Thursday, September 24, 2009

Gotta Love 'Em

Let’s say you just signed with an agent and she wants to sell your book as a three part package. She’s not looking for a continuing series, just three books written by you in the same genre and style as your first.

You’re a pantser and recently started the second book, but are only on chapter three. How are you supposed to come up with not only one synopsis, but two? I’m afraid you don’t have a choice, except to play around with the story until you can jot down that synopsis.

And then do it again.

But here’s where it gets tough. Make sure you love the outlines for books two and three as much as you loved the story in book one. Why? Because once a publisher buys your package, he’s going to expect books two and three to follow the synopses you wrote. Sure, you can deviate a little, but for the most part, you can’t.

Just one more reason it’s a good idea to work some of this out before you sign with an agent. ;)

Have you put any thought into your next couple of books? Will they fit the three package mold (same genre, same style)?

11 comments:

  1. Same genre, different style. Ideas for my future books are marbles in a bag I keep at my side.
    ~ Wendy

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  2. oooh. i hear ya. i'm working on the other outlines now. an agent mentioned "three book deal" to me as a possibility (b/c she said it was easier to pitch series) and my mind was working furiously right there during our pitch session. :) so i'm on it....

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  3. eeek. Okay, I need a bigger drawing board....

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  4. I have ideas, but the synopsis would take some work. On the bright side, at least I'd have a plan of action for the other two.

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  5. I felt lucky to sell one book - having to write a synposis for two others at the same time would have had me in a serious panic mode.

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  6. I'm doing that now. Just had an agent ask me for my plan for my second book when I queried! Good thing I had just started it!

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  7. So is this YOUR experience? Are you in love or out of love with your next two books?

    I am nowhere near pitching anything and am thinking about writing a contemporary instead of historical, just to see if my voice shows up there. lol

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  8. Yep, thought about it, planned it in my head, and happy with it...just in case. :)

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  9. Sherrinda: I hate my book some of the time, but most of the time I love it. The other stories I've partially plotted have an advantage. Since I haven't actually written them, we haven't gone through any rough times. ;)

    Lynnette Labelle

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  10. And here I thought it was just two books I had to have in the works - now it's three? Egads!

    I guess that makes it easier to chose a plot for my NaNo draft...glad you mentioned this.

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  11. I think about it a lot, as my book one, is part of a series. I'd be interested to see if other's write their stories before selling them.

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