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Video Archives - The Book Doctors

The Book Doctors

Category: Video

  • How to Write a Synopsis for Your Novel

    How to Write a Synopsis for Your Novel

    We hate writing synopses for our novels, and we’re not the only ones. We regularly hear from writers who are stumped about the dreaded synopsis.

    • How do you write a synopsis for a novel?
    • What even is a synopsis?
    • How long should it be?

    We answer viewers’ questions about synopses in this week’s video. Keep reading for an example synopsis for a famous novel.

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    WHAT WE COVER IN THIS VIDEO

    What happens if a literary agent asks for a synopsis? Don’t panic. Here’s a beginner’s guide to writing a synopsis.

    0:23 Why is a synopsis important for querying and selling your book? Because it shows if your book has a plot and if you know how to pace a book.

    1:00 What is a synopsis? It outlines the skeleton of your book, giving an overview of the plot for your entire novel, including the ending. A well-written synopsis shows that you can pace a novel to keep readers turning the page.

    1:41 Arielle shares an example of how a synopsis revealed pacing mistakes in a novel.

    2:12 How do you write a synopsis for a novel? Check out Arielle’s example below.

    3:03 How do you start a synopsis? You start at the inciting incident.

    3:49 How do you build a synopsis? You heighten stakes and show ebbs in pacing.

    6:55 How long should a novel synopsis be? We recommend two to five pages long.

    7:07 Include character development.

    7:14 Do not be vague. Show action in concrete details. Reveal the events that drive the plot forward. Make us feel the stakes.

    7:47 Show that you can write unexpected twists and turns that are satisfying for your reader and make sense. Reveal the characters’ motivations that drive these events.

    8:15 To master the art of synopsis writing, try writing one for a book that’s similar to yours.

    Example Synopsis

    Jane Austen, grand master of plot, builds tension and unfolds events perfectly in Pride and Prejudice. Here’s what Arielle included in the editorial she spoke about in the video.

    Darcy is heralded as one of the grandest people in England but is a minor jerk to Elizabeth, so she thinks he’s a snob. Then she finds out (falsely) that he’s a horrible person and robbed a young man of his fortune. Now she hates Darcy. The plot is then able to unfold against these two early impressions: Elizabeth is forced to spend several days with Darcy and gets to see both how annoying he is, but also that he is more than that. At this point, he falls in love with her without her having any idea of his love. Next he professes his love in a completely snobbish, annoying way. She rejects him violently, but is also suddenly kind of intrigued that this asshole likes her. Next she sees him in his natural setting and meets his sister who adores her brother and this makes Elizabeth even more intrigued. Then she finds out that the dude who said Darcy was the devil is actually the devil, himself. Darcy comes to the rescue of Elizabeth’s family and she falls for him fully. A few more roadblocks come about (like his horrible aunt saying Elizabeth has to refuse his hand because she is beneath him), but the deal is pretty much sealed.

    RELATED VIDEOS

    Check out our other videos here, or click the links below.

    How to Find Comparable Titles https://youtu.be/xJN5u6sM8Rw

    Book Titles & Subtitles: How to Title Your Book https://youtu.be/Bo9hmQj1LTw

    How to Get a Blurb For Your Book https://youtu.be/3TsT3KWrOyk

    Query Letters: How to Write a Query Letter Subject Line https://youtu.be/axEfMg6pBjY

    Public Speaking Tips for Authors https://youtu.be/VPKvj3CD2Qc

    How to Write an Author Bio https://youtu.be/f1JeZTbUeKE

    How to Write an Elevator Pitch For Your Book https://youtu.be/u6-mft9qT-s

     

  • How to Title Your Book | Steps to a Brilliant Title

    How to Title Your Book | Steps to a Brilliant Title

    A great title and/or subtitle can land a book sale. Your title must make readers want to pick up your book, buy it, and read it. Play our Title Word Pool Game with your friends to find a brilliant title for your book.

