On Writing Romance

by Leigh Michaels

  Salable synopses are:

  Clear. The information is straightforward and presented in a logical manner that does not force the reader to pause to figure out what you meant.

  Concise. It doesn't fill space with details, information unnecessary to the understanding of the main plot, dialogue, or introspection.

  Complete. It includes all the information necessary to understand the characters and the conflict, and it shows how the conflict is resolved and how the ending comes about.

  An effective synopsis will address these six specific points:

  Hook. What's going to appear on the back cover of the book? What element in your story is going to grab the readers and make them say, “This is so different, so unusual, so intriguing that I have to read this book”?

  Heroine. What makes her interesting? Physical description is usually a waste of space, as is most of the character's history. The editor is more interested in what kind of person the character is now and — only if it's crucial to the story — how she got that way.

  Hero. Why is he in opposition to the heroine? What does he want, or why does he not want the heroine to succeed?

  Conflict. What is the main character's difficulty at or near the start of the story? What is the problem that will keep the characters apart, force them to work together, and change their entire future?

  Story. How is the conflict shown to the readers? How does it intensify? How does each event affect the main characters? What twists and turns in the plot will keep the readers fascinated and unable to put the book down? Sketch the beginning, middle, and end of the story in skeletal form, while still being as specific as possible.

  Resolution. How is the conflict resolved? How does the ending come about? What makes the ending satisfying for the readers?

  Though these six parts of the story should be addressed in order to create an effective synopsis, there is no other formula or required structure for a synopsis. So long as you include the important points, you may use your creativity to best summarize the story.

  A good synopsis will:

  Be double-spaced, to allow editing in the margins and between lines.

  Be written in present tense, to create a sense of immediacy.

  Be more like a book review than a book report.

  Capture the tone of the book (i.e., the synopsis for a humorous book should have a lighthearted approach).

  Be based on a completed manuscript.

  Be written so its parts are roughly in proportion to the book (don't spend the first half of the synopsis on the first chapter or two of the book).

  Tell the story in a logical way, not necessarily in the same order the information is presented in the book.

  Briefly describe important characteristics of the hero and heroine.

  Show the main action sequences, to allow the editor to judge whether the story is logical and believable and whether the plot is realistic and well organized.

  Show how the conflict is resolved.

  Tell the ending and show how it is brought about.

  A good synopsis will not:

  Waste words (“The story starts out with …”).

  Include adverbs, clichés, internal monologue, dialogue, or scenic descriptions.

  Comment about how humorous, mysterious, suspenseful, etc., the story is (let the editor be the judge).

  Leave the ending a mystery (“And to find out what happened, you'll have to read the book!”).

  To see a sample synopsis based on Ties That Blind, turn to Appendix C.

  Cover Page

  The cover page of a manuscript is something like the title page of a book. At a glance, it gives the basic information about the manuscript and the author. It accompanies either a full manuscript or sample chapters, and it provides an easy reference for the editor when responding to the submission.

  The cover page should include:

  The working title of the manuscript.

  The estimated number of words in the full manuscript (not just in the submitted portion).

  Your legal name.

  Your complete address.

  A phone number where you can be reached or where a message can be left during normal business hours.

  An e-mail address, preferably one that sounds businesslike.

  The date the submission is mailed.

  The cover page should not include a pen name, unless you have previously been published under that pen name.

  To see a sample cover page for Ties That Blind, turn to Appendix D.

  The Sample Chapters

  When an editor asks for sample chapters, with no further definition, he expects to see the first three chapters, or approximately the first fifty pages. Some publishers specify different sorts of samples, however — they might ask for just the first chapter. Rarely, they might be even more specific, asking (for instance) for a ten-page sample that includes a love scene. Most often, however, the sample will be the very beginning of the story.

  A sample from the manuscript allows the editor to observe your writing style and ability and judge how well you have carried out the promise of the synopsis. A strong writing sample will follow standard formatting guidelines and will:

  Have a good opening line/paragraph/page/chapter.

  Introduce the main characters.

  Show the characters meeting in a believable way.

  Establish characters who have reason to like and trust each other despite their differences.

  Establish the conflict.

  Show a legitimate, believable, resolvable conflict, important to both hero and heroine.

  Involve the reader/editor in the story.

