Man in a white tuxedo standing against a blue gradient background
We’re thrilled to welcome TJ Stecker to Rosecliff Literary!
TJ’s life reads like a novel: from Naval Flight Officer &history-making amputee to lawyer & world traveler. His novels, THE MOTH & DISHONORED, have earned him 2 #ClaymoreAward finalist nods & a spot on the Murder and Mayhem Award Long List.
A hearty welcome to the team, David!
🚨 Big news! 🚨
I’ve officially signed with literary agent Jessica Berg of @roseclifflit.bsky.social . Years of writing, rewriting, and perseverance have led to this milestone—and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.
#WritingCommunity #AmWriting #AuthorNews #LiteraryAgent #WritersOfBluesky
Y'all know Jess always wants gothic vibes. Old houses, eerie landscapes, creeping dread. Horror? Mystery? Literary? Doesn’t matter. If your book feels like a haunted house you can’t leave, send it. #MSWL
I know your book is good. Your synopsis doesn’t have to prove that! It just has to clearly show what happens. Editors and agents can fill in the blanks. Just give them something worth filling in.
“But my book has twists! If I put them in the synopsis, they won’t be surprising anymore!”
Right. But if you don’t put them in the synopsis, then your story won’t make sense. And that’s a bigger problem.
If your synopsis is bloated, try the “AND THEN” test.
Read your draft out loud. Every time you naturally want to say and then..., stop. That’s where you’re stuffing too much in. Cut where needed.
If you struggle with synopses, write one badly on purpose. Seriously. Write the worst, most boring summary possible. Then go back and make it sharper, clearer, and less painful. This works better than trying to get it “perfect” from the start.
Synopses are built for speed, not scenic detours.
I promise your book’s side quests, emotional beats, and cool worldbuilding still exist. Just... not here.
Synopses are built for speed, not scenic detours.
I promise your book’s side quests, emotional beats, and cool worldbuilding still exist. Just... not here.
If you struggle with synopses, write one badly on purpose. Seriously. Write the worst, most boring summary possible. Then go back and make it sharper, clearer, and less painful. This works better than trying to get it “perfect” from the start.
If your synopsis is bloated, try the “AND THEN” test.
Read your draft out loud. Every time you naturally want to say and then..., stop. That’s where you’re stuffing too much in. Cut where needed.
So well put!!
Plus, synopses aren’t for readers. They’re for the people who need to know the spoilers, because they’re helping you refine the story! Editors, agents, critique partners, long-suffering writer friends who are tired of hearing you complain about POVs and timelines—
Ahem. People like that!
This.
Your query letter is where you can be a little mysterious. Your synopsis has to spill it all.
“But my book has twists! If I put them in the synopsis, they won’t be surprising anymore!”
Right. But if you don’t put them in the synopsis, then your story won’t make sense. And that’s a bigger problem.
If your synopsis reads like a dry book report, congratulations! You have written an extremely skippable document. Your goal isn’t to summarize your book. It’s to sell the story in a clear, compelling way.
I know your book is good. Your synopsis doesn’t have to prove that! It just has to clearly show what happens. Editors and agents can fill in the blanks. Just give them something worth filling in.
Biggest synopsis mistake? Too many names. If I need a seating chart to understand who’s who, I’m out. Keep it simple: main character, main antagonist, key supporting roles. Everyone else is “his friend,” “her brother,” or “the rival.”
A synopsis is not a vibe check. “I want to show the feeling of my book.” No. That’s the job of your pages. A synopsis is what happens, and why it matters. If your book is emotional, the plot should still convey that.
Your synopsis should pass the “personally attacked” test. Would a reader who loves your genre feel seen by the way you describe your book? Or would they squint at the page like, why does this sound like a Wikipedia summary?
A synopsis is a movie trailer in plain text.
You’re not cutting to black every two seconds for DRAMATIC EFFECT. But you are giving us the highlights in a way that makes us want to watch the full thing.
Your book is not too complex for a one-page synopsis. You just don’t want to make decisions.
A synopsis is a movie trailer in plain text. You’re not cutting to black every two seconds for DRAMATIC EFFECT. But you are giving us the highlights in a way that makes us want to watch the full thing.
Writing a synopsis is just translating 90K words into 500. While keeping voice, stakes, and clarity. While not panicking. Anyway, how’s your day going?
‘Just summarize your book in one page!’ Babe, I haven’t even summarized my life in therapy yet.
Book cover, It All Felt Impossible, by Tom McAllister
“It All Felt Impossible is a life flashing by in the form of a book, incredibly fast and unbelievably rich, in all its universal specificity—the good dogs and bad haircuts, first crushes and brushes with death, the memories we dream up (the fiction we all write), all the fear, grief, stupidity, hope, and joy we get to live through, as “a person who is alive.” This book is so funny and honest, and so full of heart-breaking love.” — Elisa Gabbert, author of Any Person Is the Only Self
Our featured essay collection at the @barrelhouse.bsky.social conference: IT ALL FELT IMPOSSIBLE by @tmcallister.bsky.social! Join us 4/12/25 in DC and you can leave with a copy of this awesome book (plus lots of other stuff)! Just $85. Hope to see you there! www.barrelhousemag.com/conference
New column is up at @crimereads.bsky.social! This time I looked at @wmboyle4.bsky.social’s Saint of the Narrows Street (@sohopress.bsky.social), TJ Klune’s The Bones Beneath My Skin (@torbooks.bsky.social), and Ricardo Silva Romero’s Río Muerto (World Editions).
crimereads.com/gabino-igles...
Only at #AWP25, if you purchase an early release limited edition copy of @lumchanmfa.bsky.social's upcoming collection, BITTER OVER SWEET, you'll be entered to win this beautiful ukulele!
Find us at Booth #563 from March 26th-29th!