Creating an Effective One Sheet

by Susan F. Craft @SusanFCraft

A One Sheet provides information about your manuscript, which can be presented to an editor or and agent. It includes the following:

Brief Synopses of Your Project

Include two versions: a 25-word pitch, and a longer version of approximately 500-600 words—similar to what would be on the back cover of a novel.

Write the synopsis in present tense, third-person, even though your project may be first-person. Make sure you include important plot points or topics of your manuscript; you don’t want to keep an agent or editor guessing.

Include the genre and the word count.

Be sure to include compelling images.

Illustrations.

Include pictures/graphics that help describe your manuscript.

Photo

Professionals have differing opinions on whether to include a picture of yourself, but if you have a professional portrait, include it. It will help the editor or agent remember you after the conference ends.

Contact Information

Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, email address and website. If you have a blog that features your own writing, you’ll want to include it too, so the editors and agents can see samples of your writing.

Layout of your One Sheet

Use professional software, such as Microsoft Publisher, to create your  One Sheet. Use the template for a flyer, or from the first page of a newsletter, to get the look you want.

Color attracts attention, so use white paper, black font for the main text, and graphic design to add a touch of color.

The use of colored paper can strike an editor as the mark of an amateur, so it’s best to avoid and use colored ink for design instead. Don’t use it for the main text—that’s another amateur flag.

Use a standard font like Times New Roman, size 12, for your One Sheet, but enlarge and bold the title of your project.

When meeting with an agent or editor at a conference, casually hand them your One Sheet as you make your pitch. The One Sheet is a great ice-breaker, but don’t read directly from it. Use it as a tool to get your project noticed.

Susan F. Craft is the author of The Chamomile, a SIBA award winning Revolutionary War romantic suspense, and of it sequel Laurel, a post-Revolutionary War romantic suspense. The third novel in this trilogy, Cassia, will be released by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas this September.

Susan can be reached at the follow social media outlets:

www.susanfcraft.com (website)

http://historicalfictionalightintime.blogspot.com  (personal blog)

http://colonialquills.blogspot.com (post the fourth Monday of each month)

http://stitchesthrutime.blogspot.com (post once a month)

http://www.hhhistory.com (post on the 31^st of months that have a 31^st)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susan.craft.108

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/susanfc/

Twitter: @susanfcraft

The Value of Research and Persistence in Writing

by Susan F Craft

I’m happy to announce that my post-Revolutionary War Inspirational suspense, Laurel, was released last week by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. But I have to say, it took a lot of work, rejection, and persistence.

About Laurel

Searching for their toddler and her Cherokee aunt kidnapped by slavers, Lilyan and Nicholas Xanthakos trek from their North Carolina vineyard, through South Carolina backcountry to Charleston, a tinderbox of post-Revolutionary War passions. There, Lilyan, a former patriot spy, faces a grand jury on charges of murdering a British officer. Once free, they follow Laurel’s trail by sea and are shipwrecked on Ocracoke Island. Will they be reunited with their dear child or is Laurel lost to them forever?

Researching for Laurel

Since I want my history to be right in my novels, I do extensive research and try to travel to the locations of my novels to absorb everything I can: sights, sounds, smells.  Thank goodness my husband drives us, because I have no sense of direction and can get lost in my driveway.

The most fun research trip was one we took to the North Carolina Outer Banks to research for Laurel and its sequel, Cassia that’s coming out this September. In Laurel, which takes place in 1783, my characters are shipwrecked on an Outer Banks island.  Cassia, which takes place in 1799, has pirates.

Between the two books, I knew I needed to learn more about ships that sailed at that time, some nautical terms, and seafaring jargon. In Beaufort, NC, I visited a maritime museum (are real gem) where I spent hours in the library that still uses a card catalogue system (at my age, I felt right at home).

I learned about the wild ponies that have roamed Ocracoke Island for hundreds of years and I became fascinated by pirate lore of the area. A local restaurant owner pointed out an area for us to visit that still looks the same as it did in the late 1700s.

