It’s Write Stuff Wednesday, and today I’m thinking about those moments when the words refuse to flow. Writer’s block is not limited to moments when authors draw a blank mid-novel. This wordless predicament can creep up when engaging in any number of other tasks related to a career in writing.
THE SYNOPSIS
Summarize all of the most important plot points of your novel into 1-4 pages, depending on the publisher’s preference. After making every effort to show, show show, you are now expected to tell. You just wrote 60K+ words and know your story inside and out. This task should be a piece of cake. It isn’t. Below are a few websites I’ve found helpful. Best of all, many of the sites provide examples and links to additional resources.
THE BLURB
Provide an enticing overview of your book, and leave the reader wanting to see more. Here are a few articles to get you started.
THE PITCH
What is your book about, and why should a reader care? Oh, and keep your pitch to a few sentences. These resources provide helpful examples.
THE TAGLINE
The smaller the piece of writing, the more brain power needed. A tagline is a one-liner hook that provides the tone of the book. Examples are found in the links below.
THE QUERY LETTER
If you plan to go the route of traditional publishing, a query letter is a must. Editors and literary agents are flooded with queries every day. How will your letter stand out in the crowd? The following links are excellent resources explaining the importance of writing a polished, engaging query, how to write this important introduction to yourself and your book, and examples.
THE AUTHOR BIO
And now it’s time to tell the reader all about you. What are your credentials, interests, and hobbies? Many authors are introverts. Sharing personal information is not tops on their to-do list. But the bio is a first step in making a personal connection with readers. See the following links for how-to’s and examples.
AD COPY
Whether you have paid advertisements or create free trailers, ad copy matters. The background, the cover, the font, the tone, the attention-grabbing script, the call-to-action all require attention to detail. The links below offer some helpful examples.
ONLINE PRESENCE: AUTHOR WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA
As previously noted, many authors are introverts and have little desire to crow about themselves from the top of every available social avenue. But social media can’t be avoided. With more than a bazillion books flooding the internet, name recognition is a significant hurdle to jump over. Stay tuned for more to come on this subject.
HELPFUL TIPS FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE:
The internet is your friend. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Search online and see what other authors have done. When all else fails, step away from the keyboard. My go-to activity for recharging my brain is a walk – preferably outside.
Jill Piscitello 
I’m always surprised at myself that I can write the book, it’s the smaller stuff that plagues me. Great resources. Thanks for the info.
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Yes! Those shorter chunks of words can pose a challenging.
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good info!
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Thank you!
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Ahh — all so true and the links are great! Thank you!
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Thank you for stopping by, Anastasia!
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