August 6 - 31, 2008 (class size limited)
Tips From Madison Avenue: The Selling Synopsis
by Laurie Schnebly Campbell
No wonder so many great novelists have a tough time writing a synopsis -- the two jobs require completely different skills! Advertising copywriters have discovered a variety of techniques that make people want to buy a specific product, whether it's a bike or a burger or a book. So this hands-on workshop teaches those same techniques, including:
* Finding your unique selling points
* Headlines (or openings) that grab a buyer
* Identifying your target market
* When details matter, and when they don't
* Brainstorming a creative plot strategy
* Highlights that sell your product
* Changing format, emphasis or both
An advertising copywriter for 25 years, Laurie Schnebly Campbell was amazed when she realized her day job made it easier to "sell" editors on her books. So far she's sold six to Silhouette, including one that beat out Nora Roberts for Best Special Edition of the Year, and loves sharing marketing techniques with people who DON'T work on Madison Avenue.
Now, a note from Laurie:
"Tips From Madison Avenue: The Selling Synopsis" will be a month-long series of email lectures, with optional homework assignments along the way. Some people ask questions and chat about their assignments; others do the work but stay quiet; and I'm sure some never do it at all. <g>
The idea is that you can read the lectures and do homework whenever you have some free time, rather than getting all the info in one big clump. But sometimes when I give this workshop, a few people wait and read everything on the yahoo archives during the final week...so it's just a matter of whatever works best for you.
Here's the syllabus:
Introduction (what we're gonna do)
You're Not Alone (introduce yourself)
Advertising (name a good ad)
Target Market (identify your own)
Know Your Product (characters)
Unique Selling Points (first worksheet)
Condensing USPs (no homework)
Summary/Opening (second worksheet)
Attracting Interest (vote like an editor)
Just The Beginning (name a bad ad)
Brainstorming (third worksheet)
Brush up on Basics ("Synopsis 101")
Strategy (last worksheet of the class!)
Your Synopsis (outline; no homework)
Query Letters (still wearing the "ad" hat)
Format & More (time for Q&A)
The Answers (wrap up & door prizes)
Oh, and along with door prizes like autographed Laurie Campbell books and free registration to future workshops by Laurie, somebody will win free registration to ANOTHER future WriterU class. Cool stuff, huh?
Let me know if you have any questions -- just email Writer_U@yahoo.com and it'll get through to me no matter where I am!
Laurie, right now thinking August seems like a LONG time away (but suspecting it's actually not <g>)
To register for the August 6 - 31, 2008 “Tips from Madison Avenue” course, click HERE.