Thursday, August 07, 2008

25-word Descriptions (and less)

I had some success writing about my book in less than 25 words. (Though you may well disagree.) And I managed to come up with some straplines too.

So, in no particular order (I think!), here are the straplines followed by the 25-word descriptions of The World According to Boring John. (This is in response to this one-sentence book description post I made a while back.)

Straplines

Lad-lit without the bombs and boobs

"It's a novel Jim, but not as we know it!"

Move over Clarkson, there's a new moaner in town!

Life, the universe and everything (except Jeremy Clarkson!)

A monologue about 'life', when all he really wanted was a roll with a James Bond girl.

25-Word Descriptions

Monologue on 'life, the universe, everything' by a character who'd much rather be in a James Bond novel. So he starts changing his lines...

How I wrote my first novel, as narrated by a character who'd much rather have starred in a James Bond novel.

Journeyman character doesn't think much to his monologue routine. So he decides to hijack his first starring role by changing his lines, slowly at first...

His monologue awaits; but he'd rather star in a James Bond novel. So Boring John tries to get his writer to quit - gently, at first...

Contractually committed to the project, Boring John doubts his writer is up to the job. So he decides to change his lines - slowly, at first...

Haunted by one too many blank pages, the main character decides to end things the only way contractually allowed - by getting his writer to quit.

Fearful of the demands of the word-count, Boring John decides to end things the only way contractually allowed - by getting his writer to quit.

Disillusioned with how his first starring role is shaping up, Boring John decides to hijack the project and get his writer to quit.

His first ever leading role, but he disagrees with the book's premise. So the protagonist attempts to use it to get his writer to quit.

Ignoring nearly all the rules of writing, a writer sets out to prove his premise. Boring John disagrees and tries to stop him

Unhappy with his 'life, the universe and everything' monologue, Boring John decides to moan about his writer instead - to try to get him to quit.

"And that's how two characters should dance together in life" is fine. The battle is on between writer and protagonist for what *else* gets said.

Determined to exorcise the demons of the blank page, a first-time writer struggles to boost the word-count in this monologue about life, the universe, everything.

The world's first 'how I wrote this novel' as voiced by a reluctant, increasingly petulant main character who'd much rather be in a James Bond book.

Nothing more than a monologue on life, the universe, everything - without Clarkson - by a character who'd much rather be in a James Bond novel instead?

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Note: you can read the synopsis I just sent to Capel and Land here (watch out for Boring John, though!).