On my website, http://www.susanfcraft.com,  I have published interesting historical tidbits, little nuggets of information that were new to me and which I included in my novels. Most of the material, not all, is about the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. There’s lots of information about colonial dress and everyday living, and even some tips for writers, which I gleaned from conferences I attended over the years.

The Long Road to Getting Published

I could be the poster child for persistence (some might call it hard-headedness). I’ve been writing for 35 years, honing my craft at more writing conferences and reading more books about writing than I can remember. I simply refused to give up until I found someone interested in representing and publishing my novels. All those years I worked fulltime, took care of my family, and made time for writing—sometimes into the early morning hours. And praying … I should have said that first.

My advice to aspiring authors – keep on keeping on and surround yourself with others passionate about writing. When you’re discouraged by rejection, other writers can inspire you to continue. My writers’ critique group, The Inkplots, kept me from giving up and gave me the kick in the pants I needed.

As always, I give the glory to God from whom all blessings flow.

The Amazon link for Laurel is: http://www.amazon.com/dp/194110391X/

Susan F. Craft writes historical romantic suspense. Her Revolutionary War novel, The Chamomile, won the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Okra Pick.  Susan recently retired after a 45-year career as a communications director, editor, and proofreader.  To assist authors to “get it right about horses in their works,” Susan worked with the Long Riders’ Guild Academic Foundation to compile A Writer's Guide to Horses (also known as An Equestrian Writer’s Guide) that can be found at www.lrgaf.org. Forty-five years ago, she married her high school sweetheart, and they have two adult children, one granddaughter, and a granddog. An admitted history nerd, she enjoys researching for her novels, painting, singing, listening to music, and sitting on her porch watching the rabbits and geese eat her daylilies.

Laurel—A Post-Revolutionary War Inspirational Suspense

by Susan F Craft

I’m happy to announce that my post-Revolutionary War inspirational suspense, Laurel, will be released this week by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.

About Laurel

Desperate to rescue their kidnapped daughter, Lilyan and Nicholas Xanthakos trek two hundred miles through South Carolina mountains and backcountry wilderness, fighting outlaws, hunger, sleeplessness, and despair. When the trail grows cold, the couple battles guilt and personal shame; Lilyan for letting Laurel out of her sight, and Nicholas for failing to keep his family safe.

They track Laurel to the port of Charleston as post-Revolutionary War passions reach fever pitch.  There, Lilyan, a former patriot spy, is charged for the murder of a British officer. She is thrown into the Exchange Building dungeon and chained alongside prostitutes, thieves, and murderers. Separated from her husband, she digs deep inside to re-ignite the courage and faith that helped her survive the war.  Determined to free his wife at any cost, Nicholas finds himself forced back into a life of violence he thought he’d left behind.

Following a rumor that Laurel may be aboard a freighter bound for Baltimore, Lilyan and Nicholas secure passage on a departing schooner, but two days into the voyage, a storm blows their ship aground on Diamond Shoals. As the ship founders, both are swept overboard.

Will their love for each other and their faith sustain them as they await word of their missing child? Or is Laurel lost to them forever?

I was asked the question, “If you could have dinner with one of your characters, who would it be and why?”

I’d have dinner with Nicholas Xanthakos. I have a place in my heart for this gorgeous Greek who embodies all the traits you want in a hero—bravery, gentleness, honor, faith. (No need to tell my husband—he knows already J)

Here’s how Lilyan describes her husband in Laurel:

She turned over and watched her husband’s chest rise and fall in his slumber, observing him as he lay in a partial shadow cast from the moonlight. His hands that could wield a knife with deadly accuracy—and yet gently rock a cradle. His arms that could sling an axe for hours—but also encircle his child and wife in a tender embrace. His broad shoulders that could bear the weight of a felled tree, and yet they provided a nestling place for his wife’s head. His firm chin that jutted out in moments of white-hot anger—but also nuzzled into his daughter’s feathery curls. Lips that shouted orders so harshly grown men cringed but also whispered endearments to his wife in their most intimate moments. She regretted the furrow that creased his brow, the only outward sign of how much he missed his koukla—his little doll.

