at them. I had one written for MSR but I'm so glad my publisher never asked to see it. They editorial staff read my novel without it. Phew!

I did, however, have to sum up my proposal for book 2, and that felt very synopsis-ish to me. Blah.

For my last few books, I wrote the query letter first, before I wrote the book. I get a better query letter doing it that way.

Yeah, I will probably be trying that next time!

Old People Writing for Teens, IV

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Not an exact science

Our Lady of Parentheticals

Proud Literary Sadist

Not an exact science

Lurker, now activated. :-)

Proud Literary Sadist

Lurker, now activated. :-)

Proud Literary Sadist

Lurker, now activated. :-)

Proud Literary Sadist

Lurker, now activated. :-)

Proud Literary Sadist

Proud Literary Sadist

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