The Synopsis: My Nemesis

I like to think that somewhere, there exists a support group for people like me. People who would rather peel off their fingernails one-by-one than work on writing a synopsis. Or perhaps, I'm just being melodramatic.

I don't know what it is. I appreciate the function the synopsis serves. I admire a finely constructed summary that encapsulates the driving points of a novel. But I absolutely hate having to write one for myself.

Maybe the problem is I'm too much of a "write as you go" sort. I'll have a general outline in mind, but it's not until I put pen to paper that the story really fleshes out in my mind. When "in the zone," I've topped out at 15,000 words in a day. So why is it taking me weeks to come up with a synopsis that doesn't make me want to puke when I read over it?

Anyone with synopsis-writing coping mechanisms? Some jewels of wisdom for the journey? Commiseration, perhaps?

What part of the process do you find most difficult?

Disappointment

Forgive any errors in this post. I'm typing it from my Blackberry because I'm too lazy to open up my laptop and go through all the trouble of signing on to the internet. Yep, I am just that lazy.

Tomorrow's my big deadline. BIG deadline (notice the artful way I illustrate the point by capitalizing the adjective. That kind of mastercraft will be what ultimately catapults me to the top...I'm sure of it.)

And...well...I'm not going to make it. Were I to stay up all night and write through until Fedex has their last drop off, I wouldn't make it. If God gave me a 72 hour day tomorrow, I still wouldn't get it done.

And obviously blogging is not helping my cause.

So what do you do when a big deadline blows up in your face? First, you write an overly melodramatic post about it. Then, you might weep a little. Afterwards (or even at the same time if you're really good at multitasking), you get to work.

Fortunately, this was more a self-imposed deadline. And legitimate things have happened to push me off schedule. So rather than bemoan the fact that I'm still working, I must still continue to work. I make adjustments and stop beating myself up for things out of my control and things I can't change now anyway.

Ah yes, the stress, losing hair, tension headaches, etc. This is indeed the glamorous (is it sad I sang the Fergie song in my head to spell that?) life I imagined I would lead as a writer.

But you know what?

I'm actually content and blessed--even with all of the above.

(Cue inspirational music).

I promise something more interesting later. Although, I'm obviously SUPER good with the follow-through.

Being a Romance Writer

There truly is something magical about being a romance writer.

We get to create worlds, make people fall in love, make them fall out of love, and generally create the kind of imaginary chaos only fictional emotions can explain.

Yep. It's a great gig.

Most of the time.

But I'm finding lately, the closer I get to seeing these books sitting on the shelf (meaning the more nitpick work like revisions, and chapter word count, etc), the more stressed I become. Which makes for some difficulty fine tuning the points in the book that still need some help.

I don't want to write all lovey-dovey, everybody-is-going-to-live-happily-ever-after-garbage, when my cars acting up, the daughter has a cold, the husband has left his laundry scattered around the house one time too many, and I've got a headache the size of the gallon of ice cream I wish I could eat. Truthfully, if I had my way right about now, all of my characters would die in a horrible, totally unforeseen fire and would never again live to torment my poor, tired mind with their antics.

But nobody wants to buy romances like that. (Except maybe the Nicholas Sparks fans. Ouch. And yes, I did just say that).

So, as a writer, and a romance one in particular, I'm still trying to figure out how to leave worn, grumpy, sleepy Mandy at the door when I come to write.

But if I don't accomplish that, don't be surprised if the heroine dies in chapter 12. I'm just sayin.