Submission

Synopsis of Waiwari
75,000 words
Genre, Mainstream / Drama.
Bill dumps the completed manuscript on the main table and pours four glasses of wine. Standing by the window he can see across the whole holiday camp, all the cabins and tent sites to the national park, brooding and dark on the far side of the valley.
�So that's it.” he says, nodding towards the stack of paper before handing around the glasses. “What's it about, you reckon? Hope?” He's pleased that he's already worked in a pun.
“Well,” Hope sips her wine while she thinks, “it's about what it takes to be a family, and letting go of your past. I had to deal with that car accident and stuff before we could get together.” She smiles at Bill, waiting for him to join her on the couch so she can lace her fingers between his.
Bill is halfway between amused and exasperated. “You didn't need to get over anything before you became mates with Greg and Dad.”
“They weren't so important to me.” She pauses and spares Greg and Des an apologetic glance. They wave her on. “I had to get things right with you. Sort myself out first.”
“She's kind of right, son.” Des raises his glass to Hope. “We all had to deal with our past experiences before we could move on. Like Greg being all gaga over Tui.”
Greg looks chagrined, “It was pure Chivalry.” He clears his throat and declaims; “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind.”
“More like a Quixotic tilt at a passing windmill.” Des mutters, there's an undercurrent of paternal fondness in his voice, so Greg doesn't take offence.
“So, it's a romance then?” Bill asks, waiting for Hope to bite.
“Hell no! You great cheesy softy.” she says, leaning into him and pulling his arm into place around her waist. “You might as well say it's about furniture restoration – that's how I became friends with Des.”
“Yeah.” Des agrees “It's the reason you came back to the camp, and it's how you both ended up back in Wellington.”
“Nah,” Greg looks up from his slim volume of quote from Voltaire, “That's all subplots. It's about you two finding that drug patch in my park and being shot at by the grower and running around the bush for a couple of days.”
Hope protests “That nutter was trying to kill us. Bill had been shot!””
“You're a subplot.” Bill gets up to refill his best friend's wineglass. “Just because you're the head DOC ranger. We had other things to worry about. The repairs and upgrades were forcing the camp into bankruptcy. The bookings were down because of the bad publicity. I thought Dad had cancer.” He shakes his head and returns to the sofa.
Des laughs at the memory of that misunderstanding, then turns serious. “All those court visits when Hope got charged with assualt and that bastard ex boyfriend trying make it worse.” he adds.
Bill gives Des a grimly satified smile. “Well, we sorted him out in the end.”
“All that time you worried about doing nothing.” Hope rubs Bill's forearm where it lies snugly over her midriff. “Then, by doing exactly that, you save me and the camp.”
“It was only fair. You'd saved me and we were only there to raise cash.” he nuzzles ear, still somewhat smitten after waiting so long for her. “Anyway, what it gets down to is what I said at the start; it doesn't matter weather we're talking about love, or adventure in the bush, or courtroom dramas:” He grins, knowing they haven't seen the pun sneaking up. “When you get right down to the facts, it's all about Hope.”

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."

It's a neat way to write a synopsis but I'm not sure that agents/publishers would appreciate it. They would need to decypher character, plot, sub-plot and conflict rather than being told straight out. You alude to some great conflict and unique characters and situations like the DOC ranger.

There's some great resources around on the internet about writing synopsis.

I think the story sounds fun and interesting though!

No Excuses. Just Write.

Hi, I'm sorry I mentioned this now. I posted this attempt in June and got no replies. During the intervening three months, I found more info online and did the *real* version later. This was an early - early attempt and, after nothing for three months, now it's getting criticism!!

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."

Delete, delete, delete, oh bugger, we haven't got a delete button!
It's all trial and error, until we get it right, with all of us.
At least you have taken your story to the final step. :)

http://gay_belle.livejournal.com

The Zing Thing: "The Makeover."

'Southern Scriber.'

Sorry!! I totally missed it the first time round until you mentioned it in another post. I'd be interested to see what you ended up with. I promise I won't critise.