  Show a good command of language, with no grammatical errors, word repetitions, wordy passages, sentence fragments, etc.

  Be cleanly typed, without obvious corrections, typos, misspellings, or punctuation errors.

  A good sample will not be longer than requested and will not explain the story, it will just tell it.

  The Proposal

  A proposal is a combination of sample chapters and a synopsis that tells how the rest of the story plays out. Its exact form varies from publisher to publisher, from author to author, and over time in an author's career. In most cases, after you've sold your first book, the publisher will not require you to write the next entire book up front, but will offer you a contract based on a proposal — usually one to three chapters, along with a synopsis telling the rest of the story. As you gain experience, the publisher is likely to agree to contracts based on shorter proposals or on a synopsis only.

  Proposals should be presented just as you would present a synopsis and sample chapters, though you may be invited to submit by e-mail rather than in hard copy once you are established in your career.

  Standard Manuscript Formatting

  Once an editor asks to see sample chapters or a whole manuscript, you'll have to be sure you've formatted it so your presentation doesn't detract from your story. Preparing a manuscript for submission is mostly a matter of common sense, of making the pages clear, clean, and easy to read. Here are some guidelines to follow:

  Use a fixed-width font, such as Courier New, rather than a proportional font, to keep a more consistent word count per page. (In a fixed-width font, every letter takes up the same amount of space.)

  Double-space manuscript pages, leaving inch-wide margins on all sides.

  Use fresh black ink or toner. Print quality often decreases as an inkjet cartridge runs out.

  Use one side of plain white letter-size paper. Copy-machine paper is fine. (You may submit good-quality photocopies rather than originals, as long as the type is clear, black, and easy to read.)

  Put your last name and the title (or a keyword from the title) in the top left corner of each page, and the page number in the top right corner.

  Number pages consecutively throughout the manuscript; don't start over with each chapter.

  Start each chapter on a new page, spacing down a couple of inches from the top and cent
ering the chapter number on a line by itself.

  Whether you're sending a full manuscript or sample chapters, include a cover page with your legal name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and the estimated word count of the manuscript.

  Leave the manuscript pages unbound. You can use rubber bands to hold the materials together inside your envelope.

  Do not place a copyright notice on the manuscript or cover page. Your story is automatically protected by copyright from the moment you write it down.

  COUNTING YOUR WORDS

  Your computer word-processing program will give you a total count of the words in your manuscript. Publishers, however, use a word-counting system that takes into account the amount of space the words will occupy on the printed page. The two counts may differ widely.

  A one-word line of dialogue will occupy a full line on a published page, where ten or more words would otherwise fit, so the publisher will count that one word as if it filled an entire line. A chapter may end halfway down a published page, but the next chapter will begin on a new page, so the publisher's word count is the same as if the pages were filled.

  If you've used a fixed-width font (like Courier New) and one-inch margins on all sides, multiply the total number of pages in your manuscript by 250 words per page to approximate the publisher's total count.

  If you're using a proportional font (like Times New Roman), count the exact number of words in three to five representative pages of your manuscript (be sure to choose full pages), then divide by the number of pages you counted to get the average number of words per page. Multiply that average by the total number of pages in your manuscript. This result will more closely approximate the publisher's word count than your word processor's word count feature.

  PREPARING TO SEND OUT YOUR SUBMISSION PACKAGE

  Before mailing your submission — query letter, synopsis, sample chapters, or full manuscript — check it over one last time, looking closely at each piece.

  If you are sending a synopsis, have you:

  Constructed a full synopsis? (If you're sending sample chapters, your synopsis should include the full story; it should not just pick up where the manuscript sample ends.)

  Made sure character motivation is clear and plot lines are resolved?

  If you are sending manuscript sample chapters, have you:

  Kept your submission to the requested length?

  Sent consecutive chapters starting with chapter one?

  Included a love scene only if it's a part of your sample chapters or if it was specifically requested?

  Checked dialogue tags for inappropriate word usage (one can't grin words, for example)?

  Made sure details are consistent — that characters' names, hair colors, eye colors remain the same throughout the synopsis and sample? That time lines are accurate? That behavior is logical?

  Checked for smooth, clear transitions between scenes?

  Any time you submit anything to an agent or editor, make sure you:

  Look for misspellings and grammatical errors — split infinitives, dangling participles, incorrect verb tenses or word usage.

