Comments on: Writing Contest winning synopsis http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/writing-contest-winning-synopsis/ Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:53:10 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Meet Writer Lynn Raye Harris « Romance Writers on the Journey http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/writing-contest-winning-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-39906 Meet Writer Lynn Raye Harris « Romance Writers on the Journey Sat, 16 Aug 2008 03:15:21 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=200#comment-39906 [...] Writing Contest winning synopsi [...] [...] Writing Contest winning synopsi [...]

]]> By: scarletibis26 http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/writing-contest-winning-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-17499 scarletibis26 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:46:12 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=200#comment-17499 Hi Lynn, Just saw your response above. For us Wannabes, you're the best one to give advice because you made it from Step A to B and you are en route to Step C (getting the book published.) Thank you for all the comments and advice and again good luck with your fabulous story ! Hi Lynn,
Just saw your response above. For us Wannabes, you’re the best one to give advice because you made it from Step A to B and you are en route to Step C (getting the book published.)

Thank you for all the comments and advice and again good luck with your fabulous story !

]]> By: Lynn Raye Harris http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/writing-contest-winning-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-14927 Lynn Raye Harris Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:34:21 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=200#comment-14927 Nothing wrong with using settings you are familiar with, I think. I lived in Hawaii for 3 years, and I spent a week in Madrid once. I don't see why Florida can't be glam. But, OTOH, you have to write to the promise of the line. It's not the setting, or the title, or the hero not being Italian (Spanish, Greek, etc) that makes a story not right for Presents. (This is just my opinion -- I am certainly not the expert!) As for the lines, Mulberry is probably right about Harlequin American. I don't tend to read those because I *love* Presents, Intrigue, and certain Blazes. Oh, and Desire. :) I don't know where to tell you to go online for research, but I'd probably start with that town's tourist info site and go from there. Good luck, Scarletibis! :) Nothing wrong with using settings you are familiar with, I think. I lived in Hawaii for 3 years, and I spent a week in Madrid once. I don’t see why Florida can’t be glam. But, OTOH, you have to write to the promise of the line. It’s not the setting, or the title, or the hero not being Italian (Spanish, Greek, etc) that makes a story not right for Presents. (This is just my opinion — I am certainly not the expert!)

As for the lines, Mulberry is probably right about Harlequin American. I don’t tend to read those because I *love* Presents, Intrigue, and certain Blazes. Oh, and Desire. :)

I don’t know where to tell you to go online for research, but I’d probably start with that town’s tourist info site and go from there. Good luck, Scarletibis! :)

]]> By: scarletibis26 http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/writing-contest-winning-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-14381 scarletibis26 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:55:42 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=200#comment-14381 Hi Mulberry, Thank you for your info. We should start our own blog at this rate :). Your Bay of Naples setting sounds ideal for HP. If you think it doesn't have enough glam, how about sticking in some ? Lynn is correct in saying than an American billionaire hero will work but HP does seem to favor the Italian thing - setting, hero and yes title too. How many HP American heroes do you read about compared to Italian? Even the few US writers use Italian/Euro heroes frequently so I say you're on the right track. (In real life the only two Italians I know are Italian-Americans and both are gay !) Hi Mulberry,
Thank you for your info. We should start our own blog at this rate :) .

Your Bay of Naples setting sounds ideal for HP. If you think it doesn’t have enough glam, how about sticking in some ?

Lynn is correct in saying than an American billionaire hero will work but HP does seem to favor the Italian thing – setting, hero and yes title too. How many HP American heroes do you read about compared to Italian? Even the few US writers use Italian/Euro heroes frequently so I say you’re on the right track. (In real life the only two Italians I know are Italian-Americans and both are gay !)

]]> By: mulberry http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/writing-contest-winning-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-13983 mulberry Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:50:08 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=200#comment-13983 Hi scarletibis, I used to read a lot of Harlequin American Romances- they tended to feature small town settings. It may be worth looking at the blurbs for the current releases and seeing if you feel your story might fit, before you try reading a few. I'm wondering if the my competition story has enough "glam" factor too- most of it is set in a villa on the Bay of Naples, but it is rather understated, not flashy. I don't know the areas you have set your book in, they certainly sound interesting, but my only trip to the States was a four day short break in Manhattan back in the 90's! Hi scarletibis, I used to read a lot of Harlequin American Romances- they tended to feature small town settings. It may be worth looking at the blurbs for the current releases and seeing if you feel your story might fit, before you try reading a few.
I’m wondering if the my competition story has enough “glam” factor too- most of it is set in a villa on the Bay of Naples, but it is rather understated, not flashy.
I don’t know the areas you have set your book in, they certainly sound interesting, but my only trip to the States was a four day short break in Manhattan back in the 90’s!

