All posts tagged: synopsis

Write On, Wednesday: Perfecting the Pitch

By Leslie Lindsay This past weekend, I packed my overnight bag and headed to  the University Wisconsin-Madison’s Continuing Ed Writer’s Workshop: Marketing Toolkit.   Besides the hotel room all to myself and the uninterrupted time in a coffee shop, it was a glorious–if mildly terrifying–time away from family and the hustle and bustle of”real-life.”  I got lost in my fiction world.  A little bit.   But I also got a good dose of reality.  Our instructor, Laurie Scheer started our three-hour workshop off with this statement: “There is no conspiracy against you as a writers.  You are all capable.  The publishing industry wants to hear from you.”  Wow.  Read that again if you have to.  They want you.  A wave of relief.  But still, it’s not easy.  For a writer to get noticed in the marketplace, this is what needs to happen before you pitch your book (we’re sticking mostly with the fiction model here, so if you’re a non-fiction writer, don’t take this to heart, although some of the elements do overlap).  #1  Your Logline.  Your what?!  …

Write on, Wednesday: Get Inspired

By Leslie Lindsay You have had one of those “perfect” writing days.  The kind where you felt you were completely utterly in the zone, you close your laptop with a satisfying click, and have the best lines that ever poured out of your soul.  You know what I am talking about?  You do?! Because I would go as far as to say you haven’t gotten a clue.  No, no…now don’t get me wrong.  I am sure you have had a least a moment or two where the above scenario really resonates, but overall–those really great, ahem, “perfect” writing days are few and far between.  Here’s how is usually goes:  “I have a stupid synopsis to write.  I don’t wanna.  This is hard.  Why does anyone even bother to write?  What a waste of time, words, and paper.  Blah.  I am no good.  No one will care.  This is all a pipe dream.  No agent will sell this.”  Okay–that’s how it is right now for me.  I don’t want to project.  But, haven’t you felt this …