That dreaded....synopsis? A question for fellow writers...

     Yesterday I wrote about overcoming a current snag with working in some transitions to better connect some of my scenes and chapters. Thankfully I have the confidence to push through and get on to another task at hand, because let's face it: there is always another task at hand.
     While I may not be 100% finished my novel, I am at the 70,000 word count milestone and since I know the additional scenes to work in, I also have to start thinking of the bigger picture: the finish line and all that comes after that. Not only was I fortunate enough to pique the interest of an agent at the 2013 Surrey International Writer's Conference - my first time attending and my first pitch ever. I also recently won a critique by a published author while attending a Romance Writer's of America Greater Vancouver Chapter Valentine's event. Okay so February may have come and gone already, and not I have not submitted my pages for critique yet. And I can honestly say fear is not standing in my way of progress: I need all the feedback I can get so I can make my novel as wrinkle-free as possible and ready for submission. It's just that, with this critique, a synopsis was required.
     I'm going to be brutally honest here, I had to look up and refresh my memory what a synopsis is. Ridiculous coming from an aspiring author, right? I have taken writing courses in college, but it's been a decade since I had heard, seen or read a synopsis.
     Really, how hard can they be?
     Harder than I thought, that's for sure. I know what my story is about, that's not the problem.
It's the giving away 'the goods' - all the plot twists, conflicts and so on - that I'm finding most difficult. Yes, I know. I've checked into this and learned that it's mandatory. There are no exceptions. A synopsis must include all the secrets of the story.
     There is a part of my that wants to shout out: "what's the point of that?" Why would anyone want to read the full story if they pretty much have all the details summarized for them? They know exactly what's going to happen. Where's the fun in that? Where's the surprise? That to me is like accidentally seeing a spoiler for your favourite TV show or a newly released movie before you get to watch it for yourself. Seeing as I loathe spoilers, I can easily see where the reluctance comes from.
What I need to know is, how do I suppress this defiant part of myself that wants to hold onto these details. What's the best way to approach a synopsis for someone who hasn't had a lot of <recent> practice writing them? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

 

If You Have To Force It....An Epiphany. (Working through Writer's Block & more).

     As I have always known, the more busy I am with outside obligations such as my rent-paying day job and my heart-filling fundraising, the less I accomplish with my writing. There is only so much fire this fuel can spark. Nevertheless, I still tried. It's just despite my efforts lately, I haven't been getting very far.
     Lately I have become more aware of the downside of being, as I usually describe myself, "a scene writer." I don't write stories chapter by chapter, but more from scene to scene. I have always been this way. As much as I love it: I find it as entertaining as reading a book because I too don't know what's going to happen next, I have discovered some downsides. One slight pitfall to this particular style of writing is trying to figure out which scenes build up into which chapter - I haven't tried to discern this yet - I will leave that for my formatting days. The downside I am face to face with now is making sure there are transitions in place to smoothly move from one scene or chapter to the next.
     I have been working on my current novel for roughly a year, and it's quite closed to finished. 70,000 words and counting. Except of course for the few places I knew I needed to revisit to build in some better transitions. It's more challenging task than I expected. While some transitions surprise me and seemingly write themselves, others are more like pulling teeth. Particularly, I've been at an utter standstill, anguishing over a necessary transitional chapter that will better connect my third and fifth chapters. I've started three or four versions but can't seem to finish any of them.
     They do not feel right, therefore do not fit right either. Just like working one's way through a jigsaw puzzle, if the piece doesn't fit, there is not point forcing it as it's just going to ruin the rest of the project.
     That's the epiphany I had today. I've been trying to force something that's not meant to be. This is why it's not working. I didn't have a chapter between them before because there was never supposed to be one there. It's exactly like those well-known memes say, if you have to force it, it's probably shite.
     Interestingly, as soon as I have made this realization, I seem to be able to easily work in a few transitional sentences instead. Suddenly I can see the wrinkles being smoothed. I will be able to complete this task and move on to the next.
     Suddenly, I can breathe.

 

The Pros & Cons of aquiring a Beta Reader. Part one.

I know, I know. What possible con could there be of a beta reader? These people volunteer their time and opinions to help improve one's work. I completely agree. Every writer is indebt to the people that offer their time this way! There is everything positive about Beta Readers. All PRO!

I have been avidly hunting down Beta Readers for over a month. I hadn't really contacted any friends or family... I don't know why specifically. Something in me wants my work to be PERFECT before letting them at my work ;) Not that I don't value their opinion just the same. It's that I have some nagging nerves with regards to sharing this big part of me with them. We all have our ticks. This seems to be one of mine.

