The Novel Challenge Hub

Siri Kirpal · Jun 23, 2012

sky warrior books said:
I'm still around, just not sure what in the hell I'm doing.

I went to Denver Comiccon last weekend and in the middle of it all, ended up with a migraine and dehydrated enough to go to the emergency room.

Honestly, I was drinking water. REALLY. I've lived in Colorado before and live in Montana now, so I know what altitude does to you.

One of my writers covered for me in the booth. Bless him. We made lots of contacts and I found some artists I so desperately want to work for us. I learned some things about the market and even sold some books. So, it was a good convention.

Started back into writing again. Waaay too far behind on everything.

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Eeow! Yeah, I've camped on a mountain plateau in NM. God bless your writer for covering for you!

Glad things went well for you otherwise.

I'm plugging away. Not that much left to go, but what's left isn't the easy stuff. Though I still think I may get the rest done soon.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

sammyjwebb · Jun 23, 2012

Sky Warrior I'm so sorry you got sick. That stupid altitude sickness will hit you hard. Glad you had a good convention and we hope to see you back next year!

sky warrior books · Jun 23, 2012

Siri Kirpal said:
Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Eeow! Yeah, I've camped on a mountain plateau in NM. God bless your writer for covering for you!

Glad things went well for you otherwise.

I'm plugging away. Not that much left to go, but what's left isn't the easy stuff. Though I still think I may get the rest done soon.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Yeah, he's a good guy.

Good job! Oh, and when are you sending me that book? Hmmm? :evil

Ses · Jun 24, 2012

I haven't been sleeping well lately, and so have stayed off the board for a while as well as stayed away from writing for a while, but I too am getting ready to send off my novel sometime late July. Very excited.

Specifically, I'm looking at agents, and sky warrior: you're right:

sky warrior books said:
but most I've seen done properly are somewhere between 3 and 12 pages.

But most of the agents' I'll be querying ask for 1 to 2 page synopsis, and some have even asked for only 3 to 5 paragraphs. You don't want to go over what they ask for because they get so many submissions, if anything is off from exactly what they asked for, your submission will find its way to file 13 rather quickly.

So how do you do a synopsis properly? And how many do you write? I already figure on having 3 synopsis--one that is 2 pages long, one that is 1 page long, and one that is 3 paragraphs long...but as for writing them, how do you write something so short without loosing the essence of the story that took so many words to explain in the first place?

sky warrior books · Jun 24, 2012

Ses said:
I haven't been sleeping well lately, and so have stayed off the board for a while as well as stayed away from writing for a while, but I too am getting ready to send off my novel sometime late July. Very excited.

Specifically, I'm looking at agents, and sky warrior: you're right:

But most of the agents' I'll be querying ask for 1 to 2 page synopsis, and some have even asked for only 3 to 5 paragraphs. You don't want to go over what they ask for because they get so many submissions, if anything is off from exactly what they asked for, your submission will find its way to file 13 rather quickly.

So how do you do a synopsis properly? And how many do you write? I already figure on having 3 synopsis--one that is 2 pages long, one that is 1 page long, and one that is 3 paragraphs long...but as for writing them, how do you write something so short without loosing the essence of the story that took so many words to explain in the first place?

Okay, they want a summary, not a synopsis. Different kettle of fish.

A few paragraphs just tell them what the story is about.

A page? That's about the same thing.

Two pages? Expand on the second plot line or add some character development.

Or you could just query me and I ask you for a first chapter. :ROFL:

Siri Kirpal · Jun 24, 2012

Sat Nam! (literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

sky warrior books said:
Yeah, he's a good guy.

Good job! Oh, and when are you sending me that book? Hmmm?

I thought you got it! Or do you mean an electronic copy? Hasn't happened yet, and not sure when it will.

Ses said:
I haven't been sleeping well lately, and so have stayed off the board for a while as well as stayed away from writing for a while, but I too am getting ready to send off my novel sometime late July. Very excited.

Specifically, I'm looking at agents, and sky warrior: you're right:

But most of the agents' I'll be querying ask for 1 to 2 page synopsis, and some have even asked for only 3 to 5 paragraphs. You don't want to go over what they ask for because they get so many submissions, if anything is off from exactly what they asked for, your submission will find its way to file 13 rather quickly.

So how do you do a synopsis properly? And how many do you write? I already figure on having 3 synopsis--one that is 2 pages long, one that is 1 page long, and one that is 3 paragraphs long...but as for writing them, how do you write something so short without loosing the essence of the story that took so many words to explain in the first place?

Good work, Ses! There's a sticky thread in Query Letter Hell that discusses how to do synopses. You can also post your synopsis (probably the short one) in QLH. Ditto with the basic query. But the quick answer is: you only follow your MC. Skip the subplots. Show the MC's character arc. Best of luck!

Oh, and this is my very first attempt at mulitple quoting.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

sky warrior books · Jun 24, 2012

sammyjwebb said:
Sky Warrior I'm so sorry you got sick. That stupid altitude sickness will hit you hard. Glad you had a good convention and we hope to see you back next year!

Actually, it was a migraine combined with dehydration. None of the doctors thought altitude sickness since I live at 4000 ft., but I thought it could be. But they assured me it wasn't. Go figure.

