Normally I don’t blog about writing two entries in a row, but a request from an agent arrived for The Ridge Runner today via post.

The day went to touch up work for the requested pages; Saturday for double checking them. I don’t pray much, but when that package goes out Monday morning, it’s Hail Mary time.

Here’s to karma.

After reading six Dean Koontz books, several observations are clear.

1) Cool cover art, and particularly nifty fonts.
2) Story can be reduced to one sentence
3) Receives attractive displays and prominent placement in the bookstores
4) Sells a LOT of copies

His writing works for many people. The sales figures speak for themselves.

Points 1-3 suggest another story. My theory: points 1-3 are the principal and perhaps only cause of number 4.

Bottom line – his publisher knows how to market him. So if they can market him, they can market me.

There I go, thinking out loud again. Back to my pages…

I’ve waged a private war for over a year now, a messy and nasty conflict, like all wars. What is this war about? I’ve railed against an effective synopsis of The Ridge Runner. Sure, I had a synopsis ready. But it was, let’s say…a bit vague. Mostly, I blame my apprehension on the fact that the synopsis requires one to reveal not only key plot points, but the ending. OK, the plot points in the open I can deal with. But the ending? Oh man, this is a thriller! I give away the ending, why would anyone bother reading the rest?

Basically, I skirted the ending in the synopsis, shrouding it in vagaries. And then it hit me: I’m trying to get an agent to the altar and represent me. My synopsis isn’t working for me, it’s working against me.

To psyche myself up, I sold myself on three good reasons to break out of this thinking
1) Many months of crappy synopsis, no agent. Connection?
2) When agents make a see more, go away decision the synopsis is one of two things they request. Since the synopsis is only two pages odds are high they read it.
3) Successful authors usually don’t have to write them. In other words, this is another toll on the road. Either I pay it or argue with the toll taker.

And to smash the rest of the way through my issue, I wrote a synopsis for Velocity. Not only is it easier the second time, it may just help me out while writing the book.

Browsing through two hundred and fifty pages of Velocity reveals that very little is usable and for that I’m thankful.

Why? Because reviewing the manuscript reminds me how crucial the revision component is. Until I have a few more books under my belt and refine my personal “formula” the one in ten rule applies. Basically, that rule states that for every ten pages of a manuscript – one page survives in the finished draft.

Example: of the three writing days this week so far, six out of thirty-five written or revised pages are solid. Do they tell you that in a writing course?

So this week I relearned that when in doubt about a writing impasse, write some more. Taking hostages, jumping off bridges or drinking like Hemingway will not solve writing problems. Although, of the three options, drinking has some merit.

The query process starts anew on Friday. And that’s all I have to say about that there writing stuff. 😉