Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Writing is Hard: Back cover copy

Kristen Nelson is a literary agent with a very useful blog. Like most useful lit agent bloggers, she spends a good amount of time talking about writing successful query letters, but she suggests an approach that I think is especially helpful. At least, it helps me get my mind around it in a way that I haven't been able to before. She suggests writing the pitch paragraph as if you were writing the copy for the back cover of your published novel.

To support the importance of that exercise, she quotes critic Jacqueline Lichtenberg who says that strong back cover copy is not only essential in getting your book noticed by critics with large review piles, but - if you write it before you start crafting your novel - also helps you keep your story focused.

So, for all of these reasons, here's my first stab at the back cover copy for my work-in-progress The Sea Monster.

Tess Fisher has always lived a quiet, isolated life in the seaside cottage she shares with her father. But when a stranger breaks in and tries to kill her dad, Tess learns that it’s no random act. Though only a poor fisherman, Tess’ father not only recognizes his attacker; he also suspects that the murder attempt has dire implications for the entire country.

Realizing that her father has been keeping secrets about his past, Tess rebels against his attempt to leave her behind as he and a mysterious agent of the king head out to sea in order to save their home. With the help of a beautiful pirate captain and her crew, Tess follows her father to learn more about who he is, the wonders beneath the ocean, and the danger that threatens them all.

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