Sometimes I'm not certain why writing a synopsis is such a difficult task. Are you excited about your manuscript? If you are, write down what you would tell a friend about your story in hopes of getting them interested in reading it. Take those notes and make bullet points. Organize them in a way that makes sense. Start there.
Most synopses I see are brain dumps. They are completely disorganized, mentioning things that have little impact on the story, and do not delineate an actual plot. What is the conflict? Who is the protagonist? Who is the antagonist? What is the goal? What are the consequences for failure?
Science fiction/fantasy pieces have been the worst, frankly. I've gotten dizzy reading them. What planet is this on? What year? And the words that are made up to represent something are strewn throughout the synopsis with no explanation, i.e. "The Wipcleat escaped from Tootoomootoo." What is a Wipcleat? Just because the writer knows it inside and out, sometimes an explanation can be forgotten. Is the Wipcleat an organism? The leader of a rebellious sect? An emperor? And what is Tootoomootoo? A planet? A prison? A country?
A synopsis is the first thing an agent or publisher reads. It represents your work and hopefully entices the person to read your story. Make sure to put your best foot forward.
Showing posts with label k.s. brooks author. Show all posts
Showing posts with label k.s. brooks author. Show all posts
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Facebook Author Pages
Is a Facebook author page a necessity? I can't answer that. But if you have one, make sure once you have 25 followers you change your URL. Let's say you're Judy, and your author page URL looks like this:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Judy-the-author/260458930631195
Well, once you have 25 fans or "likes", you can change that URL. I get asked about this a LOT. So, here are the instructions:
On your author page, go to Edit Page in the top right hand corner. That will take you to the "manage permissions" screen. Go to the left menu bar and click on "basic information." You should see "User Name" near the top of the page in the middle. Then Facebook will walk you through it from there. Then you can have a nice, clean URL like http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJudy.
Make sure you're happy with it the way it is, because you can't change it! And, make sure you're happy with the Name on your page, because once you hit 100 fans, you can't change that either.
Feel free to check out my author page at http://www.facebook.com/KSBrooksAuthor.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Judy-the-author/260458930631195
Well, once you have 25 fans or "likes", you can change that URL. I get asked about this a LOT. So, here are the instructions:
On your author page, go to Edit Page in the top right hand corner. That will take you to the "manage permissions" screen. Go to the left menu bar and click on "basic information." You should see "User Name" near the top of the page in the middle. Then Facebook will walk you through it from there. Then you can have a nice, clean URL like http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJudy.
Make sure you're happy with it the way it is, because you can't change it! And, make sure you're happy with the Name on your page, because once you hit 100 fans, you can't change that either.
Feel free to check out my author page at http://www.facebook.com/KSBrooksAuthor.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Free Publicity through Bloggers and Contests
Any publicity is always good. But FREE publicity - well, that's the stuff that dreams are made of for authors.
I have two contests running right now for my latest educational children's book titled "Postcards from Mr. Pish." I've recently discovered, which may not be news to some of you, that there is an ARMY of bloggers out there willing to review and host giveaways for books and/or products in return for a free sample. Some websites have not gotten me as much exposure as others, but every good review is a help!
These giveaways are simple. You send the blogger a book, and they review it. If you are willing to do a give-away, they will host it on their web-site. If not, they'll post their review. The give-away will give you the most exposure, because in order to enter, contestants need to do a number of things; they need to visit your web site, follow you on twitter, tweet the contest to their followers, subscribe to your newsletter, etc. Basically, you're gaining exposure with each entry. At the end of the give-away, the blogger provides you with the name and address of the winner, and it's your responsibility to send them their prize.
So, not only do you get a review, you get exposure, and you get your book into the hands of someone who wouldn't have otherwise known about it. Not too shabby.
Here is a give-away I'm currently participating in:
Name of Contest: Postcards From Mr. Pish Giveaway on NetworkingWitches
Website of Contest Host: http://networkingwitches.com/2010/10/101810-postcards-from-mr-pish-giveaway-usa-\canada/
Prizes: "Mr. Pish Prize Pack" including a book, the learning worksheet, some bookmarks and a letter from Mr Pish
Date contest begins: 10-2-10
Date contest ends: 10-18-10
Contest details: Visit KS Brooks' & Mr Pish's website and have a look around. Post a note on the blog stating what you love about this story and the educational information that is with it. Additional entry information is available on the site. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY
If you don't mind doing the work yourself, you can always host your own contest, but getting word out is a lot more difficult without the power of the bloggers' social networking base. I have one of those going on now as well:
Name of Contest: Mr. Pish's Back to School Contest
Website of Contest Host: http://www.mrpish.com/contests.htm
Prizes: An educator's pack including one copy Postcards from Mr. Pish, one teacher-designed companion learning worksheet, a map of the United States, bookmarks for all the students, and a letter from Mr. Pish himself!
