The synopsis is going better. But I discovered something. I went through Agent Query and sorted about thirty agents into those who want synopses and those who just want the query. The ones who just want the query vastly outnumber those who want the synopsis. So some of the pressure is off. Of course, I'll have to have a synopsis ready for partial requests, but at least I can send a bunch of queries out this weekend.
Ugh; why do we put ourselves through this?
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Might as well hunker down and hammer out that synopsis anyway. Even after you're published, you'll still have to write them for editors. Practice makes perfect!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you've Googled 'write synopsis' and studied all the advice. The only way I've done it is just to whittle at it over time, post it for the Crunchy Critters and let them shred it, and whittle away some more. It isn't called the Dreaded Synopsis for nothing!
I've been told creating an excellent synopsis *first* does make it easier to create an excellent query and that I should always finish the synopsis before I finish the query.
I found synopsis to be a bit of a pain also.
ReplyDeleteWhen you've written something you really believe in, it fuels the desire to plow through the pain of queries and synopsis. Keep your eye on the prize.
Starcaster is worth the effort.
Thanks, both of you. I think I've got it now, and I was even brave enough to include the synopsis in several queries I sent off this morning.
ReplyDeleteGood for you!! Querying is an agonizing process. I'd rather write a hundred synopses than wait for those responses. It's the wait that kills me. If it's no, great, just tell me now!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite so agonized as I was the first and second times around. I guess I'm getting used to the process. I think I may even have it in me to write some--querying usually kills my creativity.
ReplyDeleteHa, you ran into the same problem I did. There are only so many Agents, whether you find them on AgentQuery or Writer's Market, that accept SFF submissions at all, and even fewer that take unsolicited submissions (refined again if you're just doing email submissions like me). It's better to have both a query and a synopsis ready for cut-and-paste, depending on the method.
ReplyDeleteAlso, one agent you may not have heard of. Try Becca Stumpf over at Prospect Agency. They have an online submission form method.
Thanks, TD. I'll check out the Prospect Agency.
ReplyDelete