But thanks for the good wishes. Hope you had a good time at the con!

Siri Kirpal · Jun 28, 2012

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Just checking in to say, the WIP is done! (My original target date was Nov 1.)

I'll take a few days off, then do a read through, then an edit.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

sky warrior books · Jun 28, 2012

Siri Kirpal said:
Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Just checking in to say, the WIP is done! (My original target date was Nov 1.)

I'll take a few days off, then do a read through, then an edit.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Well done! Congrats!

sky warrior books · Jun 28, 2012

Daemons and Shadows is now at 37,165. Slowly, I creep...

:e2writer:

Eliza C · Jun 29, 2012

Siri Kirpal said:
Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Just checking in to say, the WIP is done! (My original target date was Nov 1.)

I'll take a few days off, then do a read through, then an edit.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Congratulations!!

Siri Kirpal · Jun 29, 2012

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Thanks, Sky Warrior & Eliza!

Doesn't feel like I'm done, because, of course, with edits ahead, I'm not. [sheepish smiley]

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Sarah G · Jun 29, 2012

Congrats on finishing Siri Kirpal :snoopy:

and thank you for the good luck wishes. I didnt get it though so back to the drawing board. :Shrug:

I'm writing like mad. I'm trying to finish NaNo, but I don't think I'll get there. I'm only 15,000 words in with One day left :ROFL:

Yeah dont think I'll be sleeping tonight, good job I'm not doing anything tommorrow. {note to self for NaNo August dont get behind on first week, doesnt end well for me

}

So far in this book I've killed four people temp and brought one back to life :tongue

Eliza C · Jun 29, 2012

Siri Kirpal said:
Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)
Doesn't feel like I'm done, because, of course, with edits ahead, I'm not. [sheepish smiley]

Yeah, but I always feel that finished first draft is the biggest landmark of the whole process - a completed story start to finish. Once I have that done, I feel the hardest part is behind me and just the tedious part is left.

sky warrior books · Jun 29, 2012

Siri Kirpal said:
Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Thanks, Sky Warrior & Eliza!

Doesn't feel like I'm done, because, of course, with edits ahead, I'm not. [sheepish smiley]

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Yeah edits are "teh suck" in the parlance of many of my friends in social networks. But very necessary. Good going, though! :snoopy:

rwm4768 · Jun 29, 2012

Just started on a rewrite of a book I've written. I'm liking it so far, but we'll see how long I can stick with it.

KitCat · Jun 30, 2012

Siri Kirpal said:
Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Just checking in to say, the WIP is done! (My original target date was Nov 1.)

I'll take a few days off, then do a read through, then an edit.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

Grats!

Project Deadlight · Jun 30, 2012

hey novel writing buddies, I've just posted my synopsis on the Query Hell board on share your work. It's for the novel I wrote last NaNo. Any thoughts you have would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Sarah G · Jul 1, 2012

So, I didn't win NaNo

{outlines and I don't get on. Not using any in August when it's back :tongue

} However, I'm still writing the book

at 22,000 now, is hoping to get to 25,000 by the end of the night. Maybe more

KitCat · Jul 1, 2012

Sarah G said:
So, I didn't win NaNo {outlines and I don't get on. Not using any in August when it's back} However, I'm still writing the book at 22,000 now, is hoping to get to 25,000 by the end of the night. Maybe more

Good progress whether you won or lost is great anytime

good job

sky warrior books · Jul 1, 2012

Tonight got Daemons and Shadows up to 38,018 words. Out of 50K. I'll be happy when I pass 40K. The end will be in sight--except I have no fracking clue about the ending.

Except, Good guy and Bad guy face off. Good guy wins.

Gee, sounds so easy, but isn't. :e2writer:

Yesterday, got our steampunk anthology out in paperback, called Gears and Levers 1. I've also been working on a newsletter for the publishing company. If you want to subscribe, go to Sky Warrior Books and sign up.

Time for me to go to bed. :e2zzz:

Eliza C · Jul 2, 2012

Project Deadlight said:
hey novel writing buddies, I've just posted my synopsis on the Query Hell board on share your work. It's for the novel I wrote last NaNo. Any thoughts you have would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Hoped to get to this at the weekend but it didn't happen. Will try for later this week.

sky warrior books said:
Tonight got Daemons and Shadows up to 38,018 words. Out of 50K. I'll be happy when I pass 40K. The end will be in sight--except I have no fracking clue about the ending.

It's fun being a "pantser" isn't it. You just never know what might happen.
Why a 50k goal? That seems a difficult length to try to sell.

Project Deadlight · Jul 2, 2012

Eliza C said:
Hoped to get to this at the weekend but it didn't happen. Will try for later this week.
.

Just PMing the latest version now!

Ses · Jul 4, 2012

Siri Kirpal said:
Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Just checking in to say, the WIP is done! (My original target date was Nov 1.)l

Hey! I got the email for this thread a few days ago about this.
OMG!! So AWESOME!!!

Congrats.

bettielee · Jul 4, 2012

Hey everyone! Proud to say I'm back at work... on the wrong book.... but I am editing.

This will happen when you have four books to edit.

The Novel Challenge Hub

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practical experience, FTW

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I'm a sparkly fairy princess!