Crafting the One-Sheet.

One sheet designed by Martin Graphics


A writer's one-sheet is a marketing tool for pitching your book to editors and agents at conferences. One-sheets are generally printed on white paper. Color is judiciously used for emphasis. Be careful because using too much color or too many type fonts are marks of an amateur. A desktop publishing program like Macintosh Pages or Microsoft Publisher will give you a professional look. A great touch is to add photos reflecting the book's setting, prominent symbols or theme.

Your one-sheet should include:

Title. Place the book's title at the top of the page in bold letters. Put the author's name directly under the title.

A Tagline. Or hook. Also, called an elevator pitch. In 25- (precise, witty, catchy) words or less, tell what your novel is about.

Brief Synopsis. Look at back cover copy for examples. Susan May Warren calls this The Big Bang. When constructing the big bang, think of these questions: What's at stake for the characters? What's the climax? What's the Black Moment? What's the spiritual takeaway?

Contact Information.Author's name, address, phone number, email address, blog, and website.

A Current Author Photo. This will help the agent or editor remember you and your project.

Author Bio. This is a brief resume of your published works or experience pertinent to your platform. You may be a school teacher writing about bull riding. If you grew up on a ranch, that experience should be included.

Other. Genre. Word count. Status of work. Is it complete or a work-in-progress? Series or stand alone? Agent, if you have one. Target audience.

~Roxanne Sherwood

Tonight: Batter Up for ACFW at MBT PitchFest Online Chat

photo by justino307/stock.xchange.com


I leave for the 2010 ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Conference in--gasp!--four days! I've got to pack. But first I have to figure out what I'm going to wear. And I've got to make sure everything's settled on the home-front before I slip away from motherhood for a few days and focus on being a writer.

And while I'm packing and preparing, I've got to practice my pitch for my novel!

Actually, I'm not stressing about my pitch, thanks to the MBT (My Book Therapy) Polish and Promotion conference I attended last May. The insights from bestselling author Susan May Warren and literary agent Chip MacGregor helped me craft a strong pitch for my contemporary romance.

What about you? How are you feeling about your pitch for ACFW--or any other conferences you plan to attend?

If you're looking for a chance to polish your pitch, join us at the Batter Up for ACFW PitchFest at the online MBT Chat tonight at 8 p.m. ET ( 7 p.m. CT). Spend two hours--or however much time you have available--interacting with other writers as you polish your pitch to perfection! Learn how to zero in on your hook--that first sentence that grabs an editor, agent or publisher. And then discover how to write a premise that feeds their interest, while focusing on the most important elements of your story.

For some warm-ups, read the following blog posts:
Pitch Practice by Susan May Warren
Pitch Fest: The Why and Why Not by Beth K. Vogt
Pitch Fest: The Hook: How Ironic! by Teri Dawn Smith
Pitch Fest: Premise Practice ... and a Promise: It's Really Not So Hard!

Pitch Fest: Why? Why Not?

Learning about verbal pitches from Susan May Warren and agent Chip MacGregor at the 2010 MBT Pitch and Promotion Conference

As bestselling author Susan May Warren mentioned in yesterday's MBT Pitch Practice post, at the heart of every good pitch is your passion for your story.

Thanks to Susie, there is a marvelous method for harnessing your passion and crafting an a-ma-zing pitch. That's what this Blog Fest is all about!


The Why: the plot element driving your character through the story
To focus your pitch, you must return once again to your main character(s). No groaning and thinking, "I am so over trying to get inside my character's head! I want a book contract!" Crafting a compelling verbal pitch helps you present yourself confidently, which brings you one step closer to your dream.

1. Ask you character, "Who are you? What is your identity and why?" Then delve into their answers--yeah, that whole conversation with imaginary characters we fiction writers do--and look for their core values. Things like freedom, loyalty, family or honesty. Their core values move them through the story.
Example: Your heroine values safety/security--and she's got her planned/canned happily ever after with her "Safety Patrol Boy" fiancé .

2. Ask your character, "What are you good at? Why?" Look for unique skills, abilities, personalities, physical attributes, legacies or knowledge. Competence = uniqueness.
Example: Your heroine, a graphic designer, is a bit of a control freak who makes sure she doesn't color outside the lines in her personal life.

The Why Not: what prevents your character from accomplishing his/her goal
One of Sir Isaac Newton's laws of motion states: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The Why Not is equal in menace and strength to the character's Why.

The Why and Why Not war against each other. To discover the Why Not look at your character's goal--security? to protect someone?--and turn it inside -outside-upside-down into the opposite goal.
Example: Your heroine buried her love for her adventuresome, daring father--ever since he abandoned her. Being with him was her happiest time--but all she wants now is security. (Funny, how her fiancé's appealing brother reminds her of her father.) Does she really want security--or does she want a man she can trust enough to risk with?

So you have your Why and Why Not, the building blocks of your pitch. How do you weave this into your pitch? Why + Why Not = essential elements of your plot. Use these to discover the dramatic irony in your story. To learn about irony, go to MBT Ponderer Teri Dawn Smith's post: Pitch Fest: The Hook: How Ironic!

