Writing Novels And Query Letters: Write Fiction That Sells
Last updated 12/2017
MP4 | Video: h264, 1280x720 | Audio: AAC, 44.1 KHz
Language: English | Size: 139.34 MB | Duration: 1h 6m

If you are writing fiction and want an agent, write a high concept novel and a strong sales pitch in your query letter.
What you'll learn
Craft a high-concept plot
Write a two-sentence hook
Write a two-paragraph hook
Requirements
If you have taken my plot course, there is overlap here. The section on writing a short hook is repeated from that course. But that course is not a prerequisite.
A desire to write novels that are easily accessible to readers
A willingness to write fresh, fun books
Description
HIGH CONCEPT
If you want to snag an agent you will be miles ahead of others if you will write a great query letter for a high concept novel. In this course we will brainstorm high concepts and we will take the mystery out of writing query letters. This will help you understand what a high concept novel is and why agents and publishers are looking for them. And then it will help you to brainstorm your own high concept ideas.
It will force you to stretch until you've made your humdrum concept into a high-flying concept that will grab attention from the pitch. This is not a course on plotting. It is a course on pitching. It is a course that will help you with the premise of you book, not the plot. It comes before the plotting. You have to come up with a salable premise first and a killer hook. If you don't have those it doesn't matter how great your plot is--you'll have a hard time selling your book in today's busy, noisy, crowded marketplace.
Think of it like this: The marketplace is full of a vendors, all standing in the booths. They all have flapping white canvas over their tables and they all have grey boxes full of their wares. In those boxes are some lovely treasure. But which booth do you approach? You can't see the treasures--they all are kind of hidden away in their grey boxes.
But there in the middle of all the white, flapping canvas, there is one table under a bright yellow canvas covering. The table is covered in vibrant purple cloth and the boxes that hold the wares are lime green and orange and shiny red.
The treasures in the boxes may not be better than the treasures in the grey boxes on the other tables. But which table do you go to first? And which treasures do you pick up? And which treasures do you buy?
This is why you need a high concept plot that can be pitched with pizzazz. Because the marketplace is full of grey tables and white flapping canvas.
QUERY LETTERS
It does little good to write high concept books if you can't write an effective query letter.In this course you will learn to write query letters that will make the agents ask to read the manuscript. The main thing? You don't need to try so hard. You don't need to put the whole book into the query letter. Just a short summary. Just enough to make the agent want more.
We look at short hooks in this course, too--this section is repeated from my plot course. We look at them here because they are needed for the query letters.
In short, this course tells you all you need to write a great query letter: you need a high concept novel, a short pitch for that novel, the ability to be friendly without being stalker-ish, and to come across as healthy and happy and a person agents would enjoy working with.
Overview
Section 1: Introduction
Lecture 1 Why You Need This Course
Lecture 2 Welcome to the Course!
Lecture 3 How to Contact Me
Section 2: What is a High Concept Plot and How Can You Plan One?
Lecture 4 Familiar
Lecture 5 The Familiar ~ Homework
Lecture 6 Fresh
Lecture 7 The Fresh ~ Homework
Lecture 8 Universal Appeal
Section 3: Short Hook
Lecture 9 The Hook
Lecture 10 Character (aka: the damsel)
Lecture 11 Desire Plus Obstacle (aka: in distress)
Lecture 12 Your Turn: What does your character want?
Lecture 13 Stakes: when the clock strikes midnight or the last petal falls
Lecture 14 Defining Terms
Lecture 15 Your turn: Write a two-sentence summary for your novel
Section 4: The Query Letter
Lecture 16 why you need it part one
Lecture 17 why you need it part two
Section 5: Bonus Lecture
Lecture 18 Bonus Lecture: Coupons for courses and warm woolen mittens
If you are in my plot course, much of this info overlaps. Please be aware that the section on short hooks is repeated in its entirety in the plot course.,You will benefit from this course if you're getting rejections that say, "This doesn't fresh." Or, "This feels like it's been done before.",If you have an agent but haven't had any contract offers, this class will probably help you.,If you are a master plotter and agents and editors are asking for full manuscripts so you know your hook and pitch are working, then this class isn't for you.
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