| As an author, you need to be able to summarise | | | | story, the overriding message if you have one |
| the key features about your book "in a nutshell" | | | | and a mention of your main character(s). Novelists |
| so that you have a ready answer for questions | | | | may discover that two or three short sentences |
| such as "what is your book about?" and "what | | | | are better than one. |
| makes it different?" | | | | To help you think along the right lines - stop |
| This is an important step as you prepare to take | | | | for a moment and think about what book has |
| your work out to the world because people's | | | | inspired you and why? How would you summarise |
| attention spans are getting shorter all the time. So | | | | what that book is about in a nutshell if you |
| unless you can communicate the essence of what | | | | wanted to tell a good friend about it (and only had |
| your book is all about clearly and concisely to | | | | a minute or two)? |
| agents, publishers, the media - and your readers - | | | | You can also visit to see how other authors |
| you will lose your opportunity to "catch their eye". | | | | describe their books. |
| It is challenging to refine everything about your | | | | Here's an example of a Compelling Key Sentence |
| book down to its essence and to draw out the | | | | for non-fiction writers:The Writer's Journey: From |
| most important points about it. | | | | Inspiration to Publication demystifies the world of |
| Yet once you have done so, your Compelling Key | | | | publishing and outlines the steps non-fiction writers |
| Sentence can be used it in lots of different ways | | | | need to take to present their work to agents and |
| such as in your book proposal, in your covering | | | | publishers professionally and with confidence. |
| letter, and in conversation when people invite you | | | | Here's an example of a Compelling Key Sentence |
| to tell them about your book. Once your book is | | | | for fiction writers:Not many people have a second |
| contracted, the Key Sentence may be used by | | | | chance to get to know their mother for the first |
| publishers as a basis for writing cover copy, press | | | | time. Blood Strangers explores the many forms |
| releases, Advance Information sheets and more. | | | | of female love: how it transforms itself over time, |
| So here are some Formula's and Tips to help you | | | | or tucks itself away in unexpected places. It is a |
| write your Compelling Key Sentence: | | | | novel about secrets, and how the keeping of |
| Formula for non-fiction writers - the essence | | | | those secrets can lead to the contamination of |
| of your message or core theme (content | | | | even the purest of hearts. It considers the ideas |
| features) plus ideally who your book is for and | | | | of betrayal and guilt, and how by hurting those |
| the results the reader will get from reading your | | | | we love the most we ultimately destroy |
| book. | | | | ourselves. |
| Formula for fiction writers - the essence of | | | | Have fun coming up with your Compelling Key |
| the plot plus what's new and exciting about your | | | | Sentence! |