How to Write Multi POV Pitches and Synopses
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
- Literary agents Jessica Faust and James McGowan discuss how to use your multi-POV story's throughline to craft your blurb and synopsis while querying.
BookEnds is dedicated to making publishing a book traditionally a more transparent process, and it starts with these videos!
****
Jessica Faust’s love for books is what first brought her to open BookEnds Literary Agency. It is her desire to be an advocate for all authors that pushed her to create her blog, the BookEnds TH-cam channel and to maintain a vibrant presence on Twitter.
Jessica is proud to have grown BookEnds to an agency that represents authors of all genres for children and adults, allowing her to reach more readers and help more authors and illustrators achieve their dreams.
--
James McGowan is a Literary Agent at BookEnds and writer for children. He began working with the agency as an intern in the summer of 2015, and basically never left. He represents a talented group of authors and illustrators working in everything from board books to middle grade graphic novels. He also works in adult nonfiction, and adult mystery and suspense projects. James is the author of GOOD NIGHT OPPY, which is available now.
Connect with BookEnds!
Twitter: bookendslit
Instagram: bookends_literary
Website: www.bookendsliterary.com
Connect with Jessica: bookendsjessica
Connect with James: jmcgowanbks
Actually I think your video lends itself very well to a synopsis. My take away was “The focus of the query should be the story and what makes it unique, not the number of POV’s or timelines that the writer uses to tell the story.”
I always have dual POVs in my books and I agree, write the pitch first. If I don’t write the pitch first, then I will get too much in my head after writing the story. The pitch is what keeps me focused on the true purpose of the book.
Okay, talk about timely! I recently jumped into a Nanowrimo-discard from a couple of years ago. I really want to salvage the project, but, dang! I was writing two time periods, two MCs, and just got plowed by it! When you said "maybe write the pitch first" 💡💡💡 THIS is the key I needed to find! Thank you for getting me out of the bushes. This makes sense, this can be written...
I.Can.Do.This!
Hoping for what you have been reading video soon!
This was helpful! Thank you both.
Thank you for being so generous with your time and industry knowledge. I have a follow-up question for you all. Should we try to show off our unique voice in the synopsis? Or would you say that’s not a priority for this particular document? Thank you! 🙏
Hi! If you can maintain the same tone/voice that's present in the story in the synopsis while still covering all of the beats of the story, that would make for a much more compelling synopsis!
Very helpful indeed guys...Fantastic job! And just so happens, I'll be working on my synopsis this weekend. 😊
Again, this is one of those instances where an actual synopsis example or two that worked would be helpful. Links to some? Include one or two in the video? This would be most helpful.
You two have saved my ass, thank you!!
my multi POV dual timeline novel thanks you so much for this video!
My current WIP is a novel with 2 POVs. The 19th century story line is in 3rd POV and the 21st century story line is in 1st POV.
Hi Bookends! I have another "what if" for you. My manuscript is dual POV. Character A's story has the more natural hook for a query. But while the short prologue is in Character A's POV, Chapter 1 is in Character B's POV. Will agents find it odd if they read a query about one character, but end up reading sample pages that are mostly about another? I don't want to bait and switch. Should I try to mention Character B in the query or even split the query between them?
So, I have a present tense story interspersed with backstory/context scenes (including a key relationship of one main character who is dead by the time the present tense story takes place), and then the backstory scenes catch up to the present and the story finishes in the present, for the synopsis I should just tell it in one straight line but include only backstory events that directly move the present tense story forward?
If so, doesn't that compromise the pacing of the novel, which I thought is part of what the synopsis is trying to convey? Or is it "this is what happens", period, pacing be damned?
Your videos *always* make me lol, btw. Thanks for that. :)
Hi! The synopsis only really has to focus on conveying the important beats of the story. Most agents are understanding of the fact that the way events are paced out in the book is going to feel very different from what it reads like in a synopsis, so feel free to just do whatever makes the synopsis clearest :)
Hello! This video is in perfect timing because I'm currently fighting with my synopsis and it's kicking my ass 😅
My question is how many characters should I introduce? Currently, I have 3 names that popped out in my synopsis but I felt like I needed to add 2 more characters to make sense to the story. Any advice on what should I do? Thank you!
Glad this video came at the right time! The synopsis should cover the major beats of the story (any minor or major events that heavily impact/influence the story and characters). Therefore, the characters that should be named are those that are part of the beats of the story and typically pop up more than once.
For example, if a friend coming in from out of town throws a wrench in the main character's plans and then they continue meddling in the main character's life throughout the story, they can be named in the synopsis. If the friend coming in from out of town is just a catalyst for the character making a decision about something and we never think about the friend again, you can just call them "a friend." Hope this makes sense!
@@BookEndsLiterary it totally makes sense. Thank you for answering!
Do a video exploring how woke ideology is affecting writers and publishing.
I'm sure it's benefitting it.
LOL. How to tell me you've never been published without telling me you've never been published.
I bet you're really upset that women can vote now.
I get it. You think that no agent is requesting a Full because they only want to agent BIPOC. Get a Beta reader who isn't your best friend.
The truth is, 80% of all books published are by whites. If you aren't getting any bites, it's because your query or manuscript is poor or generic.
Every ideology is a woke ideology in itself.
@@Mir_Aakib ???
@Gold Skull well I mean anybody who has the privilege of holding any ideology thinks it is his kind who are ON THE RIGHT (open-minded rational people and whatnot).