I am now so depressed! Having just finished my children's novel of which I am extremely proud (first chapter uploaded!) I now feel that maybe I should turn it into eco-friendly fuel for the fire. At least the weather's turned cold!

Sue,

Now I feel bad!

The point is, listen to advice from old farts like me, then go ahead and do your own thing anyway. Besides, you've really got nothing to lose. Like I said earlier, there are plenty of children's editors out there who want to find good new writers. They may have to turn down your book because they have to consider sales more than anything else these days, but if they like it, you may well receive an encouraging note with some useful pointers.

My first book was rejected 14 times (and this was in the days of sending it out to one publisher at a time). The 15th turned it down too, but she said some nice things. So I phoned her up and talked her into a meeting; we met, and I convinced her somehow that I was a serious writer. She agreed to do the book but only if I would make changes. I was reluctanct to agree but in the event every change she suggested (and some were major) turned it into a better book.

Go for it!

Terry

Oh all right then! Actually now that I have finished my book (and I really really love it!) I am quite excited about sending it out. The enthusiasm and the optimism of the new writer prevails and I shall rush into the kitchen, reach for my writer's handbook and thumb feverishly (or is that the wine?) through the pages for agents to write to. Am I alone in finding that writing the synopsis is so much harder than the book itself?

If you find writing a synopsis hard it could be because you don't like being pinned down on what your story is actually about. Most of us love the mystery process of writing, the surprise turns that our plots and characters can make, and we would like to think that an editor or agent will want to read our stuff on the same basis. But writing a synopsis serves several purposes: it shows an editor that you are professional; it allows the editor to see where the story will go without having to read the whole book and, most importantly, it forces you to focus on what is wrong with your story (which is often the case when you come to describe what it's actually about).

I find it helpful to write a one-page synopsis, more like a blurb than a storyline - something like what you read on the back of a book, only without the teaser aspects. You know, 'This is the story of a sensitive but naive boy on a mission against the forces of evil who has his world turned upside down by a beautiful stranger. Luke Skywalker is happy enough farming sand ... ' etc. Then I write a longer (maybe 2-3 page) storyline synopsis: this simply tells what happens, scene by scene. Then the editor has both your overview of what's great about the story plus evidence that it works.

You are absolutely right! I've not looked at it like that before. Because this is the first book I've written and the first time I've shown my work to anyone maybe a) I want them to be surpised and to get into the story and b) don't want to tell anyone what the story is about in case they think it's crap! I will certainly take your advice. Thank you!

Just nipping back to mobiles. There is something very interesting about them. I don't have one either, and never will, but because the people who use them in public have no problem about strangers overhearing them, it takes the nagging feeling of peeping-tomish that can overcome you if you've listened to a conversation in a public place between two people. OK, you only get one side of the conversation, but you can fill in the other side. I'd say the obsession with mobiles is a rich seam for writers to enjoy.