Rain & Homework
Yep, it is most definitely rainy season here in Jakarta.
The week between Christmas and New Year is called “the between-days” in Swedish and are usually spent hanging around the house in your pyjamas, eating left-over Christmas food and candy, going shopping, and visiting with your friends; going to the movies or for long chilly walks in the woods.
So if you are wondering what we’re up to; this is it, except going for long walks in the woods, which we do in the malls instead, shopping at the same time. 🙂
Also, I am busy writing small texts about my upcoming book BEAUTIFUL AFFLICTION: A Memoir of Surviving Heart Disease. I am learning first hand there are good reasons why it takes about a year for a book to be released: there really is a lot to prepare! I am currently working on “homework” from my publisher due the 29th, which is tomorrow…
I have to tell you, it is almost harder writing about your book, than writing the thing itself! Imagine writing 400+ pages to tell a story and then you’re asked to sum it up in one selling sentence! And then in a short descriptive paragraph. And then pinpoint a couple of keywords describing your book! Gah! It is super-hard! Fortunately, my publisher only askes me to do my best; they are wonderful in listening to their authors and this is a good example of this. The material mentioned is actually prepared by them, but they just want my input first; what would I say about my book? I like this, because naturally, I have a lot to say. 🙂
So even though the book is not released until the fall, we are working hard to make it happen! Well, I am in my PJ’s and stuffing my face with Swedish gingersnaps from IKEA, but still working hard, he he.
See you again soon!
♥Lene
Comments (8)
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I can relate to your feelings about writing pitches and summaries – so tricky and time-consuming! But those things really are important in selling your book so good on you for being diligent! Enjoy “mellandagarna!” And look at me, automatically falling back to English instead of writing in Swedish…Anyway, good luck! Fall will be here before you know it!
Yes, very tricky and time-consuming! Thanks for your pep-talk my friend! Hugs.
Jag tycker mig se flitens lampa lysa i regnet. Och flitig har du alltid varit. En till bra egenskap som är bra att ha för tillfället är att du också arbetar tills du blir nöjd med resultatet. Inspirerande. Jag är säker på att det blir suveränt, och att du liksom får lära känna din bok på nya sätt genom detta arbetssättet. Ha det så roligt!
Tackar, tackar för de fina orden! Ja, liite flitig är jag nog som sitter med detta pÃ¥ “jul-lovet”. 🙂 Och du har rätt att man lär känna sin bok mer och mer frÃ¥n “sälj-sidan” nu som förlaget trycker pÃ¥ den biten. Väldigt intressant.
I know what you mean, writing pitches and synopsis is awful! I’m doing the same, because I want to start sending out my book very soon, and I have to say, I suck at it. Everything I write is terrible, honestly. But hey, I hope practice will make me better.
Do you have any secret to share? 😉
Take heart, my friend!
Congratulations; if you find it hard to write short, selling pitches, that means your strength lies in being a writer, that is: actually writing long paragraphs of text, complex and compelling. Short, attention-grabbing texts are for copy-editors to produce. I bet your books are amazing!
But to make people realize just how amazing they are, alas, we have to study the art of copy-writing.
I find it just as hard as you do, but I have a couple of general guidelines in mind when I do it.
1. Try to be on the point, keep it short, and only concern the heart of the story, aka the main conflict.
2. Avoid: “always”, “never” and equally exclusive and grand statements.
3. Strive to be very precise.
4. Realize I can’t keep everything an enigma, some “spoilers” will have to be made, to raise interest. The main conflict has to be introduced, it doesn’t suffice to say “two worlds collide”.
5. Try to make it about emotions, not just facts.
6. Show what is at stake, what is at risk to be lost, in the story.
7. And most important: show it to your editor, who will rewrite the whole thing so that when you get it back you’re like: oooh, that was much better, I would never have thought about that! 🙂
Good luck and all best wishes for your book!
Thanks so much, Lene. Being specific, it’s what I’m trying to do. I think that’s the most rewarding part in terms of pitches. Still, when you’re trying to boil a 130k words novel down to just a few hundreds words (if not a few tens of characters, I’ve done that too), it’s like… why shouldn’t I hate this?
I’m right with ya, it is super-hard and frustrating and yet rewarding seeing your work in a new light, sort of. It was fun to have a reason to think through the process, thanks to your comment. Wow, a 130k words novel, congratulations! That is a true accomplishment!