How to summarize a multi-POV novel in a query letter - Subscriber workshop 2 of 4
Our second subscriber joins me to bravely workshop their material.
Hello and happy Wednesday!
I just received what I hope will be the last round of edits on my novel before we go into copy edits so I’m calming my anxiety around this by focusing on someone else’s work!
Today, we are joined by subscriber
to look at the descriptive paragraph and opening page of an upmarket/literary novel with multiple perspectives. Before we meet Shannon and her material, I have a fun (and free!) September workshop for your radar.
Free workshop and a fall support group to banish imposter syndrome: For anyone who hasn’t attended the Brooklyn Book Festival, the festival itself is amazing and chock-full of activities, but I have a soft spot for the creative happenings, tutorials and parties that bookend the festival. One such event is a “Waning Moon Writing Workshop” led by the writer, creativity coach and my friend Catherine LaSota. With the BKBF aligning with a new moon this year, Catherine will integrate lessons from the waning moon (releasing what has run its course; preparing to set new, aligned intentions) for this workshop's writing prompts. Bring your journal, pen, and a tasty beverage for this free, one hour-long online class on Monday September 15th at 8pm EST. Register here for the workshop Zoom link and event reminders.
Like myself, Catherine is candid but supportive, pragmatic with a little bit of witch in her. If this is the energy you’re looking for, take note that Catherine is kicking off a long-term writing program this fall to help writers examine stories they’ve told themselves (or had told to them) about what it “should” mean and look like to be a writer. The supportive writing group will include a mixture of online group meetups, private coaching, accountability sessions and more. Registration for Catherine’s Waning Moon Workshop will automatically get you on the fall group’s waitlist, but if you want to jump the line you can sign up to learn more about the program here. Happy Brooklyn Book Festing!1
How do you write a descriptive paragraph for a novel narrated from multiple perspectives?
If you’ll remember, we’ve had a special focus for our summer office hours:
In July, I posted an open call for material from paid subscribers working on novels, asking for a one-paragraph summary and the first page of their manuscript. I chose four people among the many who submitted to participate in a workshop with me, which I promised to film and share with you.
Writer Anna was the first at bat. With her material, we examined the tonal discrepancy between expectations she established in her query letter but didn’t deliver on in her book’s opening page. You can watch that first session (for free) here. Thank you again, Anna, for being the first up!
And today, you will meet Shannon. Shannon Kelly is a Pushcart Prize nominee who spent a decade as a writer/editor at the Santa Barbara Independent where she now contributes a parenting column. Shannon’s work has also appeared in Elle, The Washington Post, Vogue, Aeon, and elsewhere. When she’s not working her day job at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, she can be found running, cooking, attempting to influence her son's taste in music, or hiding out with her nose in a book. You can follow her here on Substack or on Instagram.
In addition to having the chance to workshop material with me in the future, paid subscribers will be able to see the following in this post:
Shannon’s original descriptor and opening page.
A video of our workshop session where I put her material, intentions and marketing angles through the wringer.
(Coming Friday): A revised description of her novel written by me to better reflect its dual timeline and multi-POV structure.
(Also Friday): Shannon’s response to my revision.
Without further ado, let’s go.
My workshop with Shannon and her novel PAINTED RIDGE
Here is the descriptive paragraph about her novel that Shannon originally posted in my open call for material. You’ll note that the paragraph isn’t quite a paragraph—it’s overlong, which is something we address in our workshop session.