]]> By: scarletibis26 http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/writing-contest-winning-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-13968 scarletibis26 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:57:53 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=200#comment-13968 Hi, Hey Mulberry and Lynn, many, many thanks for your advice :). I only read Harlequin Presents among all their lines. I'll check the guidelines but do you know off hand what lines they print that a story with a small town US setting might fit ? I thought I could do a small town romance meets the fire of a Harlequin Presents and the Nicholas Sparks would fly ! :) Apparently not the thing to do (ha ! ha !) for an HP book. Even though I did have a "Richie" hero, my chapter (location and characters) was definitely missing the glam (good point to inform me of Lynn). Do you all have an opinion on the "glam" factor of the Panama City Beach area ? It IS nick named "R------ Riviera" ;). (I used northwest Florida including PC Beach, a Caribbean country (which were both mentioned in my synopsis) and Manhattan for a flashback (which I didn't mention.) Do you all know of any CURRENT websites with location info for writers ? (The places I used were areas I lived in and around so no research was done.) Hi,
Hey Mulberry and Lynn, many, many thanks for your advice :) . I only read Harlequin Presents among all their lines. I’ll check the guidelines but do you know off hand what lines they print that a story with a small town US setting might fit ? I thought I could do a small town romance meets the fire of a Harlequin Presents and the Nicholas Sparks would fly ! :) Apparently not the thing to do (ha ! ha !) for an HP book.
Even though I did have a “Richie” hero, my chapter (location and characters) was definitely missing the glam (good point to inform me of Lynn).
Do you all have an opinion on the “glam” factor of the Panama City Beach area ? It IS nick named “R—— Riviera” ;) . (I used northwest Florida including PC Beach, a Caribbean country (which were both mentioned in my synopsis) and Manhattan for a flashback (which I didn’t mention.) Do you all know of any CURRENT websites with location info for writers ? (The places I used were areas I lived in and around so no research was done.)

]]> By: Synopsis writing « Waiting for “The Call” http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/writing-contest-winning-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-13650 Synopsis writing « Waiting for “The Call” Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:53:31 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=200#comment-13650 [...] The short answer is, I don’t think I did manage it. What struck me reading Lynn Raye Harris’ winning synopis here , was the strength of her personal voice shining through. I think mine had all the personal voice of a shopping list, in comparison, just a bland and lifeless string of events. [...] [...] The short answer is, I don’t think I did manage it. What struck me reading Lynn Raye Harris’ winning synopis here , was the strength of her personal voice shining through. I think mine had all the personal voice of a shopping list, in comparison, just a bland and lifeless string of events. [...]

]]> By: Lynn Raye Harris http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/writing-contest-winning-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-13109 Lynn Raye Harris Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:26:32 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=200#comment-13109 Hi, Scarlet. What Mulberry said for one. For two, if you want to write Presents, I don't think you HAVE to have a European hero. An American billionaire will work too (I seem to remember a response from the editors a while back that said that). But you need glam. If you aren't writing that, then find the line that mostly resembles what you like (as Mulberry said). Oh, and I wouldn't worry about the title. They'll change it if they don't like it. Not that I didn't consider the Presents promise when coming up with my own. :) I don't think an inappropriate title alone would incur a rejection, though. Hi, Scarlet. What Mulberry said for one. For two, if you want to write Presents, I don’t think you HAVE to have a European hero. An American billionaire will work too (I seem to remember a response from the editors a while back that said that). But you need glam.

If you aren’t writing that, then find the line that mostly resembles what you like (as Mulberry said). Oh, and I wouldn’t worry about the title. They’ll change it if they don’t like it. Not that I didn’t consider the Presents promise when coming up with my own. :) I don’t think an inappropriate title alone would incur a rejection, though.

]]> By: mulberry http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/writing-contest-winning-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-13100 mulberry Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:58:09 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=200#comment-13100 Scarletibis- completely worthless advice from a struggling newbie- but maybe your story is a perfect fit for one of the other Harlequin/ Mills and Boon series that do use small town settings and local heroes? It may be worth thinking whether any other series you enjoy reading have storylines with similar elements to yours, and checking out some of the other writing guidelines. Scarletibis- completely worthless advice from a struggling newbie- but maybe your story is a perfect fit for one of the other Harlequin/ Mills and Boon series that do use small town settings and local heroes? It may be worth thinking whether any other series you enjoy reading have storylines with similar elements to yours, and checking out some of the other writing guidelines.

]]> By: scarletibis26 http://www.iheartpresents.com/2008/04/writing-contest-winning-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-13078 scarletibis26 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:07:15 +0000 http://www.iheartpresents.com/?p=200#comment-13078 Hi All, Everybody's comments have been right on. Lynn, great synopsis - very tight . You rose to the occasion of that 2 page limit whereas I wrung my hands over it bemoaning the fact that the synopsis example HP gave us for MOON MADNESS was around 5 or so pages. I learnt from you that one must show important stuff in the first chapter that can't fit in the synopsis and vice- versa. I also learnt that you not only have to make the story progress in that first chapter but you need to physically move the action along - the chapter can't happen in one place. Also, give HP what they want meaning no small town settings (alas this isn't a Nicholas Sparks book!) and titles with Italian, Spanish, Greek and Sheik seem to be what's hot right now. I guess I wrote what appealed to me as a reader when the thing to do is tread the line with what you like and what HP likes. So, did I learn the correct things ? :) Honestly I still don't know how even begin writing about Euro heroes or even if I want to! :) Any advice ? Hi All,
Everybody’s comments have been right on. Lynn, great synopsis – very tight . You rose to the occasion of that 2 page limit whereas I wrung my hands over it bemoaning the fact that the synopsis example HP gave us for MOON MADNESS was around 5 or so pages.
I learnt from you that one must show important stuff in the first chapter that can’t fit in the synopsis and vice- versa. I also learnt that you not only have to make the story progress in that first chapter but you need to physically move the action along – the chapter can’t happen in one place. Also, give HP what they want meaning no small town settings (alas this isn’t a Nicholas Sparks book!) and titles with Italian, Spanish, Greek and Sheik seem to be what’s hot right now. I guess I wrote what appealed to me as a reader when the thing to do is tread the line with what you like and what HP likes. So, did I learn the correct things ? :) Honestly I still don’t know how even begin writing about Euro heroes or even if I want to! :) Any advice ?

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