Cover Letter and Synopsis

[ctg]

I like fourth one because it shows that the character is flawed.

[Noah Phoenix]

I liked the fourth one, I can see what you mean about it being disjointed, but I didn't feel that at all. It gave a better impression.

This forum is great for weeding out the problems you never see yourself! I love it!

As for rejection letters, ctg, amongst the many I have, one says the same as yours, except they put at the end, 'I would like to comment further on the ideas presented here, but as a first novel, it doesn't meet the standard required for it to grab me.'

Rather than cry, I took that as a positive. I know my ideas are sound, but I'm a complete novice, and I know I need to nurture any talent I have at actually writing the damn thing. (Which you all are helping immensely with, thanks!) I wish they would understand what a big impact and help even a small sentence like this can be.

I know they get lots of submissions, especially the ones representing the big names, but couldn't they manage even one or two sentences?

[ctg]

Originally Posted by Noah Phoenix

I know they get lots of submissions, especially the ones representing the big names, but couldn't they manage even one or two sentences?

The problem is with the time they have in their hands, as those who review submission might not have that much time to put in some critique, because it takes a lot of effort and some writers will take it wrong way. In other way, put yourself in their shoes and think how much time you would have on posting detailed critique to few pages you've read.

However, if they ask you to post more then a sample, and they still give you a standard-form reply, then maybe in that case you could complain.

[2ndchance]

Interestingly, I had comments on my first tale, some positive some okay I guess, but not many standard replies, most were to me and seemed personal. Mentioned my characters etc.

So I am taking that as a positive, indeed two requested the full MS and although one has said no, the other still has it.

Meanwhile as you can see I have nearly completed tale-two. Completely different subject and settled on a style that suits my chic-lit ish voice...

Learnt a lot from here I must say, some good, some well, let’s say indifferent.

I think the hardest thing for me was getting away from what I thought I wanted to write, i.e. a subject that intrigued me, to a subject my soul wanted, actually, needed to write about.
Once I found this, I found it flowed easier, the pace was better, the dialogue smooth and so on. In addition, the synopsis came in 2 or 3 attempts as opposed to 2 or 3 hundred lol.

I read somewhere some guy saying, the hardest bit was finding his genre, one that fell from him.

Me, well, it has to be; love story/fantasy with a firm philosophical message. Oprah Winfrey would like it, I am sure, ha, ha.
Steve

[ctg]

I only tried four agents and one publisher. The response that I got wasn't positive, so I thought its time to start from the scratch. Yesterday I came on second thoughts after 72 000 words and started to write another story in Finnish. Then today I came back to my English one and rewrote fifteen hundred words.

2ndchance, you get there. Just trust your story and don't give up. It might be hundred agents before you get a positive one, but then again, you only need that one.

[2ndchance]

So, everyone has gone for v.4 so far, any more views, considering it is you lot that made me concede ground on POPULAR.

1. 15-year-old Rebecca has always been well-liked for sure, but often sits alone during school free time. She just prefers to find a nice sunny corner somewhere and sit chatting merrily to herself, scribbling fantastical scenes of imaginative worlds.

2. 15-year-old Rebecca has always been popular enough for sure, but often sits alone during school free time, preferring to find a nice sunny corner somewhere and sit chatting merrily to herself, scribbling fantastical scenes of imaginative worlds. (Is this a run-on? Not sure.)


3. 15-year-old Rebecca has always been liked, but often during school free time, she sits alone, preferring to find a nice sunny corner somewhere and sit chatting merrily to herself, scribbling fantastical scenes of imaginative worlds. (Passive, yuk don’t like passive)

4. 15-year-old Rebecca often sits alone during school free time finding a nice sunny corner, where she sits chatting merrily to herself, scribbling fantastical scenes of imaginative worlds. Even though she is well liked, she just prefers her own company occasionally. (Perhaps a little disjointed.)

Steve

[StormFeather]

I agree with the general consensus - no 4 does it for me!

[Ursa major]

As it happens, Anne Mini has run a series on Query letters (starting with Querypalooza, part I) and has embarked on a similar series for synopses (starting with Welcome to Synopsispalooza!).