Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Synopsis Class

Online class: August 6-31, 2008

"Tips From Madison Avenue: The Selling Synopsis"

by Laurie Schnebly Campbell

Registration $30 at WriterU

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.

5 comments:

Laurie Schnebly Campbell said...

Tricia, I just came across your blog mention of my synopsis class -- THAT explains why all of a sudden so many registrations started coming in. :) Thanks for the mention!

Tricia Sanders said...

Woo hoo, glad they are coming in. I haven't sent mine yet, but be on the look out. I am so looking forward to this class.

Laurie Schnebly Campbell said...

PRIVATE FOR TRICIA
(otherwise this'd be a commercial)

Oh, Tricia, hurry! Last time I taught for WriterU there were 173 people in the class, which struck me as not quite fair to all the students who felt overwhelmed, so this time I said "100 people maximum" and there are 86 enrolled so far.

People tend to register at the last minute, so if you hit www.WriterUniv.com pretty quickly you oughta be sure of getting in -- it'll be fun seeing you there!

Tricia Sanders said...

Rats now everyone will be rushing over there.. Wait for me.........

Laurie Schnebly Campbell said...

Tricia, I just got the WriterU notice you signed up -- you oughta be fine!

Laurie, betting there's no way THAT many people will beat you to the punch :)