tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post4338722706009984458..comments2024-03-28T15:01:21.285-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: What I Learned While Synopsis WritingLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-61247896658713483182013-10-18T20:27:48.581-04:002013-10-18T20:27:48.581-04:00Will do, R.T., and thanks!
Rob, I'm still chu...Will do, R.T., and thanks!<br /><br />Rob, I'm still chuckling. I know what you mean. That's why I took the advice of somebody who told me to write a 1-page synopsis first, then create synopses of additional length, so I'd have whatever the agents I targeted wanted. Seems like the only solution. lol<br /><br />--DixonDixon Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220791609338404147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-55634185976857468182013-10-18T18:39:38.906-04:002013-10-18T18:39:38.906-04:00this is a matter of import to me because I wrote a...this is a matter of import to me because I wrote a synopsis (or possibly an outline. or an ad for tea kettles. it's all a blur now) for my novel. I loved Terence's suggestion. The elevator speech is related to what Hollywood calls high concept: sell it in a sentence. I think my piece does that, but so far nobody is knocking on my virtual door. <br /><br />One thing that drives me nuts is that no two publishers/agents ask for the same thing. One page synopsis. Three page symopsis. Ten pages. Three chapters. Six bits, a dollar. <br /><br />As a friend of mine who makes a living keeps asking me "Are you SURE you want to be in this business?"<br /> Robert Loprestihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-18844978655536527812013-10-18T15:54:28.096-04:002013-10-18T15:54:28.096-04:00Dix, keep us advised on the progress of selling yo...Dix, keep us advised on the progress of selling your novel. I've really enjoyed your short stories and therefore look forward to reading the novel.R.T. Lawtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15523486296396710227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-66534645907130915682013-10-18T13:52:09.015-04:002013-10-18T13:52:09.015-04:00Terence and Elizabeth, I think you're right—th...Terence and Elizabeth, I think you're right—that's a great idea. In fact, the method I finally settled on -- in order to cut myself off from the outline, and shift into “story” mode—was to create a one-page synopsis first. Then, I created longer versions, and polished until I got the product I'd been aiming for. I should have mentioned this step in my post, but I was running up against a shortened deadline. And, I didn’t read John’s post about loglines until I’d completed the work, or I think I would have followed your advice more closely. I think you’re right: drilling down to the logline would have been a great way to focus on the central core of the story.<br /><br />Anon, I’m glad you found it useful, but read the paragraph above. If you already read it, I suggest you read it again, and take it to heart. Concentrating on that logline is probably the best way to get started on the right track.<br /><br />Good luck with the story, Eve. And, I love that line: Off to explore through the great jungles of prose with a machete!<br /><br />Thank you, Fran, for the best wishes, etc.<br /><br />--DixonDixon Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220791609338404147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-28471592665904853352013-10-18T13:50:20.629-04:002013-10-18T13:50:20.629-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Dixon Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220791609338404147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-90299626826841095652013-10-18T09:37:49.049-04:002013-10-18T09:37:49.049-04:00Good piece - I'm going to try this with a stor...Good piece - I'm going to try this with a story that currently has me stuck. I know who/what/how, and I even have huge chunks of it written, but something is missing...<br />Off to explore through the great jungles of prose with a machete!Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-21609183247121675422013-10-18T09:31:19.674-04:002013-10-18T09:31:19.674-04:00I loved two parts of this to especially absolute w...I loved two parts of this to especially absolute wonderfulness! OK, that sentence makes no sense so consider it poetry. The first is the idea that we are the guy behind that picture when we write, having our hands on something we can't even see. That's true for so many creative things! And it's true that no matter what we create, to fund it or sell it we have to tell people what it is -- even though we have the least clear view of that then does anyone else walking by! Yet WE are the ones who have our hands on it! And I loved, second, the slide and its supporting structures and the ride down it being the story. I have never had such a clear grasp of the relationship between story and structure in my mind before now. THANK YOU for this piece!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-36754620939361839582013-10-18T08:32:13.109-04:002013-10-18T08:32:13.109-04:00Excellent post, Dix. I learned what I know about s...Excellent post, Dix. I learned what I know about synopsis writing from a piece by Beth Anderson years ago. She recommends what Terence said: start with the one-sentence logline or elevator pitch, build the paragraph for the query from that (or maybe she didn't mention that step, but I do), then the one-page synopsis, then the longer synopses you might need: 500 words, three pages, six pages. You can't go too far wrong if you keep answering "What's it about?" at every level. And as you say, if you remember you're a storyteller at every level (ie keep sliding!), it will engage the reader.Elizabeth Zelvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13944424094949207841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-1951318905394825342013-10-18T07:49:48.525-04:002013-10-18T07:49:48.525-04:00Dixon, as you know, I also do not write with an ou...Dixon, as you know, I also do not write with an outline. When the rough draft is complete or nearly there, I "outline" by writing a one or two-line summary of each chapter. That's used to examine sequence, pace, and plot sense. It helps when editing and is a big aid in spotting problems as well as writing a synopsis. <br />Good luck with the novel!Fran Rizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08655783035179620991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-50752728691616570442013-10-18T07:09:21.370-04:002013-10-18T07:09:21.370-04:00Dixon,
A good exposition of a difficult subject. ...Dixon,<br /><br />A good exposition of a difficult subject. I taught a novel writing workshop once for Midwest Writers for which students were required to submit a one-page synopsis. They often made a hash of this by trying to edit down a multiple-page synopsis or even longer outline. I asked them, as an exercise, to start from the other extreme: a one-sentence synopsis. Then give themselves five sentences, then ten, and so on until they'd filled their page. It got them focusing on the part of the story you illustrated with the blue slide.Terence Fahertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05928381496296429254noreply@blogger.com