tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post8636475861698366550..comments2024-03-29T07:43:01.003+00:00Comments on Help! I Need a Publisher!: Synopsis Spotlight - Glass HousesNicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-69939159381025525332011-10-18T22:28:55.063+01:002011-10-18T22:28:55.063+01:00Thanks everyone for getting on board with this. I ...Thanks everyone for getting on board with this. I really appreciate your thoughts and have to reiterate Stu's comment to Nicola about the fact that this help is free. Yes! thank you, I can't quite believe my luck. Now it's down to business as I've had a quick play around with it already - enough to know it's not going to be a quick fix. <br />My difficulty at this stage was Jackie Buxtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02186723392553752533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-73951032094461292932011-10-15T16:35:13.520+01:002011-10-15T16:35:13.520+01:00Hopped over from the pay it forward blog fest. Lov...Hopped over from the pay it forward blog fest. Love your blog and looking forward to exploring it :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04218651886143284455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-28999188463266692052011-10-15T14:22:44.094+01:002011-10-15T14:22:44.094+01:00Neal - I think every sentence is a judgement call!...Neal - I think every sentence is a judgement call! However, I think it's really important to say that making the "wrong" call on sentences such as you are thinking about is not going to lose the deal. As long as your synopsis does its job well enough, the difference between brilliant and almost brilliant is unimportant.<br /><br />I'd favour something between the two sentences Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-45878858438562140172011-10-15T14:13:56.206+01:002011-10-15T14:13:56.206+01:00So is it fair to say it's a kind of judgement ...So is it fair to say it's a kind of judgement call between content and style? <br /><br />I'm struggling to work out the balance between making a synopsis a proof of the structure as a viable vehicle for a compelling story, and it giving an idea of style and tone, which seems to me needs a slightly more expansive approach.<br /><br /><br />It's a little over twice as long, but doesn&#Neal...https://www.blogger.com/profile/10370874032744551030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-53474525831732185712011-10-15T12:13:05.056+01:002011-10-15T12:13:05.056+01:00Neal, I take your point but I think the synopsis c...Neal, I take your point but I think the synopsis can make clear the devastating nature of what she's done through the telling of the story and I'm not sure that sending a text is any more compelling a cause than any of the other aspects of careless driving. But I agree that this imformation can usefully be included at some point - but no more fully than it already is. I think it's Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-11063829692352703072011-10-14T23:04:47.916+01:002011-10-14T23:04:47.916+01:00Interesting plot and synopsis, and lots of more im...Interesting plot and synopsis, and lots of more important stuff raised already I'm sure, but something that I didn't really pick up until the end is that -- if I'm reading it right -- the whole thing hinges on sending a text. <br /><br />May not be what's supposed to be in a synopsis but I kind of feel that right up front there should be specific reference to this small stupid actNeal...https://www.blogger.com/profile/10370874032744551030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-87123128572477971232011-10-14T20:55:04.155+01:002011-10-14T20:55:04.155+01:00Now that is such an eye-opener in terms of what to...Now that is such an eye-opener in terms of what to look for in a synopsis! Learning from you all the time Nicola!!!<br /><br />And, bless you, it's free!!!<br /><br />Hurrah!!Stu Ayrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05001940316941634308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-17371269069962722322011-10-14T17:35:59.058+01:002011-10-14T17:35:59.058+01:00Found you from Talli's site. Wow, great job wi...Found you from Talli's site. Wow, great job with the synopsis! They scare the bejeebers out of me.Lydia Kanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-7432877946237988222011-10-14T16:12:03.911+01:002011-10-14T16:12:03.911+01:00I do remember Simon Sterling, yes. Fascinating cha...I do remember Simon Sterling, yes. Fascinating chap who lives in Japan as I remember. I think you may be right that it would need to be an adaptation, but it feels like it should be dramatised. In particular the ending feels like it's crying out for it - from what I gather it's left open-ended, in which case I can almost see the scene, a la Liaisons Dangereuses etc, with Gerald preparing Dan Hollowayhttp://danholloway.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-37728005728522264952011-10-14T15:57:21.399+01:002011-10-14T15:57:21.399+01:00Thanks Carol, that's really lovely of you to s...Thanks Carol, that's really lovely of you to say but really, I've got a lot out of this already. I hope Nicola does get to use it in her book (and really hope I can produce a knock-em-dead revised synopsis to go alongside) so that she gets something personally out of helping me!<br />Best of luck with your synopsis. It's not my favourite part of writing... I almost wonder if we shouldJackie Buxtonhttp://www.jackiebuxton.moonfruit.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-14222716026297388542011-10-14T15:53:19.901+01:002011-10-14T15:53:19.901+01:00Thanks Margaret and yes, this novel hinges on you ...Thanks Margaret and yes, this novel hinges on you admiring/ liking (I love her!) Tori, even if you're cross with what she's done so that emotion has to be prevalent in the synopsis. This all seems so obvious now it's been pointed out... can I do it though??Jackie Buxtonhttp://www.jackiebuxton.moonfruit.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-78426279283631059102011-10-14T15:50:35.925+01:002011-10-14T15:50:35.925+01:00Thanks Fiona, you've got it absolutely! I hope...Thanks Fiona, you've got it absolutely! I hope I can work this though with Nicola and that you approve of the revisions! Best of luck with yours.Jackie Buxtonhttp://www.jackiebuxton.moonfruit.