I won!
Anyway, I finalled with a query for Daughter of Privilege. The final judge is Kate Duffy of Kensington. I'm not sure how I feel about that, seeing as how I've racked up a rejection from her already for a different story, but I'm just pleased to have finaled.
Btw, if you're not a member of Romance Divas, you should be. The contests (FREE!) alone are worth a (FREE!) membership. We don't send out annoying e-mails, it's all moderated, though the flare-ups have been few and far-between. You really do need to check them out.
I'm fixing to make some enemies here, but I don't get what the big deal is about writing queries and synopses. It's just writing. Presumably, since we call ourselves writers, it's something we do well.
I watch in sincere puzzlement when friends tie themselves into knots over these things. I figure, if you can't sit down and tell me your whole story in a paragraph or a page, you talk too much. I mean, what if you're at a party and some poor innocent schmuck says, "What's your book about?"
Are you going to tell him every twist and turn for the next half hour? He'll cross the street to avoid you the next time he sees you coming.
A blurb is what you tell people at cocktail parties.
A synopsis is what you tell a friend who actually cares over coffee.
Well, life calls. Grocery shopping, more cleaning. Painters are here. My bedroom is finally painted -- one wall is barn red, the others are sand. It feels like things are moving fast and furious.
15 Comments:
Congratulations! That's awesome.
By 
Sandra Ruttan, at
1:06 PM
Great job on the Query! Now good luck with Kate ;)
I'm one of those that ties myself up in knots. I think that when people ask me what my book is about, I tend to downplay it. You're right though, I need to be able to get it down to three sentences if possible.
I think I get stressed about it because it's what decides whether my book gets read. It's the first thing an editor sees...and likes or hates. I put way too much pressure on myself with it.
Good luck with the painting and congrats on winning the Query contest.
By Jennifer McKenzie, at
6:44 PM
Thanks Sandra and Karen! I'm sure I'll blog about how it goes one way or the other.
Jen, stop it! Just talk. It'll come out fine. And thanks!
By Sela Carsen, at
7:27 PM
Best of luck, Sela!
By 
, at
11:34 PM
YAY!! I agree abtou RD, I LOVE them!
Good Luck with the query. Don;t worry about a previous rejection. New story, new response. :)
By Sasha White, at
3:18 AM
Congrats on your win! Best of luck with it
Congrats! ANd I have to agree!! A query is no different than a pitch, a synop a big picture overview--its' a skill we have to master just like POV or characterization =)
By Amie Stuart, at
10:13 PM
congrats. Now all you need is some decent CPs to help you polish that puppy so Kensington falls in love with you this time. ;-)
RDs rule, except in alternate section where they ruler, or should that be riding crop?
Congrats Sela.
fingers crossed.
By Michelle Styles, at
6:57 AM
Hooray! You rock, baby!
By , at
4:38 AM
Sasha's right!
What's past is prologue...
Congrats Sela, now I have to cross fingers for you and Lis!!!
By Nell Dixon, at
3:39 PM
Okay ... Where are you?
By Sasha White, at
1:29 PM
Congrats, Sela! And I totally agree with you about queries and synopses.
By Anna Louise Lucia, at
11:15 AM