Crittering. Queries aka Blurbs aka Dust Covers

Queries, that all important first marketing tool.

Also known as blurbs or the back cover of a novel, it is your first tippy-toe into the marketplace. 

Convincing a total stranger to read your hard work, that it's worth their time and/or money; it ain't easy.






Send to unicornbellsubmissions(at)gmail(dot)com

Hit me with it. 

#5 Twitter Pitches and Loglines

Andren, prince of a small island, goes on a quest to find himself after a traumatic event and ends up waging war on an evil dragon emperor.

If you insert why he needs to ‘find himself’, you'll tie the reader to Andren.

Examples:

‘Andren, prince of a small island, finds himself at odds with his father…’

‘After killing his best friend, Andren, prince of a small island, wanders in search of…’

‘When Andren, prince of a small island, breaks his vow of chastity…’

*snicker* 

Anyway, if you add a character trait, you'll create a bond between the reader and Andren.

#4 Twitter Pitches and Loglines

In the winter of 1805, Arlen Devlin's life takes a decidedly witchy turn, beginning with the discovery of a grandmother she never knew to an heirloom book of spells worth killing over. But is it worth dying over?

Although this is a bit long for a 140-character twitter pitch, it certainly fits as a logline. An introduction, the genre, conflict and consequence make this stand out.

#3 Twitter Pitches and Loglines

All Koral ever wanted was a chance to fall in love and have a family, but the gods have other plans and they don’t mind destroying him in the process.

IMO, you need something other than ‘…a chance to fall in love and have a family…’ as our introduction to Koral. Like a definitive character trait or a unique aspect of his life. A bigger consequence of loss.

The last half of the logline is great, btw J

#2 Twitter Pitches and Loglines

David and Cat: top graduates and best friends, until he discovers she is next in line for a hereditary throne that should not exist on their planet.

I keep stumbling over ‘…that should not exist…’ and I don’t know why. 

Otherwise I'd definitely read on.

30 Words, Twitter Pitches, Agents, and Genres

 A big Howdy and smile to our followers who entered OperationAwesome’s Twitter Pitch contest. It was like stopping at the corner coffee shop and meeting up with great friends and comrades. As I write this, no announcement yet on the winner. But a big Woot if it is one of our Unicorn Bell followers.

I entered the contest with my genre/drug of choice, urban fantasy. But I am conflicted. From what I read, agents don’t want adult urban fantasy/magical realism/paranormal/contemporary fantasy. The genre is slipping out of favor.

*shocked face*

The only genre I read consistently - epic fantasy is a close second - becoming like so much doggie doo doo? This is a bit hard to believe.

*gritting my teeth and snarling*

And my logline:

No one tells Shamira how to live her life. Not her friends and family after they deserted her. Or the ancient relic that would make her its newest acolyte. 

I’d love any comments or crits.

Send me your loglines to post this week to beccoff(at)nwmo(dot)net
And best of luck for our followers in the logline contest at OperationAwesome.

Twitter Pitches: Hell or Helpful?

Image Credit: NASA/SDO, AIA

Describe your 400-page manuscript in less than 140 characters.

I’ll give you a hint. It’s the same answer to ‘What is your novel about?’

Twitter pitches - or loglines - are both approximately the same length, under 30 words. To summarize your novel in so few words and make it interesting is the mark of a good writer. How to keep them legible, informative, and grammatically correct is the bug in the pudding.

Every logline needs the following:

• Genre
• Main Character
• Conflict
• Consequence.

Piece of cake, right? Eh, not so much.

This week is part Fun and part Submission.

1. In the Comments section, write a logline/twitter pitch for a famous book or movie without revealing the name. 
2. Submit your WIP’s logline to beccoff(at)nwmo(dot)com and I’ll post them for review.

To start the creative juices flowing, here is a twitter pitch for a famous book:

In the 1950’s, summer ends with six-year-old Jean’s introduction to racism when her lawyer father defends a black man in the Deep South.

What is the name of the book?

Remember; send the logline for YOUR wip to the above address for posting.

Use comment section on this post for a famous book or movie.

Critique Partners and Betas

If there is one constant in a writer’s world, it is the relationship of the critique partner.

The birth of a novel begins with an idea. Whether you are a pantser or a meticulous outliner, you will paint the picture of you idea with your fingertips.

After that, self-editing can only take you so far. You must have that ‘fresh eye’ to view your work.

The best critique partners and betas give honest, in depth opinions. They aren’t there to massage your ego. Their worth is in the firm and sometimes brutal suggestions.

Listen to them. Weigh their judgment against yours.

Only you know what works. Only you know where your storyline is taking the reader.

But give your CPs equal time in that inner debate. They might see something you missed.

To the CP, be honest but use tact. Give opinion but never with a slap. Do not view a crit as punishment or the chance to show YOUR ego. You are the sounding board for a writer looking for help.

Speaking from the side of a critique partner, a beta, and a writer, let me say I love to crit. It is a privilege to read our submissions.

What do you need critiqued this week? First pages? Your query? Violent scenes? Dialogue? Loglines?

Send us newborn prose or pages you've edited from earlier submissions.

We are all on the same journey and a helping hand aids all of us.