Date contest begins: 10-1-10
Date contest ends: 10-31-10
Contest details: Post your review of Postcards from Mr. Pish on Amazon.com, and let us know by sending an email to postcards(@)MrPish.com. Provide us with your name, email address and the date of your review. Once your review is verified, your email will be acknowledged and you will be entered to win a free Postcards from Mr. Pish educator's package for the school of your choice.
NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY!
Getting word out is a lot of work, but in the end, every bit of exposure is a help.
copyright K.S. Brooks 2010
I have two contests running right now for my latest educational children's book titled "Postcards from Mr. Pish." I've recently discovered, which may not be news to some of you, that there is an ARMY of bloggers out there willing to review and host giveaways for books and/or products in return for a free sample. Some websites have not gotten me as much exposure as others, but every good review is a help!
These giveaways are simple. You send the blogger a book, and they review it. If you are willing to do a give-away, they will host it on their web-site. If not, they'll post their review. The give-away will give you the most exposure, because in order to enter, contestants need to do a number of things; they need to visit your web site, follow you on twitter, tweet the contest to their followers, subscribe to your newsletter, etc. Basically, you're gaining exposure with each entry. At the end of the give-away, the blogger provides you with the name and address of the winner, and it's your responsibility to send them their prize.
So, not only do you get a review, you get exposure, and you get your book into the hands of someone who wouldn't have otherwise known about it. Not too shabby.
Here is a give-away I'm currently participating in:
Name of Contest: Postcards From Mr. Pish Giveaway on NetworkingWitches
Website of Contest Host: http://networkingwitches.com/2010/10/101810-postcards-from-mr-pish-giveaway-usa-\canada/
Prizes: "Mr. Pish Prize Pack" including a book, the learning worksheet, some bookmarks and a letter from Mr Pish
Date contest begins: 10-2-10
Date contest ends: 10-18-10
Contest details: Visit KS Brooks' & Mr Pish's website and have a look around. Post a note on the blog stating what you love about this story and the educational information that is with it. Additional entry information is available on the site. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY
If you don't mind doing the work yourself, you can always host your own contest, but getting word out is a lot more difficult without the power of the bloggers' social networking base. I have one of those going on now as well:
Name of Contest: Mr. Pish's Back to School Contest
Website of Contest Host: http://www.mrpish.com/contests.htm
Prizes: An educator's pack including one copy Postcards from Mr. Pish, one teacher-designed companion learning worksheet, a map of the United States, bookmarks for all the students, and a letter from Mr. Pish himself!
Date contest begins: 10-1-10
Date contest ends: 10-31-10
Contest details: Post your review of Postcards from Mr. Pish on Amazon.com, and let us know by sending an email to postcards(@)MrPish.com. Provide us with your name, email address and the date of your review. Once your review is verified, your email will be acknowledged and you will be entered to win a free Postcards from Mr. Pish educator's package for the school of your choice.
NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY!
Getting word out is a lot of work, but in the end, every bit of exposure is a help.
copyright K.S. Brooks 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Writer's Block
I get asked about writer's block a lot. I'm not sure why. Do I look like I have it? Frankly, I have the opposite problem. I fall asleep writing in my head, wake up in the middle of the night writing in my head, and woke up this morning and said "Solidarity!" That is the word I've been trying to think of for two weeks.
When I used to get writer's block, it was because something besides writing was stopping me from doing what I needed to do. And being ADHD didn't help either. But that's another story entirely.
If you are suffering from writer's block, I have one question for you:
Are you blocked from writing entirely, the project you're working on or just the specific scene?
If it's writing entirely or the project, do something completely distracting to get your mind off of it. Once your mind is clear, if you want to try diving back in, I recommend reading what you've already written. I almost always get sucked back in by tweaking things or editing or adding to what's already there.
If it's just a specific scene, you can skip it and write a different scene, which I do a lot. I never write in order. But then if it's the ONLY scene left to write, obviously, you need to get it done. I recommend using music. Many years ago, my agent wanted me to rewrite a scene in Lust for Danger. I couldn't make myself do it. I stared at the screen for ages. It was a sexy scene in the back of a limousine, and I just wasn't in to it. (I was also annoyed with the agent for other reasons.) It was the only scene in the book that wasn't complete, and I had a deadline. So I put on "We'll be Together" by Sting, with its sexy beat (and, of course, Sting) and played it over and over maybe even thirty times, really loud, so I couldn't possibly escape the sound of it. I continued playing it while I was writing until the scene was done. I let the music transport me. So, if you can, pick a song that reflects the mood of your scene and beat yourself with it until you get what you want. :)
I hope that helps! And, as my high school English teacher Mr. Becker wrote in my yearbook, Write Write Write.