So, when a colleague whom I really get along with at work expressed such great interest and support when she learned I was an aspiring author, I figured may she'd be the one. And it seemed as though I found my first Beta Reader! She was super excited and interested in the task so I forwarded my first 3 chapters.

Let me clarify first, that my chapters are not 25 pages deep. They are on average 10 pages each.

As weeks tick by without any response or comments of any kind, worry starts to grow. Has my first chapter bored her to tears and she can't bare to tell me? Do her eyes glaze over whenever she starts to read on? Why hasn't she responded? Even an email touching base to see how things were going, telling her she can let me know either way, even if she changed her mind, has still gone unanswered. To the negative thinker in me, it tells me she doesn't want to hurt my feelings so isn't saying anything at all. Isn't that what we learned from Thumper?

Instead of drowning myself in pessimism, I started to shop for more beta readers. Can't have all my eggs in one basket or so they say. I have managed to find a couple other people who have now expressed interest and a willingness to help. In total, I have sent the start of my book to four people and now, it's waiting that's excruciating! I know that these beautiful volunteers are reading my project around obligations of their own. Understandably and acceptably so. Doesn't make the waiting any easier.

What I also am starting to realize is that with each Beta reader I send to, since I read my chapters over before sending, I am starting to fine tune and improve (hopefully) some of the paragraphs and dialogue. Knowing someone else's eyes will run over these sentences, I want them to be good as possible. So, even if my worst fear is answered by lack of response which can sometimes be interpreted for the WORST possible outcome - a dud. At least it is already improving with each nervous click of 'Send.'

So, thank you Beta Readers for all your help! :)

(Part Two will be written after I <hopefully> receive some feedback and critiques on my work).

Soliciting Myself. A New Writer's Realization.

I caught a hint of this when I attended my very first Writer's Conference in October 2013 - the SIWC or Surrey International Writer's Conference. Introducing myself to people at the same table or workshop, they almost ALWAYS would ask "Amanda ..." It took a few goes at it until I realized giving your last name was the norm when introducing yourself to other writers. Who knew? And, that wasn't all. People were passing out business cards left right and centre. There were a couple tables with business cards and bios splayed around amongst front covers of some latest releases. Being completely new to the writing world, it was somewhat a surprise.

Okay, let me clarify. I have been writing for nearly a decade and a half. Other than a couple college classes - which confirmed my apparent talent - that writer's conference was the first time I took that next step forward: to learn more, to become a part of what I am quickly learning is a beautiful community and to see if I really have what it takes. It's one thing for me to think I am a good writer. Another for my creative writing professor to insist I never stop writing - and for classmates to demand to know what happen next from short story entries...all of which was very warming and encouraging. It's another altogether for online readers to rave that they still can't believe I am not a published author. That was an awkward pill to swallow. And while that may have been a few years back, but it still warms my heart that readers out there do believe I have what it takes to be a published author.

So, delayed response as it may seem, I finally am pursuing this could-be career. I want so badly to see the cover of my story, to hold the paperback in my hands, to inhale that new book smell as I turn the pages. This is what I truly want.

What I wasn't expecting in all of this was the self-promotion that is part and parcel to bringing this dream into reality. It is as necessary as having the ability to put the words on the paper, as I am quickly catching on. For me, while I am not quite at the stage of business cards or bios and front covers to share, I am already feeling the need in something so simple as finding some beta readers.

Hahahahaha. Okay, so if you are a pre-published author like myself, as Jane Porter called us in the footnote at the SIWC, sounds so good right? You will know that finding a Beta Reader is not simple. At least I haven't found it to be so. And, here I find myself completely soliciting myself as a person: as a writer, selling the product: selling the characters and their story all in hopes of baiting the right person. Hook Line and Sinker. I have so far emailed my first 3 chapters to 4 people over the course of a month. I have yet to have a response back one way or another. Let me say this, my chapters are not 25 pages long. They are short and sweet. Or so I think. The lack of response does tend to fuel the doubt. They all hate it, I'm sure that's why they aren't responding. Or the worry, great, now I've sent my story off to some strangers across cyber space...what will they do with it?

They don't mention this in school. No one ever suggested that sales skills were a pre-requisite to finding success as a writer. I have never really thought myself any good in sales. It's why I steer clear of any commission-type jobs - fear I'd end up owing money instead of earning it! But I need to dig down and channel my inner Sales Superstar, because even if I sometimes doubt my skills as a writer as I am sure many of us do, I believe in my characters. I want to introduce them to the world. Share their stories. I need to! And since I know introducing myself to other writers and fetching beta readers is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to soliciting myself as an author, I am quite prepared, if needed, to sell myself like a pro.