As I'm learning about the publishing industry, it seems book proposals are done primarily for non-fiction projects. You present your idea, some sample chapters, an idea of the scope and size and market for the book, etc. We (my collaborator and illustrator friend Laura and I) are doing a fiction book, a graphic novel actually (more on this later!). But, we haven't completed the whole manuscript yet, and are still submitting it. From what I'm learning about this process, this is unusual unless you are a multi-published novelist, which sadly, we aren't. Yet!
So, why are we submitting an unfinished work? Initial reaching out to the publisher with questions about submission guidelines (because our project doesn't fit in any of the set categories exactly) has led to their request of a submission before the project is complete. I tentatively say they are fairly interested in our idea, although we are trying not to count our books before they are printed.
We have been working hard to get our idea ready for a submission sometime this month. This means, today I need to be working on a synopsis for the last section of the book that is not written yet. Yes, you understood that right. I'm trying to summarize a story that I haven't written yet. Maybe for some people that isn't that hard, but for me, it's harder than I would have thought. How do you whittle down an idea to its most important elements, since you're still deciding what those elements are?
When I have an idea, it usually comes as a kind of wafting phrase or image, sometimes a title, or just a bit of dialogue. Then, I let it percolate for awhile (I have some ideas that have been percolating for years for lack of time to really explore them yet.... or so I say). When I feel they are ready, or when someone kicks me in the pants, I start actually writing something. So, with this project I'm trying to jump from wafty percolation into clean, tight description, which is a challenge.
However, I can see advantages to doing this process first, Getting the synopsis down allows me greater freedom with ordering my story in the future. Having a clearly formed plot line, not just a general idea of what will happen and what kinds of things I want to show, will allow me greater room for flexibility and experimentation as I play with the order that events are told in the narration of the story, etc., So, trying to turn a challenge into a positive way to stretch as a writer.
Next post will be highlighting my greatest challenge: how do you write when Hippo 4 is clinging to your pants and Hippo 3 needs you to make him a bat computer?
Stay tuned, same blog time, same blog channel...
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| A cardboard bat computer made from a lego box |
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