When I used to get writer's block, it was because something besides writing was stopping me from doing what I needed to do. And being ADHD didn't help either. But that's another story entirely.
If you are suffering from writer's block, I have one question for you:
Are you blocked from writing entirely, the project you're working on or just the specific scene?
If it's writing entirely or the project, do something completely distracting to get your mind off of it. Once your mind is clear, if you want to try diving back in, I recommend reading what you've already written. I almost always get sucked back in by tweaking things or editing or adding to what's already there.
If it's just a specific scene, you can skip it and write a different scene, which I do a lot. I never write in order. But then if it's the ONLY scene left to write, obviously, you need to get it done. I recommend using music. Many years ago, my agent wanted me to rewrite a scene in Lust for Danger. I couldn't make myself do it. I stared at the screen for ages. It was a sexy scene in the back of a limousine, and I just wasn't in to it. (I was also annoyed with the agent for other reasons.) It was the only scene in the book that wasn't complete, and I had a deadline. So I put on "We'll be Together" by Sting, with its sexy beat (and, of course, Sting) and played it over and over maybe even thirty times, really loud, so I couldn't possibly escape the sound of it. I continued playing it while I was writing until the scene was done. I let the music transport me. So, if you can, pick a song that reflects the mood of your scene and beat yourself with it until you get what you want. :)
I hope that helps! And, as my high school English teacher Mr. Becker wrote in my yearbook, Write Write Write.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Postcards from Mr. Pish Book Trailer
I'm proud to release my first book trailer! This is the trailer for Postcards from Mr. Pish. I made it myself... according to industry experts, EVERY book should have a video trailer. The original music, "Pish's Promenade," is by musical artist Chris Abbott. I hope you enjoy it!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
CAMBRIDGE BOOKS PUBLISHES INNOVATIVE NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK
Postcards from Mr. Pish Makes Learning about the U.S. and Canada Fun
Cambridge, Maryland, 24 May 2010 — Cambridge Books has just released Postcards from Mr. Pish, a new children’s book by K. S. Brooks. It is currently available on Amazon.com and will become available through bookstores and other online venues soon.
Postcards from Mr. Pish is a unique children’s book about an adorable Jack Russell Terrier as he travels cross-country. The book features full-color photographs, documenting Mr. Pish’s grand adventure in postcards which are written to entertain and teach children about the United States and Canada.
Teachers across the country are hailing Postcards from Mr. Pish as a valuable educational tool. Elementary School Teacher Lynn Drayzen comments “Kids...and adults...will learn important details about each state as they join Mr. Pish on his cross country travels.”
A portion of the profits from Postcards from Mr. Pish will benefit the Arbor Day Foundation’s Nature Explore program, a comprehensive, research-based initiative helping children and families develop a profound engagement with the natural world, where nature is an integral, joyful part of children’s daily learning.
More information about Postcards from Mr. Pish and author K. S. Brooks is available at http://www.mrpish.com/.
###
About K. S. Brooks
K.S. Brooks is an award winning novelist, photographer and poet, and author of two children’s books: The Mighty Oak and Me (2009), and Postcards from Mr. Pish (2010). Her articles, photographs, poetry, and blogs can be found in books, magazines, newspapers, galleries, and web sites worldwide. Book cover and other media images are available for download at http://www.ksbrooks.com/media.htm
About the Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization of over one million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org.
- end -
Cambridge, Maryland, 24 May 2010 — Cambridge Books has just released Postcards from Mr. Pish, a new children’s book by K. S. Brooks. It is currently available on Amazon.com and will become available through bookstores and other online venues soon.
Postcards from Mr. Pish is a unique children’s book about an adorable Jack Russell Terrier as he travels cross-country. The book features full-color photographs, documenting Mr. Pish’s grand adventure in postcards which are written to entertain and teach children about the United States and Canada.
Teachers across the country are hailing Postcards from Mr. Pish as a valuable educational tool. Elementary School Teacher Lynn Drayzen comments “Kids...and adults...will learn important details about each state as they join Mr. Pish on his cross country travels.”
A portion of the profits from Postcards from Mr. Pish will benefit the Arbor Day Foundation’s Nature Explore program, a comprehensive, research-based initiative helping children and families develop a profound engagement with the natural world, where nature is an integral, joyful part of children’s daily learning.
More information about Postcards from Mr. Pish and author K. S. Brooks is available at http://www.mrpish.com/.
