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- SYTYCW winner
Today, Harlequin, one of the world’s leading publishers of books for women, added a compelling epilogue to its tremendously popular So You Think You Can Write event by announcing Katrina Williams of Allen, Texas, as the winner of its unpublished … Read More »
- Yes, You Should Have Margins by Shana Smith
To double space, or not to double space? That is the question, among many others, that you may be asking yourself about the formatting of your manuscript as you prepare to send it off to an editor. Here’s the basic … Read More »
- Mailing It Off
A little while back, I wrote a blog post on how to make a great impression on an editor or agent before s/he opens the envelope on your submission. (If you missed it the first time around, you can find … Read More »
- Why Harlequin is the Publisher for You!
Why Harlequin is the Publisher for You!
- SYTYCW winner
Category Archives: Assignments
Day 5 Assignment: Submit Your Manuscript and Synopsis
Show us what you've got!
We're put on our thick reading glasses and are ready to read your work. It's time for you to fine-tune your prose and synopsis. Here are some last-minute pointers:
The Opening Chapter & Beyond:
Begin your story in an exciting place. Does your story open with the heroine picking out yarn to use for her next sweater? Or maybe the hero can't decide if he should put skim or whole milk in his coffee. These more mundane activities can be woven into the main story, but for the opening chapter, you should work on luring the editor/reader into your tale. Stay away from: gimmicks and clichés. For example: SEX! Now that I have your attention (that's a gimmick). Cliché: the heroine is rushing out the door and runs smack into the hero.
Read more »Day 4 Assignment: The Query Letter
Now it's your turn!
The ideal query has three paragraphs. While you want to convey your personality, remember that editors read many cover letters and submissions. A gimmicky query letter tends to bomb and put you at the bottom of the pile. Why is this? Because most of all, editors want just the facts about your story. You can put all your wit and sparkling prose into your writing, but the query letter should go something like this:
Opening paragraph:
What is this submission and what line were you targeting? It only needs to be about three sentences, a brief overview and introduction of your story. You should also mention if the book is complete or not. Consider, as well, that we keep track of our submissions, so if you have previously sent this manuscript to us, we will have records of this.
Read more »Day 3 Assignment: The Synopsis
Are you up for today's challenge?
No one really likes to read or write a synopsis, but it is a useful tool for editors. We tend to refer to them throughout the publishing process: writing memos to recommend the stories to senior editors; filling out the cover art forms; and writing the back cover copy. We need an organized synopsis that summarizes the story.
We all have different opinions on how long a synopsis should be. Some like 1-2 pages single-spaced, some like 10 pages double-spaced. This can be maddening to a writer, but it's one of those tasks you have to grit your teeth and do. If you're not sure what an editor wants in a synopsis, just ask. For our purposes, how about we compromise with 5 pages, double spaced synopsis, using 12-point size font? Sound good? Good.
Read more »Day 2 Assignment: The Scene
Are you up to the challenge?
You know a memorable scene when you read one. A pivotal event usually occurs in a dynamic scene. In real life, you have many “events” but not all of them are significant: making dinner, brushing teeth, waking up. For a novel, you need to provide scenes that keep the reader obsessively turning pages. The day-to-day scene and events can be a nice slice of life here and there, but for a romance, you need to cut to the chase a bit more: write and show us the most exciting parts of a love story.
Read more »Day 1 Assignment: The Opening Page
Are you up for the challenge?
You know you have a great story waiting to bust out. The key is getting started. First things first: a great opening line leading into a captivating opening page. How will you get the editor to take notice, put down her coffee and clear her appointments for the rest of the day? What are your characters saying to you? Don’t ask me, write it down.
Read more »
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