     

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    INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSERTING POLLS

    📊  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/help/1575289…

    📊  Instagram Stories https://www.instafollowers.co/blog/ho…

    📊 Instagram DM https://help.instagram.com/3242530981…

    📊 Twitter https://help.twitter.com/en/using-twi…

    📊 YouTube Post https://support.google.com/youtube/an…

    📊 YouTube In Video https://support.google.com/youtube/an…

    WHAT WE COVER IN THIS VIDEO

    Titles can be metaphoric, clever, poetic, or silly. It doesn’t really matter how, but your title must make readers want to read your book. And for nonfiction, it must express clearly what your book is about. A subtitle can be just as important as a title.

    0:22 A great title can sell a book, especially nonfiction. Arielle has sold a book based on the title alone. We give examples!

    0:42 Introducing the Word Pool Game for finding your title

    0:49 Step 1 – On a big board, write down every word you can think of related to your book.

    1:10 Step 2 – Assemble a group of friends. Pro tip: get some literate and interesting friends.

    1:30 Step 3 – Start mixing words to form titles that are new, catchy, and spark joy.

    1:55 Step 4 – Take notes as you and your friends are throwing out titles. Think about main title and subtitle.

    2:48 Step 5 – Narrow down to a short list of about six titles. Share those titles and ask for opinions. Have people rate the titles they like best. Try a poll on social media to see which title readers like best.

    3:50 Rick Beyer thought his title was stupid. Arielle convinced him to share it, and that title — THE GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD — went on to be a mega-bestseller.

    RELATED VIDEOS

    Book Titles & Subtitles: How to Title Your Book https://youtu.be/Bo9hmQj1LTw

    How to Get a Blurb For Your Book https://youtu.be/3TsT3KWrOyk

    Query Letters: How to Write a Query Letter Subject Line https://youtu.be/axEfMg6pBjY

    How to Write a Novel | The First Five Pages https://youtu.be/hVKgX2eyozY

    How to Write a Memoir https://youtu.be/wH1WffOuAl4

    Write Your Passion | Publish Your Book https://youtu.be/bqGY3TF6i74

    How to Write an Elevator Pitch For Your Book https://youtu.be/u6-mft9qT-s

  • How much does it cost to self-publish?

    How much does it cost to self-publish?

    Writers ask us, “How much does it cost to self-publish?”

    You can self-publish for nearly nothing or spend thousands.

    Can you self-publish on the cheap? Yes.

    But you could need to spend money to make money. Spend too much on the wrong thing and MAKE becomes LOSE so fast your head will spin.

    Here’s how to spend money the right way and avoid scams.

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    Self-publishing costs could include

    • Editor/copy editor
    • Proofreader
    • Cover designer
    • Interior book designer and formatting
    • ISBN
    • Lawyer
    • Author photo
    • Marketing
    • Publicity
    • Website
    • Printing and shipping (print books only)

    RELATED VIDEOS

    Self-Publishing Scams or Legit Publishers? 

  • Scam or Legit Publisher? A Literary Agent Explains How To Know The Difference

    Scam or Legit Publisher? A Literary Agent Explains How To Know The Difference

    Author David Henry Sterry and literary agent Arielle Eckstut give you step-by-step instructions to spot if a “publisher” is legitimate or a scam. Don’t let scammers bilk you out of your publishing dreams.

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    WHAT WE COVER

    Writer beware! Unscrupulous operators prey on writers’ publishing dreams. They might promise to publish your book, but they’re really only interested in getting your money.

    RELATED VIDEOS

    Self-Publishing Scams or Legit Publishers? https://youtu.be/gG2px2KD91A

    Publishing Scams to Avoid https://youtu.be/sBfYQv5EKEs

  • How to Get a Blurb For Your Book

    How to Get a Blurb For Your Book

    A book blurb is an endorsement from a famous author or well-known expert. It’s shocking how a quote from the right person can lure an agent, editor, or reader. Here’s HOW to get blurbs and WHEN you need them.

