This blog is late courtesy of contest brain. Somehow, the pod-me signed up to judge TWO categories for a contest, and that turned out to equal 10 entries. My brain is fried. I actually dreamed of score sheets the other day. However, I have learned a ton by doing this, and I feel I have a better grasp of what agents go through when they have TEN times this to sift through EVERYDAY. It's all about the hook, baby.
Here's some of what I've learned from this super-duper round of judging (and prior judging experience as well):
- The synopsis matters. It really does. I read the synopsis first, because I try to think like an editor or agent, and I start with the synopsis since that is what most agents and editors get first. A poor synopsis sets me up to dislike the sample chapters, while a great synopsis sets me up to enjoy the sample chapters.
- I need an emotional investment in the characters to keep reading. This applies to both the synopsis and the sample chapters. I need a reason to root for the main characters, and it always comes back to GMC. The entries that I scored the highest made the GMC explict on page one of their synopsis and within the opening pages of the sample. They gave me a reason to like the main character from the get-go--not just an appealing backstory, but a present reason to care about what happens to them. If you have this, a whole multitude of other sins can be forgiven.
- Backstory = back pedaling on the score. You've got mere paragraphs to hook your reader/judge/agent/editor, and you have to make it count. When your synopsis spends the opening 2 pages on the backstory, you've already lost the opportunity to sell the meat of your story, and when your opening chapter is 80% backstory, you've lost the chance to emotionally invest your reader and establish momentum. Open with action, dialogue, and a reason to care about the characters, and I'll keep reading. Open with backstory and my skimming radar goes on.
- Make each scene and each bit of dialogue count. I intrinstically know this when I'm reading hard copy books, but reading the contest entries really hammered this home. I read several samples with great voices, and a good grasp of the basics, but the opening scenes didn't go anywhere--too much mundanity, too much standing around and chatting, too much backstory masquerading as action. If you don't have a real purpose for the dialogue or the scene that directly relates to the GMC, you need to consider cutting. This was a total AHA! AHA! moment for me.
- Don't overwhelm your reader. Too many characters, too many subplots, too many details, and too much wordiness all slow down the reader. I saw a huge trend towards introducing ALL the subplots in the opening two chapters, and introducing ALL the secondary characters and subplots in the synopsis. You want to sell the main story arc and the main characters, and it helps to not distract the reader with too many names and side trips.
- Make active, motivated characters. This was another aha moment for me. Passive characters who just let the action come to them and let the story unfold around them simply aren't interesting. Characters who aren't taking charge of their lives don't give many reasons to care about what happens to them. I've seen many, many doormat heroines in this round of judging, and many heroes who don't seem to have a purpose for their actions.
- In the end, it all comes down to voice. The two entries that scored the highest from me broke a number of the "rules" I mention above, but the voices were totally captivating, and I was willing to give the writer the benefit of the doubt that revising and rewriting could cure those flaws. Sell your voice and your characters, and the plot will follow. Focusing all your energy on selling your reader on your plot means nothing if the characters and the voice aren't there.
P.S. It's not fiction, but I got a political op ed piece picked up by a big media outlet. I'm really proud of it, and excited to get a wider readership for one of my pieces. If you want to take a look, it's here.
6 comments:
I really enjoyed your article. You brought up some wonderful points. I have heard women (Democrats) talking about voting Republican for the very reason you mentioned -- I am forwarding them the link to your article. So, thanks for the link -- you are just an excellent writer.
Okay, as I read your blog, I thought about the book I just sent in and even went so far as to reread the first two pages to see if I made any of the glaring mistakes you mentioned, all of which I agree with and all of which I hopefully do instinctively if sometimes without conscious thought. I don't think I did, but we'll see!
Selling to the same editor as I do, I tend to write a lot of backstory in the synopsis up front -- I have the luxury of a twenty page synopsis if I want it. This last time, I didn't do that. I actually started with a hook paragraph and went on to the story, unfolding it the way it would unfold in the book with little or no backstory. I liked it better and would always do it this way on a synopsis for an unknown or new editor.
I never use names except the hero and heroine. Everyone else has a title: the bad guy, the mentor, the hero's sister, the heroine's mother, the doctor, whatever. It just works for me. And like you said, I never include side stories.
Leaving backstory out of the beginning pages of the book can be amazingly difficult. When I have trouble starting a book, I find it's almost always because I can't seem to get past the inclusion of details that seem too important not to reveal. Sometimes it takes a few false starts to weed it all out and start with action.
You brought up some wonderful reasons for judging -- it can be a worthy learning device.
Great blog.
I had a big long comment all typed out, Wavy, but Blogger ate it. I don't feel like writing it all out again so I'll just say, great blog! 8^) I agree with everything you said.
Your comments as always are right on the money. Only I tend to read the synopsis after I've read the partial. Only because I know how hard it is for people to write a synopsis and I don't want to be swayed by a bad synopsis when the writing might be good. That's the one thing I liked about the contest. You could give them the scores they deserved for their writing and then judge the synopsis separate. In one case the partial was well written engaging and I liked the characters. But once the writer got past there in the synopsis things fell apart. Events sounded staged/contrived just to move the story along so the hero and heroine could have something to fight about. In other words there was enough GMC to hold the story for the full length so she made up obstacles to keep them apart that felt contrived.
And as for a hook and no backstory- I had to nod my head. I had my oldest daughter read the first three chapters of the historical WIP. She commented I had too much back story in the first chapter and it bogged it down. LOL I reread it and she was right! But I hadn't caught it because at the time I thought it was necessary. now I'm very conscious of keeping the story moving through the first three chapters with only snippets if necessary.
Great Blog!
Great blog, Wavy!
Wonderful things to remember in writing my own stories. I also learn from judging contests. One of the unexpected lessons I've learned from judging contests is they help point out my pet peeves. Then I need to be careful not to judge too harshly because a writer has landed squarely on that peevish button.
The last contest I judged ran the gamut of quality in entries. The entries I received for the contest I'm currently judging are all good ones. What a pleasure to judge these!
Congrats on the op ed piece. It's good to remind folks of the effect of presidents even after they leave office.
Excellent blog post Wavy. Gave me lots of food for thought, so to speak. :)
I really enjoyed your article too. Very insightful and right on.
Paty & Alice, one of the reasons why I'm excited about our chapter's contest is that I love reading synopses. I always read them first when judging or critiquing, because to me, one of the most important questions is: Can you sell your work? I struggle mightily with the synopsis, and I'm not good at them at all, but I really think that they are a vital, crucial part of the package.
Alice--I think selling to an editor or line that you've written so successfully is a completely different ball game. They *know* you can seal the deal so to speak, so you're more selling them on these particular characters--after so many books, I don't think anyone doubts your ability to plot :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
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