Deborah Nemeth
Editor
Carina Press
Fey editrix, history geek, armchair sleuth, hobbit matriarch. She/her.

Editor

Editor
Please be specific in a synopsis. Avoid generic phrasing such as "secrets that tear them apart." Instead, reveal what the secret is. #pubtip

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Deborah Nemeth @DebNemeth
Too much exposition can rob that important opening scene of its energy, slowing the pacing & making the ms too easy to put down. #pubtipA closely related opening-scene issue is immediately backtracking into a flashback, instead of propelling the story forward. #pubtip

Editor
Deborah Nemeth @DebNemeth
Readers don’t always need a lot of world-building or details about protags’ backgrounds to follow along. Layer in more detail later. #pubtipToo much exposition can rob that important opening scene of its energy, slowing the pacing & making the ms too easy to put down. #pubtip

Editor
Deborah Nemeth @DebNemeth
The trick is to give the reader just enough info about current situation & characters in order to hook us with their goal & action. #pubtipReaders don’t always need a lot of world-building or details about protags’ backgrounds to follow along. Layer in more detail later. #pubtip

Editor
Reading submissions today! A top reason I stop reading many manuscripts: too much backstory/exposition in the opening scene. #pubtip

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It’s a challenge to include many characters in an opening scene without losing focus on the protagonist’s goal, motivation, conflict #pubtip

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What doesn’t belong in a cover letter/query for genre fiction submission: the author’s age, marital status, # of children. #pubtip

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A query/submission cover letter should also mention the ms's genre/subgenre & word count, and the author’s publishing history. #pubtip

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Other things I look for in a query/submission cover letter: a succinct blurb that conveys hook, main characters, conflict & stakes #pubtip

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I love it when submission cover letters include recent comparable titles. That’s always very helpful! #pubtip

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Authors, if any of you struggle with pacing, here are some tips you might want to check out: carinapress.com/blog/2015/08/f… #writetip #pubtip