I don't have the time to gamble on writing a book on spec right now, so I decided to put together a book proposal instead. In fact, that's how I sold MY GUN HAS BULLETS back in the early 90s to St. Martin's Press.
I've just finished writing the sample chapters. It's about 35,000 words and, dramatically speaking, the narrative equivalent of the first act of a three-act movie. It sets up the characters, the stakes and the obstacles ahead. In other words, everything is set in motion.
Over the next day or so I'll write up a punchy, broad-strokes outline of the rest of the novel. I don't know if the sample chapters are any good, or if my agent will think that the idea is marketable, or if any publisher in this economy will buy the book, but I am as satisified with it and pleased with myself for meeting my personal deadline of Dec. 1 to get the package done.
Now I'll set those characters aside (if I can) and concentrate on writing my next MONK book.
I hope your writing goes well, Lee. Happy Thanksgiving!
Yes, happy thanksgiving! We had our thanksgiving in October and I had a nice turkey lunch with all the trimmings.
JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT THINGS LOOKED BAD:
In Canada, the CBC is a network, but so is CANWEST GLOBAL. This is the latest on picking up pilots!:
“CanWest Global Communications Corp. will announce today that it is commissioning a pilot for a fifth drama, adding a show set in a used-car dealership to a slate of pilots it has already ordered as it hunts for Canadian content for both Global Television and its recently acquired specialty
channels.
The Dealership is described as a “darkly funny” series about a fighting family and their dysfunctional car dealership, with a father and daughter going head to head over how the struggling business should be run.
The pilot will be produced by Vérité Films, a co-producer on CTV’s Corner Gas series; its script is written by the successful show runner Andrew Wreggitt (Mayerthorpe, Shades of Black.)
Today’s announcement follows one in October in which CanWest outlined four pilots it has commissioned. Only two of the five will likely get the green light to become series next year; meanwhile, CanWest has yet to decide where these shows might sit, whether on its main Global network or on Showcase, the drama channel it acquired last year when it took over Alliance Atlantis Communications.
Although CanWest is struggling with the debt load from that acquisition and recently announced layoffs, government approval for the 2007 deal requires the broadcaster to produce $143-million in “tangible benefits.” CanWest proposed spending most of that money on programming.”
So there are opportunites for U.S. showrunners to pitch new shows in Canada. And since Canadian showrunners have it tough producing successful script drama, maybe the nets are open to piches from American showrunners!
Anyway, a door closes, a window opens!
Keep us posted on how things go with this proposal. Like you, I haven’t sold a novel on a proposal in years. I’m interested in seeing how this works out for you. Good luck!