Synopsis – book blurb – elevator pitch
Synopsis – book blurb – elevator pitch
All of this is may seem extraordinarily obvious. But it was the first time I really focussed on the nitty gritty and couldn’t believe how hard it was. Some may find doing this easy-peasy lemon squeezy. I hope you are one of them, and if you can give me a tip or two. I would welcome it with open arms. ?
You will need to prepare:
Synopsis –It is of course, a summary of your whole novel, and a brilliant way of checking your novel. It is usually done in less than three pages – sometimes you may be asked to do it in one. Be warned. Never assume. Every publisher has different requirements.
Elevator pitch – your story summed up in seven to ten mind blowing words?
Yes, all those carefully crafted chapters reduced to a mere sentence!
Why? Imagine you are stuck in the lift with your dream publisher. It’s your chance to shine. To make them want to work with you. You don’t want to bore the pants off them now do you?
Book blurb – suppose you are reading the back of a book you’ve picked up off the shelf – what makes you buy the book? Is it the genre – the author – the front cover – or possibly the very important blurb on the back?
Back to the manuscript, written in a notebook – or on the computer… whatever. (Apparently Tom Hanks, used a typewriter.) Clever man. The trouble with the typewriter, (which I used to love,) is the number of times I do re-writes. Deforestation would take on a whole new meaning.
A little tip: You won’t be asked to send your best chapter, the one which you think is all sparkly and sure to grab them – the one in the middle, right?
They will most likely want to read from the start, so it must capture their interest straight away.
Frankly, when I sent my manuscript, I was terrified they would send back a lorry load of laughing emoji’s, telling me to ‘get real.’
At the end of the day, if you are sending your work to a publishing house, and if, by any fabulous luck it is passed on to an editor, it must read well, or they will most likely think you lazy. Ask yourself this:
Who wants to work with lazy?
P.S. You are welcome to send me a message – I would be glad to try and answer any questions – and still waiting for response from publisher…