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    BLURBS: WHAT WE COVER

    📘 WHAT IS A BOOK BLURB?

    📘  Why book blurbs matter

    📘  How to get book blurbs

    📘  When to get book blurbs

    RELATED VIDEOS

    Query Letter Webinar & Critique with The Book Doctors https://youtu.be/IIOzBjV72o0

    Take a look at our BOOK PROMOTION & MARKETING PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1tST…

    Check out our QUERY LETTER PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7Ncx…

  • Literary Agent Explains Why You Haven’t Received a Response to Your Query

    Literary Agent Explains Why You Haven’t Received a Response to Your Query

    Just because an agent hasn’t responded to your query letter doesn’t mean she’s not interested. Arielle (a literary agent) and David (author) explain why agents are silent and what authors can do about it. 

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    RELATED VIDEOS

    How to Follow Up with a Literary Agent https://youtu.be/HP_6RkTbXNs

    Check out our QUERY LETTER PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7Ncx…

  • Stay Home. Stay Healthy. Keep Writing. | Working During COVID-19 pandemic

    Stay Home. Stay Healthy. Keep Writing. | Working During COVID-19 pandemic

     

    Times are hard. The Book Doctors share how to keep writing while you’re home during the COVID-19 pandemic. How are you handling changes due to coronavirus? Tell us in the comments.

    WHAT WE COVER

    0:05 Checking in with The Book Doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic

    0:48 Our tips for working from home 

    1:08 Use your commute time for projects you love, such as writing

    1:36 How to use this time well and train your brain to focus on things you can control

    2:46 Tips for using this time for your writing

    3:32 Put your writing on your calendar so you’re more likely to do it

    3:44 Get a writing buddy to hold you accountable for your goals

    4:11 Read in your genre to figure out your comparative titles

    4:42 Train your brain to be in the moment and stop destructive thoughts quickly

    5:45 Switch your anxious thoughts to a productive focus on your book and create a plan

    6:30 Learn how to raise the stakes in your writing by observing current events

    6:45 Observe reactions to crisis and troubles, study the people around you and in the news, then use those observations to improve your fictional characters or memoir

    7:58 Use your cooking time to think about what you’re writing

    9:24 Support your local independent bookstore

     

    RELATED LINKS & FURTHER READING

    Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) information from the CDC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-…

    Support your local independent bookstore by shopping online while staying home. Find your local bookstore using https://www.indiebound.org/

     

    SUBSCRIBE to our channel for tips on how to successfully publish your book.

     

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  • Beat The Stay-At-Home Blues Webinar

    Beat The Stay-At-Home Blues Webinar

    Ask us any question about publishing in this free one-hour workshop. Make the most of your time at home and get your work ready to get out into the world!

    UPDATE: Click here to view the recording of this webinar. 

    Join us

    Click this link to view the webinar live on YouTube and ask us anything.

    Ask questions

    Sign in using a YouTube/Google account to chat with us and ask questions.

    Tech trouble?

    If you have any trouble, email our web guru at kristi@bookdoctors2.pairsite.com.

    Beat The Stay-At-Home Blues Webinar
    March 19, 2020
    8PM EDT / 5PM PDT

    [themify_button style=”large red rounded” link=”https://youtu.be/YrvDsjwZOcc” text=”#000″ target=”_blank” ]Watch the replay[/themify_button]

  • NaNoWriMo Pitchapalooza 2020

    NaNoWriMo Pitchapalooza 2020

    UPDATE: Congratulations to our 2020 winners! Thank you to every writer who participated and the fans who voted. 

    The 2020 NaNoWriMo Pitchapalooza winner is The Eighth Wonder of Pine Mountain by Jenny Murray. 

    Fan Favorite goes to Operation Polar Revenge by Tara Erredge. 

    You can watch the full NaNoWriMo Pitchapalooza 2020 below. 

