Writing Drudgery

To all of you not trying to get a novel published, let me tell you the worst thing about being a writer. It’s not the writing part, and it’s not the rejections. The worst part is having to create all of the supplementary material that agents, publishers, producers, editors, et al. request.

You see, it doesn’t just stop with the story (in whatever form). It’s not even the often requisite query letter. It’s the summaries, the synopses, the outlines, the treatments, the whatever hoop it is that they want you to jump through. I know I’m not the only writer grumbling about this. Several other writers in my decade-old online group grumble about this as well. It wouldn’t be so bad if there were standards, but everyone wants something different. Synopses, for example, can run anywhere from one-page to thirty depending on who you are submitting to. Worse, this gross condensation of what may be a 500+ page novel, still has to be a gripping read.

sigh It’s not that these items are all that difficult to write, but they are dreadfully tedious. Some writers claim to have embraced them once they’ve actually written them. I’m sorry to disagree. I’ve written dozens and dozens, and once the bloom is off the rose, you’re pretty much just left with thorns.

So, it’s back to my little corner of drudgery. Hopefully I’ll have the new package ready to mail out by tomorrow.