He he, I'm admin. I have a delete button... but I won't. I'll just apologise again... SORRY.

No Excuses. Just Write.

@maggenpye: it's strange how that happens isn't it? Then again, it's all a learning experience.

You mentioned that you found more info online. Do you have any links other people might find useful, or any hints and tips you read which you thought were good? We'd love to find out what you learnt these past few months.

Andrew Chilton - http://kapiti.geek.nz/

Basically - Synopses are always in third person, present tense.
Set up is the same as the first page of your manuscript - name and address in the top right hand corner.
Centre the title, go down two lines, centre 'Synopsis'
double space and - go. The style should be similar in tone to your MS, and relate basically how the story progresses, including any twists or surprise endings.
Check with your target publisher for how long it should be.
I haven't got any links noted as I just downloaded the relevant info. It was easy enough to google.
One thing I did find was that other authors also hate writing them.
I'm sorry, I won't post the newest version. I'll have to re write it anyway if I need to go to a different publisher and since it's already gone, I can't face criticism of it (there's nothing I can do to change it).

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."

I can totally understand that feeling! lol No point stressing over it, or realizing things you could have done differently or better now. it's all a learning progress. Hopefully you won't have to go to a different publisher though ;-)

http://vyanae.blogspot.com/

Fingers crossed. According to their email, 2 - 4 months before they'll let me know. It's nice that I got the acknowledgement, as apparently even that is quite rare.

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."

I totally understand. What did you send as the 'package' to the publisher?

All the information I've read on synopsis is that most writers hate doing them but it's part of the biz.

Good luck!

No Excuses. Just Write.

I sent what they asked for on their site: other publisher's requirements are different.
The resources are all on this site or easily locatable.

I sent :
Query Letter - link on site.
Synopsis - to their specifications. The preferred length will be stated on their sites.
Full manuscript (other places may want 3 chapters - or nothing).
Reply paid envelope - just in case.
Everything into a document box from the Post Office.

I put my email in as part of my address, even though I only expected land mail. That could well be why I had the courtesy note from the publisher to say the MS had been received.

It's like any business letter, be courteous and include all relevant information.

This feels like "submission 101" and I'm sorry if I sound preachy, but...

These are the basics.

More comprehensive information is in links and libraries and google.

Ophelia Stornaway has a good thread on what this process is like for the Editor , in Critique and Review.

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."

That's helpful, thanks maggenpye, for when our turn will come. Fair bit of mucking around, but I suppose presentation is half the deal.

http://gay_belle.livejournal.com

The Zing Thing: "The Makeover."

'Southern Scriber.'

I can't reiterate enough, to check the websites for their requrements. And to read all the info yourself - what's above is only my interpretation of the facts, based on the info I found.

For your own MS, do as much research on style, presentation etc as it takes until you feel you understand.

ETA. Kerrynangel liked Greg the DOC guy? good-oh. He was in the background for book 2, but he's going to be quite central again for No. 3.

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."

So agree with you about checking the website. One agent says the synopsis is to be NO LONGER than a page. He even capitalises it.

As if it isn't hard enough to reduce your entire plot down to one paragraph for a query letter!

I did have an ulterior motive for asking. I was wanting to congratulate you on getting to the reader stage! From what you said I imagine they read the cover letter and synopsis and passed it along. But I may be wrong.

Go the DOC guy! :)

No Excuses. Just Write.

Slushpile I got 'a brief synopsis' was required. I aimed for around 400 words, but even that went over to a second page! Mind you, when I was writing for the local paper, everything was between 300-500 words, so you'd think that would be easy!!!

kerrynangellThank you. I think that's what happens too.

DOC guy is finishing up a three book story arc, as soon as Nano starts. I wasn't expecting it - I thought he had a nice self contained storyline in the first book, but you know what those plot bunnies are like! We (I tend to find out while I'm writing) will also discover why his mother abandoned the family.

Duh duh DUMM!

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."

Oooh, intrigue. :)

No Excuses. Just Write.

Oooh, yes! :D

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."