Synopsis of your WIP on blog: Yes or No?

Regan Leigh · Jan 11, 2010

I'm setting up my website to include a section for my current writing projects. Right now, I have no description for my MS. I'm not to query level quite yet, but I would like to have something up for beta readers and any other writers that are interested in my writing.

(I'm also considering password protecting the first chapter, but having the password in my AW sig line.)

Opinions? Any concerns I should have?

Should this go in the blog forum? Mod, feel free to move if this is the wrong place.

Thanks!

Terie · Jan 12, 2010

I never post synopses of WIPs on my site. Excerpts, yes; synopses, no. You can't copyright ideas, and revealing your entire plot leaves it exposed to getting nicked. If your idea is really good, you don't want someone stealing it and getting their own book out there first.

Parametric · Jan 12, 2010

I feel quite comfortable putting all sorts of stuff up on my blog. I wouldn't hesitate to put up my first chapter and synopsis. In fact, since a couple of agents have been trawling the site looking at people's blogs recently, I'd probably recommend it.

My work is not high concept and my plotting skills are nothing special, so there's really nothing to steal. :tongue

thePenDragon · Jan 12, 2010

I put up short book-jacket synopses of my WIPs on my blog. I wanted to make sure any agent who was interested could look at them. I hadn't thought about someone stealing the idea itself, though. It deserves some thought. Thanks for posting!

Terie · Jan 12, 2010

thePenDragon said:
I put up short book-jacket synopses of my WIPs on my blog. I wanted to make sure any agent who was interested could look at them. I hadn't thought about someone stealing the idea itself, though. It deserves some thought. Thanks for posting!

I don't think a book-jacket-style synopsis would be a problem. Even if someone used that as the basis of their own work, the result would be very different from your book. When the OP said 'synopsis', I assumed (perhaps incorrectly) that she meant the same sort you'd submit with a query, and I still would say not to do that. It's more information than I'd want to share with the whole wide world. That, of course, is just me.

bclement412 · Jan 12, 2010

I have a somewhat vague synopsis on my blog. Not a detailed one, just a little blurb.

AuburnAssassin · Jan 12, 2010

I don't think I'd go as far as a synopsis. I've always had queries and draft excerpts on mine. As Parametric said, there are agents who do click around. (That sounded a tad rude. I'm sure they are discrete and discriminate in their clicking.)

Maxinquaye · Jan 12, 2010

Tbh I wouldn't worry about it. That synopsis has to be made into a novel. That's where most will give up. And those (if any) that do nick it will write an entirely different book anyway because they're not you.

Danthia · Jan 12, 2010

I'd suggest something more marketing oriented. A catchy tagline and a short blurb about it. I did that on mine if you want to take a peek. (link in the sig). Your website is a marketing tool, so make sure the very first thing visitors see is something that will catch their interest and make them want to know more. Even if you don't have a book out there yet, agents checking you out will be pleased to see you're already positioning yourself as a professional.

fadeaccompli · Jan 12, 2010

A synopsis is an odd sort of thing to put online; most readers don't want to read a summary of a good novel, they want to read the novel itself. And publishers will ask for a synopsis if/when they want it. I'm having a hard time picturing who would actually want to read a novel synopsis on an author's website.

If you're going to put up something more than a short descriptive blurb, a first chapter is probably a better thing to showcase; it gives people a good feel for your writing style, the story's premise, and all that, without giving away the ending.

LOG · Jan 12, 2010

Parametric said:
I feel quite comfortable putting all sorts of stuff up on my blog. I wouldn't hesitate to put up my first chapter and synopsis. In fact, since a couple of agents have been trawling the site looking at people's blogs recently, I'd probably recommend it.

My work is not high concept and my plotting skills are nothing special, so there's really nothing to steal.

Watch, she'll have the highest income of us all

Parametric · Jan 12, 2010

LOG said:
Watch, she'll have the highest income of us all

Should opportunity call, I'm prepared to profit shamelessly from my lack of writing skills. :tongue

Regan Leigh · Jan 12, 2010

Thanks for all the feedback so far.

To clear things up, I was asking about putting up a synopsis because I'm interested in others reasoning for doing or not doing so. I'm trying to find a balance of information to post on my own site.

For now, I think I've decided to stick with a teaser. I'll put up something this week that is more like a mini-description of the story line, without giving away the ending. It actually won't give away the middle, either.

I'm still conflicted on posting my first chapter, even password protected. That one is still undecided.

charlotte49ers · Jan 12, 2010

Do it.

bettielee · Jan 12, 2010

I put up my little blurbs on my stories, asking my "fearless readers" to help me choose which to write first! I got a lot of response, too.

I doubt she means she would put the entire synopsis - I went with "book jacket" type blurb - and you know that never encompasses the whole story.

C.M.C. · Jan 12, 2010

I've never done it, but I'm a secretive bastard. You can't go by me.

Regan Leigh · Jan 12, 2010

Yeah, no... I personally would never want the entire synopsis out there, but I know ppl that have done that.

That's why I was curious. I want enough for people to get the idea and such, but not give away my entire story. I have too many twists.

Regan Leigh · Jan 15, 2010

Btw, I did a teaser video for my blog instead. I'm still working on the site and all the info that will go in there, but I felt the video would get my point across in a fun interactive way.

Southpaw · Jan 15, 2010

C.M.C. said:
I've never done it, but I'm a secretive bastard. You can't go by me.

Same here. I think if I hit the query stage, I might be able to post something. However, I not sure about that either.

Though Regan I watched, your video and it did intrigue me so there you go-

Regan Leigh · Jan 15, 2010

Southpaw said:
Same here. I think if I hit the query stage, I might be able to post something. However, I not sure about that either.

Though Regan I watched, your video and it did intrigue me so there you go-

Yay! I'm glad ppl are liking it. I really was worried it would come off cheesy or just lame, but I've gotten great feedback.

AlterEgox5 · Jan 15, 2010

I've put out bits and pieces of WIPs, but never a synopsis (book jacket or otherwise), but that's mostly because the idea never occurred to me. I still probably wouldn't since I don't really see any reason to bother.

Synopsis of your WIP on blog: Yes or No?

Regan Leigh

Insomniac Writer

Terie

Writer is as Writer does

Parametric

thePenDragon

Terie

Writer is as Writer does

bclement412

AuburnAssassin

Darkly Romantic Curmudgeon

Maxinquaye

That cheeky buggerer

Danthia

fadeaccompli

here and there again

LOG

Lagrangian

Parametric

Regan Leigh

Insomniac Writer

charlotte49ers

let it snow

bettielee

I'm a sparkly fairy princess!

C.M.C.

Archetype

Regan Leigh

Insomniac Writer

Regan Leigh

Insomniac Writer

Southpaw

The squirrel apocalypse is coming!

Regan Leigh

Insomniac Writer

AlterEgox5

Expert Procrastinator