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-66318849365517291392011-10-14T15:48:52.502+01:002011-10-14T15:48:52.502+01:00Dan, as Nicola said, thank you so much for giving ...Dan, as Nicola said, thank you so much for giving this so much attention. Sadly Etta's role wasn't quite as you described although she is from Slovakia, not a million miles away from the 'Balkans, so never say never...<br />Seriously, as you suggest, the question of 'judging a person by a single moment in extreme circumstances' is a central theme. Both Tori and Etta have had Jackie Buxtonhttp://www.jackiebuxton.moonfruit.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-43460585437347647302011-10-14T15:08:56.011+01:002011-10-14T15:08:56.011+01:00Nicola, I'd love the opportunity of batting my...Nicola, I'd love the opportunity of batting my revisions backwards and forwards with you, if you can bear it! I agree this is going to take me a while. It's tempting to re-visit my earlier four page synposes however, I think this could produce tired copy. It's probably better to start with a clean sheet and really think about what each character does for the story and make sure that Jackie Buxtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02186723392553752533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-51459686534096622852011-10-14T15:02:48.056+01:002011-10-14T15:02:48.056+01:00Sincere thanks to all for your considered thoughts...Sincere thanks to all for your considered thoughts and feedback. Writers are such a lovely, supportive bunch - even charity fundraising wasn't quite as warm and giving - I feel a blog post coming on! I'll reply to each separately but if I don't respond specifically to every point, please be assured that I will scrutinise all comments when I work on my revisions over the next few weeksJackie Buxtonhttp://www.jackiebuxton.moonfruit.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-39325031510592486822011-10-14T12:36:30.891+01:002011-10-14T12:36:30.891+01:00Jackie - your bravery deserves an award!
What you...Jackie - your bravery deserves an award!<br /><br />What you have gifted me is not only the kindness & courage of your 'guinea-pig' status, but the weight of Nicola's critique. This will undoubtedly benefit many of her readers.<br /><br />As someone who is soon to tackle her own synopsis, my thanks to both of you.Carol Lovekinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-14315822049115956552011-10-14T11:28:52.840+01:002011-10-14T11:28:52.840+01:00Jackie, you are very brave, and I am the worst pos...Jackie, you <i>are</i> very brave, and I am the worst possible person to comment on synopses, as mine is truly, woefully bad :( I'm also technically quite rubbish, so apologies in advance if my comments seem clumsily phrased.<br /><br />As has already been mentioned, I think there is too much detail, and the emotional impact of the story suffers as a result. I do think this is more likely Margaret Morton Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01932292910281160827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-20623533168791654942011-10-14T11:21:00.088+01:002011-10-14T11:21:00.088+01:00That's very kind but it's more that this p...That's very kind but it's more that this particularly appealed to me. <br /><br />Jackie, I don't know if it's occurred to you but I can see this working really well as a high class BBC mini series in Fields of old/State of Play/Sex Traffic/anything with John Simm as an investigative reporter with a conscience mouldDan Hollowayhttp://danholloway.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-34207688095725051072011-10-14T10:26:28.374+01:002011-10-14T10:26:28.374+01:00This is a learning curve for me. I need to know w...This is a learning curve for me. I need to know what agents and publishers are looking for in a synopsis. Your synopsis hints at a gripping story, Jackie, but it seems as if the power of it lies in the choices the protags have to make, and how you express their pain and difficulties through their inner monologues and interactions. With Nicola's analysis, I guess you should be able to bringAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12817023658086779385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-42204523295294326152011-10-14T10:09:12.169+01:002011-10-14T10:09:12.169+01:00Dan - thanks so much for your valuable contributio...Dan - thanks so much for your valuable contributions. You are incredibly generous with your time on this blog and you should have a prize for going the extra mile in your detailed efforts to help other people. Have a virtual medal!Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-20332487509408223222011-10-14T10:07:04.840+01:002011-10-14T10:07:04.840+01:00Jackie - hooray! I'm so glad that the problem ...Jackie - hooray! I'm so glad that the problem is with the synopsis and not the book, and in that case I do think it's a perfect example of how a synopsis can make a book look inadequate when it isn't. I've also seen synopses that read really well and then the book *so* doesn't live up the it. You have an easier task!<br /><br />I'd be delighted to see your revised one (if Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-85813096439959072862011-10-14T10:05:37.684+01:002011-10-14T10:05:37.684+01:00Great to read this, Jackie.
I agree with Nicola t...Great to read this, Jackie.<br /><br />I agree with Nicola that what feels most out of place is Gerald's position in the synopsis. He's introduced very late given that he seems to be the lynchpin of the book's "second chance" conclusion. Is this later than it is in the book? Would an editor suggest, on reading the synopsis, giventhe centrality of Gerald and his fatal flaw (IDan Hollowayhttp://danholloway.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-12775556590651470632011-10-14T09:01:17.258+01:002011-10-14T09:01:17.258+01:00Thanks so much, Nicola, I really appreciate your i...Thanks so much, Nicola, I really appreciate your insight and the time taken on my synopsis. <br />I'm so glad I submitted it to you as the questions you ask, I admit, fill me with a certain amount of horror as I have clearly not expressed the weight of the other characters, the dilemmas and even the sense and purpose of the book well enough. It's back to the drawing board to some extent Jackie Buxtonhttp://www.jackiebuxton.moonfruit.comnoreply@blogger.com