Susan F. Craft writes historical romantic suspense. Her Revolutionary War novel, The Chamomile, won the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Okra Pick. Susan recently retired after a 45-year career as a communications director, editor, and proofreader. To assist authors to “get it right about horses in their works,” Susan worked with the Long Riders’ Guild Academic Foundation to compile A Writer's Guide to Horses (also known as An Equestrian Writer’s Guide) that can be found at www.lrgaf.org. Forty-five years ago, she married her high school sweetheart, and they have two adult children, one granddaughter, and a granddog. An admitted history nerd, she enjoys researching for her novels, painting, singing, listening to music, and sitting on her porch watching the rabbits and geese eat her daylilies.

As always, to God alone be the glory.

Here’s the Amazon link for the Kindle pre-orders: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S52KS16

Persistence Trumps Talent

By Susan F. Craft

I’m always hesitant when asked to talk about the process of writing, because each author has his or her own way of going about it.

I’ve been writing professionally for over 45 years. Granted, some of it was, I told myself at the time, not what I really wanted to be writing—articles for agency publications, informational materials, speeches for the agency director. It was “my day job” that I couldn’t quit because I couldn’t get anyone interested in my novels.

Over the years, I have come to the realization that any writing hones your craft—the thought processes required to come up with an idea; the utilization of resources to research thoroughly; the time to learn correct grammar and spelling; the willingness to learn from the masters; the discipline to sit in the chair and work; the development of thick skin in order to learn from, and not resent, criticism; the humility that comes with rejection; and the absolute joy that comes when someone really likes what you’ve written and says those magic words, “I couldn’t put it down.”

A speaker at a writers’ workshop I attended made the statement, “Persistence trumps talent.”

.

Well, brothers and sisters, I’m here to tell you that I know a little bit about persistence. Over the past 35 years I’ve attended more writers’ workshops and conferences than I can remember.

Sometimes the information would contradict something I had just heard in a previous conference. This happened mostly in the area of marketing—what genres were selling, what houses were looking for, what agents wanted to see, the acquisitions editor who threw manuscripts into her sludge pile because she had had a lousy breakfast. I listened and I learned to sift through the “old hat” information and glean the good stuff, which I incorporated into my writing.

The news in the past two years has been grim. A publisher may LOVE your novel, but doesn’t think your platform is expansive enough.  In other words, you don’t provide promise of sales.

To offer you encouragement, many famous authors persisted in the face of rejections. F. Scott Fitzgerald once received a rejection letter for The Great Gatsby that read: "You'd have a decent book if you'd get rid of that Gatsby character."  Jack London’s estate “House of Happy Walls” has a collection of nearly 600 rejection letters from his early years.

My own persistence was rewarded when in November 2011, the Ingalls Publishing Group released my inspirational Revolutionary War romantic suspense, The Chamomile.

The SC Book Festival invited me to be a guest panelist. Over 6,000 people attended that event. When the wonderful reviews started showing up on places like Amazon and Goodreads, I was truly amazed and so excited. When The Chamomile won the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Okra Pick award, I was over the moon.

The latest and best news -- Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas will release two of my post-Revolutionary War novels next year. One entitled Laurel will be released January 12, and one entitled Cassia will be released September 14.

On an even happier note – I’m retiring in October after a 45-year career working fulltime. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for this next chapter of my life. I know He has plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future.

Susan F. Craft authored the SIBA Award-winning Revolutionary War novel, The Chamomile. The two sequels to The Chamomile, entitled Laurel and Cassia will be released January 12, 2015, and September 14, 2015, by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.  She is represented by Linda S. Glaz, Hartline Literary Agency.