A synopsis, as you know, is not only a summary of your story. It is a slice of your writing style. It gives the editor the first taste of who you are and what you write. Because of that,you want to give it the flavor of the type of story you write. What do I mean? Well, every noun and verb you use conveys a feeling or mood. For example, if you are trying to up tension, and create fear, you might use verbs that generate feelings of fear. Stricken, caught, blindsided, choked. If you want to convey feelings of warmth, you might use, embraced, soothe, coo. If you want to create feelings of suspense, you might use: flicker, ripped, tear. The idea is to look at your piece, and choose carefully the words you […]
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About Susan May Warren
Former Russian Missionary Susan May Warren is the best-selling author of more than 40 novels and novellas with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill, and Summerside. A Christy award and RITA winner, and multiple finalist for the RITA, Christy and winner of Inspirational Readers Choice contest, Susan currently has over a million books in print. A seasoned women’s events speaker and writing teacher, she is the founder of http://www.mybooktherapy.com an online community for writers, and runs a fiction editing service teaching writers how to tell a great story. Visit her online at: http://www.susanmaywarren.com.Author Archive | Susan May Warren
The Big Bang! Synopsis Day 2
Or how to deliver a knock-out in the first paragraph: Today, I want to talk to you about the BIG BANG – or the one-two first paragraph punch of your synopsis. Just like the first line of your book, you want the first paragraph of your synopsis to really grab your editor. You want to zero on the most important part of your book, the theme, or the plot and hook them good. Because, although you are going to try and make your synopsis as entertaining as possible, it is still a summary and you want to make sure you have them before things slow down. What am I talking about? Well, when you move to the Query-letter stage, we’ll be working on 100 word blurbs. These are the story in nutshell, focusing on the highest […]
Read the RestPutting it all together! Synopsis Day 1
Can you believe it’s already December? And that we’ve gone through all the elements of a novel this year – me either! But here you are – you’ve written, The End on your novel, after finding the perfect HEA ending, and maybe now you’re wondering what to do. Send it in! Oaky, wait, maybe that was premature. I got a little excited there. Yes, FIRST you need to write a PROPOSAL. Which consists of a Cover or Query Letter (depending on what whomever you are sending it to want to see first, usually outlined on their publisher or agent site), a synopsis, and the first three chapters. I like to write my Cover or Query letter LAST, because, well, by then I know what I’m trying to say. And, you […]
Read the RestJump Jerry Shaw! The makings of a perfect ending
I admit it, I’m a Shia LaBeouf fan. I fell for him in Disturbia, then Transformers, then Indy and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and so I couldn’t wait to see him in Eagle Eye. Besides, the movie just looked great, with high action and an edge-of-your-seat premise. What if you had no control over your life? What would you do? I wasn’t disappointed. Eagle Eye had me on the edge of my seat the entire two hours, some of the time with my hands pressed up against my face (in fact, I think I even made red handprints). Non-stop action, great motivations, incredible conflict…a movie that took my breath away. Sometimes, in thrillers, let just say, uh….any of the Die Hard movies…we have a hero who is […]
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