Comments on: The Basics of Fiction

By: Jenny

Jenny — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 01:14:08 +0000

Oh, and it doesn’t matter whether your name is Jenny Crusie or not, the cover has to communicate what’s inside. That’s why there are hearts on the dice.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 01:13:30 +0000

Your editor is right.
The cover image has to tell the reader what kind of book it is before she even gets close enough to read it. I couldn’t tell just by looking at the cover until I saw the “mystery”tag at the top.
So you need colors and an image that say “mystery.” I don’t know what kind of mystery it is, but if it’s a cosy, I’d go with deep blues and greens that are warm but still dark enough to read “mystery.” If it’s a noir, I’d go with black and red, or any dark dramatic colors with shadows. If it’s a comedy, brighter colors, but not pink. Pink all by itself doesn’t read as a mystery, you need a strong image that says “mystery” if you want to go pink. And the skunk ain’t it.
So again depending on what kind of mystery it is, you go for images or illustrations that communicate the kind of story it is.

If it’s a cosy, put your skunk much much smaller here so it’s overwhelmed and threatened by the landscape:
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-10972903-enchanted-garden.php

Romantic suspense? Try this:
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-10404085-keeping-a-secret.php

Noir? Maybe this:
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-13485856-sofisticated-woman.php

A romp, something like this:
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-10588819-smiling-female-with-shopping-bags.php

Just go to iStockphoto and put “Mystery” in the keywords section and search until you get what you need. But it has to communicate the kind of mystery you’re writing. The fact that there’s a skunk in the book is irrelevant. What you’re going for is look and feel.

By: Kate G

Kate G — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:25:02 +0000

Hey Jenny – this should really be under yesterday’s post, but as we’ve all moved on…

My editor doesn’t think my brilliant cover is as brilliant as I think it is. It’s simple, clean, eye catching (I think, but what do I know? Not much.) But the image doesn’t connect with the title at all. It connects with the story, tho. (That’s my point.)

Now, I’m lucky, my editor will use this cover if I insist on it, but I’m inexperienced. Can I ask your opinion? Does the cover image have to make sense in the context of the title? (I think the answer is no – if you’re Jenny Crusie, but what if you are an unknown?)

If you click on my name you can see the image if you want to.

By: Jeanette Murray

Jeanette Murray — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:26:12 +0000

This was extremely helpful! Thank you for providing this. I’m getting ready to sub my first full length contemp. romance and the 10-sentence synopsis was especially helpful.

Jeanette

By: Susanne Dunlap

Susanne Dunlap — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:12:12 +0000

This is wonderfully complete and yet concise! I’d like to link to it from my writing coach page on Facebook.

Best,

Susanne

By: Stacey Goitia

Stacey Goitia — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 03:02:26 +0000

This was the most fabulous, clear-cut, nitty-gritty illustration of how to get to the gist of your story I’ve ever heard! You’re a genius, Jenny. Can I have your autograph? I bet people request that all the time…

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 18:53:00 +0000

Well, maybe that is the conflict, and the thing you thought was her goal is a subplot. Don’t panic.
Although here’s the bad news: “Not falling for him” is a negative goal and they’re almost impossible to make sympathetic. See if you can change it to a positive goal: Fighting to . . .

By: Jan

Jan — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 10:03:56 +0000

Fascinating to read but yikes! Just realised my current romance plot sucks. My heroine has enlisted the help of the hero in achieving her goal, which he does. The conflict (I had thought) is in her trying not to fall for him and vice versa.
Should I burn it now?

By: Victoria Dixon

Victoria Dixon — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:13:42 +0000

Clear and concise and a lot like the writers conference I attended last weekend. ;D Thanks! I’m going to tweet this.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:57:30 +0000

It really is whatever works for you.
I write my first drafts as discovery drafts. At some point I see turning points and start grouping scenes into acts and then when the first draft is done, I diagram like crazy trying to figure out what the book is about and how the structure reinforces that. But there really are many roads to Oz.

By: Terrio

Terrio — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:19:01 +0000

I’ll put in my vote for the revision class. I’ve learned more in the first three weeks than I’ve learned in three years through other workshops/ecourses. THIS is the stuff I’ve needed and thank goodness Lani is generous enough to share it. Thanks to the two of you, I may actually write a publishable book!

By: Clever Cherry aka Judy Long

Clever Cherry aka Judy Long — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:14:37 +0000

Thanks Jenny. It does still feel like mine so far. I think maybe part of the problem is, because I didn’t know structure, I’m working against my nature right now. By nature I am a very methodical person. It probably would be more natural for me to have the structure in place first. Not knowing any different, I’m doing the opposite with this book.

When you write do you have your structure (anchor scenes, etc.) first or do you pants and then go back and put in structure?

Cause whatever you do, it certainly works for you.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:07:31 +0000

The discovery and revision classes people are talking about are from Lani Diane Rich/Lucy March and they are excellent. See more details at StoryWonk.com.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:02:55 +0000

I think as long as you’re not doing anything you think is wrong for the book, that doesn’t feel right to you, you’re all right. It’s when it doesn’t feel like your book that you’ve gone too far. You say you’re afraid it won’t feel like your book when it’s done. Does it feel like yours now? Stop when it doesn’t.

By: Clever Cherry aka Judy Long

Clever Cherry aka Judy Long — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:31:20 +0000

Jenny +/or writers out there- I’m in revisions with Lucy right now. I’m loving it. I’m learning so much. One thing worries me, though. I’ve made so many changes to make structure because I knew nothing about structure before. Sometimes I’m afraid that by the time my book is done it won’t feel like my book. Did that ever happen to you?
(It seems wrong somehow even to think like this because with all the changes so far, my book is a much better book than it was before.)

By: Dee

Dee — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:25:58 +0000

You can’t see it, but I’m bowing to your writing prowess and gereral awesomeness right now. Between you and Lani, I may get this book finished yet. Thank you, thank you, thank you. If you’re ever in New England, let me know. I’ll bake cookies.

By: robena grant

robena grant — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:58:51 +0000

Yay me! Thank you, you!
So, I trimmed my six page (double spaced) synopsis down to a one page single spaced, and hit all the points you mentioned. I think it makes sense. We’ll see. I’m now going to enter a contest where a one page synopsis is required.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 07:25:53 +0000

Since it’s a cyber-hug, totally appropriate. I’m cyber-patting you on the back. There, there.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 07:20:12 +0000

And I lied. But NOW it’ll be fixed by tomorrow.

By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 02:37:00 +0000

Would it be inappropriate to give you a tackle-hug? This is brilliant. Thank you!