"I'm just going to write because I can't help it."- Charlotte Brontë


Sunday, December 9, 2012

Verily, The Verdict Is In


Over here, Mike Allen, who edits the wonderful  Clockwork Phoenix anthologies, ponders the burgeoning mystery of the many writers who include a summary of their short story submission in their cover letter.

They what? I thought.

In the comments that follow, other editors and slush readers chime in with their bemusement. Apparently, this pushing of summaries is a new trend.  Often it's combined with much promotional pitching jargon and great dollops of writerly self-praise. Possibly Reader's Digest is to blame. The word newbie gets bandied about a lot.

It has simply never occurred to me that I should make an extra effort to wreck my chances of scoring a sale by getting on the wrong side of an editor with too much suckiness or spin. Keeping cover letters as simple and politely professional as possible has always been my maxim. If the guidelines require a summary of my submission, fine, I'll do the best I can to knock one up. Otherwise, forget it. Fortunately, the consensus seems to be that that's the way to go. All in all, when it comes to submitting short story summaries, the finding seems to be: Don't. Do. It.

Phew! After investing countless hours on creating a multi-layered story of much wit, depth, dialogue and complexity, I'd hate to have to start spending more time on agonising over how to sell it in just two snappy lines that might end up irritating more that they entice.

So begone, annoying short story summary fad, and return forthwith to the dark and dank writing advice forums that birthed you.

2 comments:

parlance said...

Just wrote you a nice long comment saying Alice LaPlante and Flannery O'Connor had said something similar but the mean old internet threw my lovely remark (complete with typed-out quotes!) into the ether and I refuse to open the book and type out the quote again.

Anyway, well said!

Gitte Christensen said...

Thank you, parlance, for taking the time and going to all that effort. Condolences on your loss.

Since the internet has great taste and only nabs the very best stuff, your comment must have been an excellent one indeed.

Curses to you, internet, for depriving us all.