online synopsis / back cover highlights advice

ricgalbraith · Nov 3, 2008

hey everyone, i recently put an early version of my novel, Concrete Operational, available for download in PDF at my blog. Now, I'm not approaching publishers yet, i've given myself 6 months worth of evenings to try and revise and re-write where necessary before i start doing that, but i am interested in what people have to say about the general story, my writing style etc, in that regard, i think some sort of intro / synopsis is necessary. I've put a few words together, which describe it VERY quickly

Concrete Operational, a myriad of climactic events that take many men, and one man, through a maze of questions, re-birth, dystopian and utopian futures, self analysis and determinism. To the very brink of their existence, fuelled by terrible rage, greed, hatred, lust for power and quelled by love, and the need for love to be able to exist. Science Fiction mixed with Fatalistic philosophy and contemporary issues of celebrity and narcissism.

do you think that's enough for potential online readers? i've been reading about synopsis lengths and they vary from person to person, and publishers requirements. so when it comes to the crunch i'm going to get my head down and start all that, but for now, does the above surfice or would you like more before you would consider downloading it and giving it a read? there doesnt seem to be any convention when it comes to summing things up online, i've had a look around and i think a few lines is best, but i'm not 100% sure on that?

i thought about putting together something like you'd read on the back of a novel as well, and although i've obviously read hundreds if not thousands over the years, it's not as easy as i thought it would be, i'd love any tips if anyone has any, or is it best to get this written by someone else? thanks for any help

Mr Flibble · Nov 3, 2008

Hmm well a couple of points:

One - if it's available for free download you might have trouble with getting it published. Why pay to read it when I can get it for free? ( however I'm not 100% about this, someone will be along shortly with the definitive I'm sure)

Two: The synopsis itself. That's not a synopsis, that's hyperbole. I don't know what your story is about. All I can tell is it's Sci Fi - but that could mean almost anything. For all I know it could be Miss Marple in space. So I can't say whether I'd want to read it. Pop on down to Query Letter Hell and see some of the short synopsis people put in their query letters. Or check out the back cover blurb of a few books.
It should tell me what actually happens, set up the protag, tell me why I'd want to read about him, set up the plot problem and hint at how it's all going to go Pete Tong if your protag doesn't do The Big Thing. Then I might have an idea as to whether I'd like to read it

Bufty · Nov 3, 2008

That 'intro' is a load of vague and meaningless waffle to me, ric.

Can't understand why you would make your whole novel available for download if you intend to get it published eventually.

I for one have no intention whatsoever of downloading 'an early version' or any other version of a whole first novel.

I see you have read thousands of somethings, but if you genuinely want feedback - post the first 5 pages or so in the SYW Forum.

ricgalbraith · Nov 3, 2008

thanks for the replies, that bit i've written is waffle i know, i can be a bit of a sucker for waffle sometimes. i'm going to get to work on something much better.

And, i've got my reasons for sharing the first iteration, i've been working in online marketing and PR for about 3 years now as a copy writer through to account manager, and creating a bit of buzz online can only be a good thing, i've got loads of case studies that use this with everything from video games to music and such, i thought i'd try it out with my novel. i'll look out the SYW forum, thanks for the heads-up.

Curly · Nov 3, 2008

I've read on agents' blogs that once the novel is posted on the internet it is then considered published, which may (or may not) cause some troubles when you go to get it traditionally published through an agent etc. At the minimum, you should inform your agent or the publishing house/editor, if you bypass the agent part, before you sign a contract (which will say somewhere about first publishing rights etc which by being on the internet I think technically means first publishing rights have already been used).

Good gravy, could I write longer sentences if I tried? Let's not find out :roll:

Anyway, here is a link to an agent's site that discusses this:
http://blog.wylie-merrick.com/2008/06/before-posting-your-work.html

There are exceptions to everything so your approach may be perfect for you and may not cause any troubles down the line. Just thought the link might be helpful as you make your decision.

Best wishes!

Mr Flibble · Nov 3, 2008

creating a bit of buzz online can only be a good thing,

Absolutely, but you don't need to give away the entire product to create a buzz. Or who's going to pay for it?

Pah, Curly beat me to it, and with a good link.

Momento Mori · Nov 3, 2008

ricgalbraith, just to reiterate what others have said, I've found a lot of agents and publishers in the UK who specifically require you to warrant that your manuscript has not previously been published or made available for dissemination on the internet. If you've put the entire manuscript up for free now, you're running the risk of restricting the number of agents/publishers who will be willing to take a look at it - regardless of whether it is a first draft or a final draft.

ricgalbraith:
that bit i've written is waffle i know, i can be a bit of a sucker for waffle sometimes. i'm going to get to work on something much better.

The best advice I've read on writing the sort of back cover blurb you're talking about came from Miss Snark who said:

Tell us more about the central character and less about the sequence of events in the book

Build a conflict around the protagonist to seduce us into their world.

It's great advice that I've never been able to follow, but it might give you a way of approaching it.

ricgalbraith:
I've been working in online marketing and PR for about 3 years now as a copy writer through to account manager, and creating a bit of buzz online can only be a good thing

You can achieve the same effect by publishing only the opening chapter (which a lot of authors do nowadays).

MM

johnzakour · Nov 3, 2008

Actually my first novel appeared as a hyper text story on the SF channel web site before it became a real full fledged novel with Daw. It was the online version that caught Daw's attention.

If the novel is good being downloaded and read by a few K people shouldn't hurt it's chances.

As for the blurb, I had to fight my way through it. Certainly wouldn't make me want to download the story. It tells me nothing concrete about the story. It's pure sizzle with no meat.

Just my 3 cents.

ricgalbraith · Nov 3, 2008

more and more awesome feedback. I guess publishing the first chapter could have the same affect as putting the whole thing online, a part of me wanted a central place my friends and family could also find to grab a pdf version.

that post is great curly

the Work has not heretofore been published, in whole or in part, in any form.

this is really interesting, i wasnt aware publishers did this, but like curly said, it may or may not cause problems. if i'd put the first chapter online and the contract read like above, i may as well have put the whole novel online because i still wouldnt be able to sign. interesting thing to think about.

regards to the money thing, 'who's going to buy it?' my blog is tiny, i'm expecting a few hundred downloads over the next few months, and after revisions by may / june next year i'm expecting quite a different novel. this is my first stab in the dark though so i thought i'd get it online, as i've done with all my writing for a number of years on portfolio sites and stuff

online synopsis / back cover highlights advice

ricgalbraith

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

ricgalbraith

Curly

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Momento Mori

Tired and Disillusioned

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard

ricgalbraith