Collings Notes: Point of View

Dr. Michael Collings is an exceptional poet, writer, mentor, friend and inspiration. Enjoy his discussion on point of view:  Point Of View and Other Oddities  I did.

~M

Writing a synopsis - a character approach

Writing a synopsis can often be a difficult challenge. It is the part of sharing my novel with others that I dislike the most. Not sure why, but I find it difficult to summarize a story of 300 pages in just a few paragraphs. If it was a short story, then I wouldn't need all those pages... But a writer friend of mine posted this link: http://randomwritingrants.com/2012/07/11/a-new-approach-to-synopsis-writing-and-dissecting-the-hunger-games/, which I enjoyed reading.
Using your main characters' point of view to tell their story is a refreshing and creative way to share your novel with others, such as an agent or editor or indie publisher.
I find another benefit for me: character depth. By telling the story from each character's point of view, I can spot weaknesses and unexplored potentials that can be worked into the plot or a subplot. And my characters can become stronger and more memorable, too.
Enjoy the blog - it helped me.
~M

Seven

Driving back from the pool with my seven year old daughter. At an intersection, a car passes us going the other way; a metallic burnt orange Mitsubishi. The driver is about my age. Then I hear a voice from the back seat.

"Whoa, that's an old guy; but he's got a sweet car!"