After you read Teri's post, find out why MBT Ponderer Melissa Tagg promises writing a premise isn't that hard--even though it initially freaked her out! Then join Susie and the MBT Ponderers on Monday night, September 13 at 7 p.m. (Central) for a Pitch Practice Chat!

It's Raining Calicos and Dalmations

I slowed down to pass a two-car accident on the way to my son's speech therapy session. The cars weren't damaged too badly, and no one seemed to need an ambulance. Still, I prayed for the people involved, who I'm sure didn't have "collision" penciled-in on their calendars today. Even minor damage would be a major inconvenience in the pouring rain. I was thankful timing allowed me not to have been part of the accident.

The rain slowed to a drizzle, while my son and I got out of the car. I dashed inside with him in my arms, leaving my purse and umbrella on the seat of my car. While I chatted with the therapist, the deluge started again. Did you notice where I'd left my umbrella and cell phone? Rats! My day continued just like that. I dodged a few raindrops getting my son to preschool, then got soaked when the wind turned my umbrella inside out on the way to pick him up. Home again, I stuck him in a tub of bubbles, then hopped into the shower stall next door. Once we were warm and dry in flannel pj's, I settled down to write.

Since I didn't have an immediate idea for a blog entry today, I began perusing a book on writing that sometimes generates ideas. As I pondered what to write, out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly spied shadows on my ceiling. Stripes of shadows. No, more like stripes of water. Probably running along the beams in the attic. Oh. My. Goodness! Not more water damage to my house. Since last November, this will be my third water repair, each time due to a different problem. Once, the upstairs A.C. drip pan cracked, leaking to my downstairs laundry room/pantry. Then, my dishwasher line cracked. I didn't realize the problem until the surrounding cabinets were so saturated, they could hold no more water.

Life is full of surprises, both good and bad. Our readers depend on us to create suspense in our stories. Beth Vogt promises Double Take, the debut novel by Jenness Walker, startled her so badly when someone snuck up on her that she tossed the book across the room. Great tension, Jenness! But in my real life, enough is enough! I'd like to make a motion to keep bad surprises confined to the pages of my fiction for awhile. Do I hear a second, anyone?

~ Roxanne Sherwood

Check the Tone of Your Writing Voice

“We often refuse to accept an idea merely because the tone of voice in which it has been expressed is unsympathetic to us.”—Friedrich Nietzsche

Just like Spell Check…but for Tone

The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2006 revealed that studies show e-mail messages are interpreted incorrectly 50% of the time. ToneCheck™, an e-mail plug-in, flags sentences with words or phrases that may convey unintended emotion or tone, then helps you re-write them.

Tone influences what we say to communicate the right message. However, when we write, our tone leaves room for misunderstanding. ToneCheck™, an emotional spell-check, is an add-in for Microsoft Outlook  How can a writer can use this to critique an article? Copy and paste your article into an email.

Features:

• Avoid wasted time editing.
• Prevent unnecessary conflict.
• Bypass sending passive aggressive emails.
• Works like the spell check.
• Gauges words and phrases against eight levels of connotative feeling.
• Identifies the emotional definition of words and phrases to improve the clarity.
• Provides suggestions to tone down or ‘lighten’ potentially rude or emotionally-charged sentences.
• Allows writers to make real-time corrections.
• Provides an easy-to-use menu system to adjust tone.
• Works in Microsoft Outlook.
• Will soon expand to facilitate users of Gmail, Thunderbird, and Mail.app.
• FREE and downloadable.

Be An Encouragement!

I got an unexpected email today from a family friend. He's not someone I normally correspond with. I mean, we've never exchanged a text, a letter, or a Christmas card. We aren't Facebook friends or phone buddies. Our families just happen to be friends and he had to ask for my address from one of them.

Apparently, a chance conversation between us lingered in his mind. He wrote to encourage me about our discussion. His words poured like water on parched land. I soaked them up and read them again. The power of the written word is that I was able to do that, to savor his thoughts.

Years ago, when people corresponded by letters, many of them saved their mail. My grandmother cherished her letters and never threw one away. She was buried with all the letters my grandfather ever wrote to her. There was an art to letter writing that has been largely ignored today. And that's a shame. My friend brightened my day when he sent those thoughtful words.

The New Testament is filled with exhortations to encourage one another. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Paul writes, "Therefore, encourage one another and build up one another."

How many times have you thought of praising someone only you got too busy and never followed through? How many times have you brushed aside good intentions?

While you're pursuing publication, don't let a daily word count cause you to forget to encourage the people in your sphere of influence. Don't get so caught up with the people (characters) who only live inside your head that you fail to encourage those you live or work with. Write words to personally inspire those you love and admire.

~Roxanne Sherwood

A bit of writing humor

Photo from lolcats.com



My daughter Amy shared this photo with me, knowing both the editor and writer in me would appreciate it.
And now, I share it with you.
A mid-week dose of humor! Happy Wednesday!