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Character synopsis?

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Crème de la Gem

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Hi, I was reading about "Snowflake Method." The author of the article said that editors like 'Character Synopsis." What that should be like? Could anyone post a link to nice examples?

Also he said—like this was some kind of an usual practice—that one might submit this Character Synopsis as a proposal before starting the draft.

Why should I begin sending the proposal before writing the thing? I guess "if you can't sell it, why write it" is the attitude? Is this very common? I've seen a proposal with first three chapters. And I knew he hadn't wrote the rest. Is this the way this business is done?

Here is the link to the article about snowflake.
 
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Jamesaritchie

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Hi, I was reading about "Snowflake Method." The author of the article said that editors like 'Character Synopsis." What that should be like? Could anyone post a link to nice examples?

Also he said—like this was some kind of an usual practice—that one might submit this Character Synopsis as a proposal before starting the draft.

Why should I begin sending the proposal before writing the thing? I guess "if you can't sell it, why write it" is the attitude? Is this very common? I've seen a proposal with first three chapters. And I knew he hadn't wrote the rest. Is this the way this business is done?

Here is the link to the article about snowflake.

Beats me. As a writer, I've never written one, and as an editor, I've never read one.

Then again, I'd give up writing completely before I'd use something like the snowflake method.
 

Jamesaritchie

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snowflake

:roll:

spit my coffee out over that one...

Ah, there's probably nothing inherently wrong with the snowflake method, but, dang, it looks like an awful lot of needless work. And I really do not like the notion that a good novel is "designed." Not by any writers I like reading, it isn't.
 

Twizzle

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That was funny, though...:tongue

at the link, it seems like the author is trying to sell his how to write a novel stuff. and he's derived this method to design novels.

I've never heard of it, though, and don't believe it's common. I can't imagine why you'd send a proposal for fiction first.

personally, I don't believe in "designing" novels. but who knows--someone might find it useful, I know some writers who do like to plot their novels.
 
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What IS the snowflake method anyway?

I know, I know. Google is my friend.

/scoots off to look it up.
 
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Okay, I'm back.

James (if I may call you such), I believe the phrase you were looking for is, "What a load of old toot."
 

reenkam

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Okay, I'm back.

James (if I may call you such), I believe the phrase you were looking for is, "What a load of old toot."

I have to agree. I can't really remember the snowflake method...but I know that when I read about it I was thinking "why would I do this, exactly?" I feel like the whole planning thing would take twice times longer than just writing the book...
 

tammieofmi

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Boy seems I've heard of the snowflake method when kids were writing essays or something - I know - I should goggle it.

The rest of your questions regarding writing and sending out a proposal before writing the whole thing is usually a no-no unless its nonfiction. Most agents want you to state in your query letter whether is completed or not and some say don't even bother until you've finished and polished it.

Sounds like bad advice to me.
 

Crème de la Gem

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Really? Maybe because I've never wrote a novel before, but it's seems helping me. I'm doing this snowflake—my teacher's version of it—in a free online class I'm taking, and I've made some progress on a novel project that's been in a hiatus for a while; I didn't know how to proceed. It's really a simple idea and it makes it easy for me to see the big picture. I feel like I can actually write a novel. Maybe I'm just being naive... But whatever helps me write is good right? Maybe it's having a teacher and classmates that's helping me.
 

greywaren

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Creme, I think whatever helps you to write a novel is the right way for you. I used to use a method a lot like the snowflake model WAY back when I first began, because it was logical. It took me a long time to realize that writing a good novel isn't logical at all.

As far as character synopses, the only thing I've done that came close is a 2 page description of my character's life to the point of the novel's beginning, in her voice -- my editor asked me for that before I revised my novel for him.
 

Crème de la Gem

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Oh you paint! I've checked out your arts Maggie. I love them. Since you paint, I think you'd understand my analogy; Making plot outline is like drawing the skeleton of the horsy. I do a little bit of figure drawing, and though I'm far from it, I know some experts don't need to draw the skeleton anymore. I think if I wrote bunch of novels, maybe one day I can write without mapping the thing. But right now I'm just learning the anatomy! Well that's what I think anyways..
 

greywaren

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Oh - that is SO true. When I started out painting, I really did need the line sketch and preliminary stuff and the agony and all that good stuff. And the more I painted and drew, the less of it I needed.

You're right, it's absolutely true with writing too. My editor gave me revision suggestions this year that made absolute good sense -- he suggested them last year and I just couldn't do it the same way back then. I had to write another novel and a half before I knew enough to play like that.
 

Claudia Gray

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Creme, books are sometimes sold on proposal, although this is generally not a thing that happens before you're published. But when you sell your first book, you may very well sign a two- or three-book deal, and if that's the case, the publisher may want to see outlines/story proposals/etc. beforehand. Once you've proved that you can take an idea and develop it into a solid, enjoyable novel, publishers are more willing to purchase based on proposal alone. Selling on proposal is never as easy as selling a completed novel, but it's not unheard-of by any means.

I sold my first book on proposal, and the publisher bought a series of four. They did that in part because I knew how to put together solid outlines and character synopses; I also wrote up a separate "mythology" to explain how this urban fantasy universe worked. My experience was definitely not typical -- even having lived it, I wouldn't ever tell anyone to bank on that -- but I'm incredibly grateful for the skills that helped me to make that happen.

Outlining/synopses don't work for every writer. There's no one right way. But if you feel drawn toward giving that approach a try, don't let anyone tell you it's a totally worthless exercise, because my experience tells me it definitely is not.
 
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Crème de la Gem

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Wow Claudia, thanks for the insightful post! That's wonderful to hear your success with the deal. Belated congratulations. :hooray: I guess I keep to my first goal and sell a short story to begin building my credentials, and go from there.

I think this snowflake thing is just a way to make an outline, and to me it's the same whether I just write a rough draft or do an outline, except if I know the outline of the story beforehand, I think I'll be able to focus on the writing part when I begin writing the draft. It's my first try so I'm just finding things out as I go.

Thank you again!
 

Cathy C

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Just came across this thread and wandered over to the article. Interestingly enough, this is EXACTLY how I write (except for the "writing it down" part.) While I do the structure in my head, this is essentially how I plot and plan a book.

It might be this part is what MAKES me a plotter. I do all the sketching and making the skeleton, but it happens really quickly and in my head so it doesn't need to get onto the page. What winds up on the page is the final version, fully formed. But this is why I can write a novel in one pass. I don't do drafts or edits. I just write it and turn it into the publisher. Different strokes for different folks, and all that... :D
 

Crème de la Gem

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Wow interesting. And well said about the different strokes for different folks. (Another English proverb learned!)

It's my first try at writing a novel and I'm just learning as I go. I'm not following this method exactly, but I found that starting with sentences to expand is very useful. I'm now working on the very detailed summary of each scene. ...and stuck. And personal matter is taking too much focus away from me, ahgh!
 
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