Snogging The Crabbit Old Bat
The Crabbit Old Bat
- the UK's answer to Miss Snark - only more so -
is here at Help! I Need a Publisher!
Let me tempt you to rush over and read, read, read this hugely informative
blog for writers.
Here are links to the Crabbit Old Bat's topic:
Crabbit's Tips for Writers
Which covers1. CRABBIT’S TIPS FOR WRITING FICTION
2. CRABBIT’S TIPS FOR GETTING PUBLISHED
3. CRABBIT’S TIPS FOR SUBMITTING TO AGENTS AND PUBLISHERS
4. CRABBIT’S TIPS FOR PUBLISHING YOURSELF
5. CRABBIT’S INGREDIENTS OF POOR WRITING
6. CRABBIT'S TIPS FOR SYNOPSES which is in book form now as 'WRITE A GREAT SYNOPSIS' but you can comment below and be in the draw to win a digital copy!)
7. CRABBIT'S TIPS FOR NON-FICTION PROPOSALS
8. CRABBIT'S TIPS FOR AUTHOR EVENTS
9. CRABBIT'S TIPS FOR TEENAGE WRITING
10. CRABBIT'S TIPS FOR CHILDREN'S WRITING
These last two topics are so huge, and The Crabbit (aka Nicola Morgan) has such a great list of posts on them, that I've linked you to a page where the posts are together - just be sure to scroll down and set aside an hour for blissful inspiration.
And there is much, much more at her site!
Here's a taste of the Crabbit Old Bat's own words on High Concept Books (because we all want one, don't we - or many so we can sell our stories)
The Crabbit's definition of High Concept:
Essentially, a book with an extra-strong hook. A high-concept novel is one which is easy to sell because the idea has wow factor and is easy to explain very quickly. The wow factor often comes from a sense of, “Why didn’t I think of that? That’s going to sell in shedloads. Damn it.”
The Crabbit sums it up with:
Note, however, that your book does not have to be high-concept for it to be published, so don’t go hunting high-concept at the expense of good writing. In fact, if every book were high-concept, reading would become a nightmare of over-excitement. But if you do happen to come up with such an idea, it is more likely to fit the “what publishers want” category. And I am insanely jealous of you and may have to consider killing you.
Oh, by the way, do NOT say in your covering letter or query, "My novel is fabulously high-concept." This is for them to judge and you to grin smugly about in a place where they can't see you.
... which makes me grin and want to read more
Hope you do too.
Be sure to leave a comment so you go in the draw for your choice of a Kindle copy (or downloadable e-copy with your free Kindle app) of The Crabbit's Dear Agent, Tweet Right, or Write a Great Synopsis - or just comment coz I'd like to know you visited.
(A word of warning - I do find you if you comment, and will snog your blog if I like what I see ... waggling my eyebrows mischieviously as I type)
See you next week!
- the UK's answer to Miss Snark - only more so -
is here at Help! I Need a Publisher!
Let me tempt you to rush over and read, read, read this hugely informative
blog for writers.
Here are links to the Crabbit Old Bat's topic:
Crabbit's Tips for Writers
Which covers1. CRABBIT’S TIPS FOR WRITING FICTION
2. CRABBIT’S TIPS FOR GETTING PUBLISHED
3. CRABBIT’S TIPS FOR SUBMITTING TO AGENTS AND PUBLISHERS
4. CRABBIT’S TIPS FOR PUBLISHING YOURSELF
5. CRABBIT’S INGREDIENTS OF POOR WRITING
6. CRABBIT'S TIPS FOR SYNOPSES which is in book form now as 'WRITE A GREAT SYNOPSIS' but you can comment below and be in the draw to win a digital copy!)
7. CRABBIT'S TIPS FOR NON-FICTION PROPOSALS
8. CRABBIT'S TIPS FOR AUTHOR EVENTS
9. CRABBIT'S TIPS FOR TEENAGE WRITING
10. CRABBIT'S TIPS FOR CHILDREN'S WRITING
These last two topics are so huge, and The Crabbit (aka Nicola Morgan) has such a great list of posts on them, that I've linked you to a page where the posts are together - just be sure to scroll down and set aside an hour for blissful inspiration.
And there is much, much more at her site!
Here's a taste of the Crabbit Old Bat's own words on High Concept Books (because we all want one, don't we - or many so we can sell our stories)
The Crabbit's definition of High Concept:
Essentially, a book with an extra-strong hook. A high-concept novel is one which is easy to sell because the idea has wow factor and is easy to explain very quickly. The wow factor often comes from a sense of, “Why didn’t I think of that? That’s going to sell in shedloads. Damn it.”
The Crabbit sums it up with:
Note, however, that your book does not have to be high-concept for it to be published, so don’t go hunting high-concept at the expense of good writing. In fact, if every book were high-concept, reading would become a nightmare of over-excitement. But if you do happen to come up with such an idea, it is more likely to fit the “what publishers want” category. And I am insanely jealous of you and may have to consider killing you.
Oh, by the way, do NOT say in your covering letter or query, "My novel is fabulously high-concept." This is for them to judge and you to grin smugly about in a place where they can't see you.
... which makes me grin and want to read more
Hope you do too.
Be sure to leave a comment so you go in the draw for your choice of a Kindle copy (or downloadable e-copy with your free Kindle app) of The Crabbit's Dear Agent, Tweet Right, or Write a Great Synopsis - or just comment coz I'd like to know you visited.
(A word of warning - I do find you if you comment, and will snog your blog if I like what I see ... waggling my eyebrows mischieviously as I type)
See you next week!