tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post7082153083280856054..comments2024-01-12T00:48:48.031-06:00Comments on Go Teen Writers: Organizing a SynopsisStephanie Morrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-73012606121401461142011-09-17T13:52:35.050-05:002011-09-17T13:52:35.050-05:00Enjoy the book, Jazmine!Enjoy the book, Jazmine!Sarah Holmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11904631370384156831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-23390189427770604212011-09-08T16:59:16.910-05:002011-09-08T16:59:16.910-05:00So I'm assuming I won?? I just received "...So I'm assuming I won?? I just received "The Destiny of ONE" in the mail a few minutes ago! lol! I was completely confused as to why there was a package that was shaped like a book addressed to me, confusing!<br />Cool though! :D I have a new book to read! Thanks!Jazmine~https://www.blogger.com/profile/06246960020080246030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-78805008884797563192011-08-26T17:57:39.185-05:002011-08-26T17:57:39.185-05:00Stephanie,
Hilarious. That's a lot of changes...Stephanie,<br /><br />Hilarious. That's a lot of changes. What a major story-line to have to incorporate after the fact, wow. Okay, I don't feel so bad now about my first-novel-to-be-completed changing around so much. :) *admiring smile.*Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06150136011032761640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-45508102369585469682011-08-22T16:12:55.561-05:002011-08-22T16:12:55.561-05:00I really like how you made one wall into a bulleti...I really like how you made one wall into a bulletin board! Good tips!Martha Ramirezhttp://www.martzbookz.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-70709637067686855902011-08-22T15:07:30.066-05:002011-08-22T15:07:30.066-05:00Jazmine, if you have someone in your life who will...Jazmine, if you have someone in your life who will read it for you, then lean on them. Especially if you can find someone who hasn't read any of your book. (Or who haven't read the whole thing.) They'll be really good at identifying what doesn't make sense.<br /><br />Rachelle, technically AT age 20, but yeah. MJD went through at least 3 big rewrites. As in, chuck the story and rewrite it from scratch. In the first draft, Skylar was in 8th grade. So.<br /><br />If you read the first draft, you'd recognize a lot of the story, but when I made the call to make Skylar a senior in high school, it was easier to just start over. And the storyline about Skylar being date raped didn't occur to me until after I'd written the second draft ... so then I had to do another major rewrite.... Some books are just trial and error processes like that. I worked on that one off and on for about 3 1/2 years. Then I wrote the other two in the series in 9 months, and most people like them better, including my editors. It gets easier :)<br /><br />Sorry, LONG answer!Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-52857837111130663552011-08-20T18:25:22.883-05:002011-08-20T18:25:22.883-05:00Beautiful timing since I'm working on my synop...Beautiful timing since I'm working on my synopsis now!<br /><br />Oh, and I just loved reading that last comment of yours, Stephanie. You'd written a draft of Me, Just Different by age 20? Really? That's heaps encouraging!!! Neat-o! How many drafts did you go through before arriving at 'the finished product?'Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06150136011032761640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-59515412651823939792011-08-19T23:01:40.422-05:002011-08-19T23:01:40.422-05:00How can I make sure I've made a good synopsis?...How can I make sure I've made a good synopsis? Like decent? lol. Because I know I'm gonna wanna go back and edit the synopsis when I've finished it...Jazmine~https://www.blogger.com/profile/06246960020080246030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-35605634480030789012011-08-19T14:49:47.182-05:002011-08-19T14:49:47.182-05:00Even if they have a lot going on, they really need...Even if they have a lot going on, they really need to be 1-3 pages long (or the length specified by the agent/editor.) You'd be surprised by how much feels necessary to the synopsis, but really isn't. Show it to a friend and get their feedback. I'm always amazed by the things my writing partner finds that can be cut. <br /><br />I can't provide stats, but I don't know anyone who has been traditionally published by age 20 ... unless they cowrote the book with their already-established-author mom. <br /><br />But I know LOTS of writers (myself included) who by age 20 had written a draft of the book they eventually published.Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-77100090360148347292011-08-19T14:37:29.786-05:002011-08-19T14:37:29.786-05:00Oh, and this may sound slightly strange, but what ...Oh, and this may sound slightly strange, but what are a person's chances of getting published by the age of twenty? I know some people have done it... :)♫book bloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12619387343045339910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-67733213852904653622011-08-19T14:31:25.712-05:002011-08-19T14:31:25.712-05:00Thanks! That really helps! They are so much fun to...Thanks! That really helps! They are so much fun to write! But if you can't fit the whole thing in three pages? Sometimes my stories have a lot going on :)♫book bloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12619387343045339910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-53365732424243005402011-08-19T13:57:40.205-05:002011-08-19T13:57:40.205-05:00Great info! Thank you so much!Great info! Thank you so much!Martha Ramirezhttp://www.martzbookz.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-24475324777388123942011-08-19T13:51:18.773-05:002011-08-19T13:51:18.773-05:00Sapphire, the short answer to your question is go ...Sapphire, the short answer to your question is go more in-depth with your plot points. Setting should included but brief. Such as, "It's the summer of 1812, a tense political time in Macedonia," or wherever. The longer answer is that in my experience agents typically ask for a 1-3 page synopsis. Mine tend to be 2 pages. If I can cut it down to one, though, I do.<br /><br />Book Blogger, how convenient! Glad the timing worked out :) As I mentioned in my response to Sapphire, 1-3 pages is the typical requested length. Synopses should reveal everything. Every plot twist, every surprise, and all the details that go into your satisfying conclusion. Agents and editors read these when considering if they should request a full manuscript. They don't want to be left hanging; they want to see that you know your stuff and crafted your story well. Great question!Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-32208546839675200672011-08-19T12:47:01.982-05:002011-08-19T12:47:01.982-05:00I'm really glad you chose today to post this t...I'm really glad you chose today to post this today, because it just so happens I spent the whole morning working on a synopsis! How long should they usually be? The person helping me with this didn't specifiy. How much should they reveal? <br /><br />Oh, and here is a question that I've really been wondering. I keep getting different opinions on it. Should a synopsis include the ending of the book it's about and what happens, or should it be like the back cover of the book and leave you hanging?♫book bloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12619387343045339910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-69465480940282199322011-08-19T11:31:26.076-05:002011-08-19T11:31:26.076-05:00Great post :) I learned! Thanks so much for sharin...Great post :) I learned! Thanks so much for sharing Ms. Holman.<br /><br />crazi.swans at gmail dot comFaithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03150290024386704712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-53361833117437718662011-08-19T11:27:55.663-05:002011-08-19T11:27:55.663-05:00I've heard that some agents ask for a one-page...I've heard that some agents ask for a one-page synopsis, whereas others ask for a three-page one. In the case of the longer synopsis, should I include additional information (like setting), or just go more in-depth in summarizing the key plot points?Sapphirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18295637356951119285noreply@blogger.com