###
About K. S. Brooks
K.S. Brooks is an award winning novelist, photographer and poet, and author of two children’s books: The Mighty Oak and Me (2009), and Postcards from Mr. Pish (2010). Her articles, photographs, poetry, and blogs can be found in books, magazines, newspapers, galleries, and web sites worldwide. Book cover and other media images are available for download at http://www.ksbrooks.com/media.htm
About the Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization of over one million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org.
- end -
Monday, April 19, 2010
Speak My Language
Okay, so your manuscript takes place in Japan. How many readers do you think will understand Japanese? Even more importantly, how many of those readers do you think will have the patience to put up with a book written partially in another language?
Congratulations, you speak Japanese: a difficult language. Guess what? Most of the rest of us don't understand it. Oh, you knew that, so you put the translations in parentheses after each sentence? Guess what? Books don't use subtitles.
A quick and easy way to alienate readers is to put dialogue in another language. Okay, so let's say the story takes place in France. You want the reader to know the main character can speak the language. You can easily fix that by writing, "Your fly is unzipped," main character said flawlessly in French. The man replied in his native tongue, "Why are you looking at my crotch?"
Confusing the reader is a fatal mistake. Alienating them by writing things they can't understand isn't much better.
Congratulations, you speak Japanese: a difficult language. Guess what? Most of the rest of us don't understand it. Oh, you knew that, so you put the translations in parentheses after each sentence? Guess what? Books don't use subtitles.
A quick and easy way to alienate readers is to put dialogue in another language. Okay, so let's say the story takes place in France. You want the reader to know the main character can speak the language. You can easily fix that by writing, "Your fly is unzipped," main character said flawlessly in French. The man replied in his native tongue, "Why are you looking at my crotch?"
Confusing the reader is a fatal mistake. Alienating them by writing things they can't understand isn't much better.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Most Common Manuscript Mistakes
I received this question via email: What are the most common mistakes writers make in manuscripts?
Here are the top :
1. Repetitive word usage: the same word and close derivations used multiple times in the same sentence and/or paragraph.
2. Introducing a lot of characters at the same time but not describing any of them.
3. Repetitive sentence structure.
4. Including a prologue when one is not really necessary, serving only to confuse, bore or alienate the reader.
5. Misuse of punctuation: especially using semi-colons incorrectly.
6. Excessive use of italics.
7. Word use consistency/inconsistency: spelling/capitlaizing/hyphenating, etc. a word differently in numerous places.
8. Sentences that run together.
9. Using the same phrase to describe the same action every time. (i.e. using "their lips locked" every time someone kisses)
10. Misspellings. With spellcheck, there is definitely no excuse for this!
BONUS: A synopsis that doesn't aptly represent their manuscript.
Try to avoid these mistakes and you will have a much cleaner manuscript!
Here are the top :
1. Repetitive word usage: the same word and close derivations used multiple times in the same sentence and/or paragraph.
2. Introducing a lot of characters at the same time but not describing any of them.
3. Repetitive sentence structure.
4. Including a prologue when one is not really necessary, serving only to confuse, bore or alienate the reader.
5. Misuse of punctuation: especially using semi-colons incorrectly.
6. Excessive use of italics.
7. Word use consistency/inconsistency: spelling/capitlaizing/hyphenating, etc. a word differently in numerous places.
8. Sentences that run together.
9. Using the same phrase to describe the same action every time. (i.e. using "their lips locked" every time someone kisses)
10. Misspellings. With spellcheck, there is definitely no excuse for this!
BONUS: A synopsis that doesn't aptly represent their manuscript.
Try to avoid these mistakes and you will have a much cleaner manuscript!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Outlines for a First Draft
Today I received a discussion question about writing an outline for a first draft of a novel/story. I thought I would post my reply below.
I don't always do an outline to start, usually I get an idea for a scene and then write in a radius around it. When it gets to the point that I need structure, I will do an outline to organize it. My favorite tool is a big dry erase whiteboard. My action adventure novels go from country to country, so I like to write the chapter number, the day of the week, the country and the major events that occurred there. That helps me to control the flow of events better and not lose a day anywhere!
I know that's not exactly an outline, but it is a tool, and I hope it's helpful.
- Kat
I don't always do an outline to start, usually I get an idea for a scene and then write in a radius around it. When it gets to the point that I need structure, I will do an outline to organize it. My favorite tool is a big dry erase whiteboard. My action adventure novels go from country to country, so I like to write the chapter number, the day of the week, the country and the major events that occurred there. That helps me to control the flow of events better and not lose a day anywhere!
I know that's not exactly an outline, but it is a tool, and I hope it's helpful.
- Kat
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