     

    10 years.  A decade. A tenth of a century. That’s how long The Book Doctors and Nano Nation have been slinging words and making beautiful music (and books) together.  Six continents (come on Antarctica, we need to hear from you!) have graced us with pulse-pounding pitches, and now another crop of hungry pitches have made us laugh, cry, sigh, gasp, and thank the universe we’re alive for NaNoWriMo Pitchapalooza 2020!  

    Damn Yankees, the California Gold Rush, a memory reader and a homicide detective chasing down a serial killer, New Adults confronting Nazis on the Zamzam, exploding houseboats on the Florida coast, and all manner of wizardry and witchcraft made this year our most exciting yet. As ever, we were filled with eye-popping, mind-blowing exuberation by the vast volume and overwhelming scrumptiousness of the beautiful words that flooded forth from Wrimos across our planet and we suspect, from across the universe. And yet, we were not even remotely startled. The Book Doctors could not have more gratitude in their attitude as we sucked in the rare air of NaNo Nation. We wait with baited breath for Year 11.

    Now for the 411

    The 20 pitches were selected randomly. You can watch the recording of NaNoWriMo Pitchapalooza to hear our feedback. It’s our mission to try to help all you amazing writers not just get published, but get published successfully.  That’s why we’ve told you what works, but also what needs to be improved.

    But don’t let our opinion sway your vote. What story intrigues you? What pitch would prod you from the couch to the bookstore (or to buy it online)?

    The pitch that receives the most votes by 11:59 p.m. PDT on March 31, 2020 will be awarded the Fan Favorite, and the author will receive a free one-hour consult with us (worth $250). We’ll announce the Fan Favorite on April 1, 2020.

    Here are the rules

    But please note: YOU CAN ONLY VOTE ONCE! So please choose carefully. Don’t just read the first couple of pitches — read them all. You owe it to your fellow Wrimos. Encourage your friends, family and random strangers to vote for you via the link to the poll. Connecting with your future readers is a vital part of being a successfully published author today. And this is a great way to get some practice.

    We will also be posting these pitches on social media. We encourage anyone to like your entry but only poll votes from the webpage will count toward the Fan Favorite.

    How to get your pitch critiqued

    Finally, through April 2, 2020, we are still offering a free webinar (worth $75) to anyone who buys a copy of our book The Essential Guide To Getting Your Book Published. Just email a copy of your receipt to nanowrimo@bookdoctors2.pairsite.com and we’ll be in touch to set up a webinar.

    Write on, Wrimos!

    NaNoWriMo Pitchapalooza 2020 voting

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  • How Long Will It Take to Publish My Book?

    How Long Will It Take to Publish My Book?


    Writers always ask, “How long will it take to publish my book?” Learn the hard truth in this week’s video. Then position yourself for success.

    WHAT WE COVER

    0:13 How long does it take to publish a book? How long does it take to get a book deal? How long does traditional publishing take?

    1:17 How long does it take to publish a book on Amazon?

    1:24 What’s the least helpful question to ask about publishing?

    1:46 What should writers ask instead?

    1:57 How can I tell if I’m ready to publish my book?

    2:53 What else impacts how long it takes to publish a book?

    3:52 What should writers do to help their book get published?

    RELATED VIDEOS

    My Book Was Rejected. How I’m Dealing With It. https://youtu.be/mq4q7ja4N9M

    Beta Read Your Way to Better Writing https://youtu.be/n_PaLZjNNYU

    Should You Self-Publish? https://youtu.be/7_mV1-1023Y

    Principles of Successful Publishing: Persevere https://youtu.be/rr_gQJ29L-Q

    Publishing Secrets Revealed https://youtu.be/AcCDISjFHc8

    Get Published by Banishing Fear of Failure & Rejection https://youtu.be/owSbbKo2QFg

    THE BOOK DOCTORS

    We’re Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry. Between us, we have almost half a century’s worth of experience turning talented writers into published authors. Arielle is an author and agent-at-large at the Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency. David is an author and before writing professionally, he was a comic and actor. We’re dedicated to helping writers get their books published. Successfully!

    SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for tips on how to successfully publish your book.

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