  Make sure the story is appropriate for the line you have chosen.

  Address your letter to the correct person, and check that his title and the spelling of his name are accurate.

  Include your legal name, address, daytime telephone, and e-mail address.

  Include a self-addressed envelope large enough to hold the manuscript, with adequate postage for the manuscript's return already affixed to the envelope.

  If you do not want the manuscript returned, send a business-size SASE that the agent or editor can use to send a response, and include instructions in your cover letter to destroy the manuscript rather than return it. It may be less expensive to make another copy than to pay return postage, and a returned copy may not be in suitable condition to resubmit elsewhere.

  If you want confirmation of receipt, include a self-addressed, stamped postcard with the manuscript's title on the card.

  Multiple Submissions

  Submitting a manuscript to more than one line or publisher at a time is known as making multiple submissions. Many romance publishers decline to look at manuscripts that other publishers are also considering. Others will accept multiple submissions if they're told ahead of time that the submission is not exclusive, and if the author agrees not to accept an offer from any publisher without notifying the others and giving them a chance to counter-offer.

  Sending a manuscript off to one publisher at a time, waiting for a response, and then — if it is rejected — submitting to another is a long and tedious business. Many writers are tempted, even if the publisher's policy is to not accept multiple submissions, to do it anyway.

  However, if you try this in today's smaller and more intimate publishing world, you may find yourself submitting to two different lines run by the same publisher and located in the same office complex. You won't be blacklisted if you're caught, but you'll show yourself as unprofessional and unwilling to abide by rules.

  The no-multiple-submissions rule is less than fair to the writer, but it's a fact of the publishing world. Since a specific book usually has at most three possible markets, it's not unreasonable to take them one at a time, customizing each submission to best show how the book fits into the line. Spend the waiting time working on another project.

  Following Up on a Submission

  Publishers usually state how long it takes for them to respond to a query or proposal in their guidelines, on their Web site, or in Writer's Market. Most publishers take two to three months to report; some take longer. Send a follow-up letter only after the publisher's announced time for responses has passed, and allow a couple of extra weeks before inquiring. Many publishers have a backlog of submissions.

  When inquiring about the status of a submission, be sure to include the working title of the manuscript, the name of the editor to whom it was addressed, your name and contact information, and the date or approximate date when the submission was sent.

  Then get busy on a new project while you wait.

  THE EDITOR'S VIEW

  When an editor picks up an envelope containing a submission, what factors impress her — either positively or negatively? What is she hoping to find? What sorts of story ideas appeal to her? Which ones don't? What do good submissions — those most likely to end in a published manuscript — have in common? What things should the hopeful writer avoid?

  A good submission package is whatever the publisher has asked to see. In most cases, this will be a query letter or a combination of cover letter and synopsis. If you've already pitched a story to an editor, she's likely to ask for a synopsis accompanied by sample chapters.

  Whatever you're submitting should be based on a finished manuscript, ready to send immediately if the editor should request it.

  A successful plot does not have to be off-the-wall different. A standard story type is often acceptable, if the writing is good and there is a different twist to it and the style is fresh. In fact, first-time authors are often advised not to tackle something terribly controversial for the first submission.

  The manuscript most likely to inspire editorial enthusiasm features:

  Good, tight writing.

  A believable, logical conflict that is important to both main characters.

  A conflict that is resolvable primarily through the characters' actions, not through the interference of others.

  A first line/paragraph/chapter that grabs attention.

  A heroine and hero who have logical, acceptable reasons to like and respect one another, as well as reasons to distrust each other, and whose attraction is not based solely on physical factors.

  The manuscript most likely to be returned suffers from:

  Poor writing.

  Conflict that isn't legitimate, logical, or believable.

  Conflict that isn't important to both hero and heroine.

  Conflict based on a misunderstanding that could be r
esolved by discussion.

  A clichéd first meeting (a car crash, etc.) unless this is handled in a fresh or different manner.

  An unbelievable or illogical first attraction between the characters.

  A plot that is different for the sake of being different rather than because conflict and characters call for it.

  A writing style that uses ten-dollar words when fifty-cent words would be better.

  A synopsis that doesn't give a full summary of the entire plot, but leaves out important elements or doesn't show how the conflict is resolved.