An Interview…with novelists Vicki Hinze and Elizabeth Sinclair

"I can't say our friendship developed. It just sort of happened," Elizabeth Sinclair says. "Vicki and I had talked for barely ten minutes, and I felt as if there had never been a time when she hadn't been a part of my life." (photo: l-r Vicki Hinze and Elizabeth Sinclair)

The two met in 1992 in Jacksonville, FL. Vicki Hinze (pronounced Hin-zee) was to be the first guest speaker to the new First Coast Romance Writers. Sinclair was the president and her vice president hosted an informal dinner the night before.

"By the time I got up (from the kitchen table)," says Hinze, "I knew I’d been privileged to meet a woman who would be a dear friend for life."

Between them, the women have published 34 novels with eight more pending or under contract. Sinclair has also published two books on writing, while Hinze has three titles out with one more in production. They aren’t writing partners but they brainstorm, critique and discuss everything.

"Rarely does either of us start a book without first discussing it together," adds Sinclair.

The two have also taught at numerous writers' conferences and workshops (almost too many to count they say) over the last decade or so. The next one is in November for the Indiana Romance Writers Retreat. In the meantime, they agreed to give 3 Questions some tips on navigating the publishing world with a new manuscript.

If a writer were capable of writing an 80,000 to 100,000-word novel, why would he find writing a synopsis hard?

"We find it next to impossible to set aside our 'author hat' and think as a salesman. And that's what the synopsis is . . . a selling tool," says Sinclair.


The synopsis is a key part of a book proposal and is used throughout the publishing process. For instance, first the editorial board will consider it before deciding whether to purchase the book. Later both the marketing and art departments in making decisions about advertising and cover design and packaging.

"To tell an 80,000 to 100,000 word story in 5 to 10 pages can be one of the most frustrating parts of a writer's career," she continues. "We naturally want to include all the 'good stuff,' all the detailed descriptions that we bled over, and the wonderful word choices that make us look like geniuses."

Sinclair's book, The Dreaded Synopsis: A Writing and Plotting Guide*, outlines some key elements to a successful synopsis: a sense of time and place for the story, the goal, motivation and conflict for each element, the four stages of character growth, major plot turning points, the climax, resolution and rewards. However, she warns a common mistake by writers is to include all of those elements even when some of them don't move the plot forward.

"The biggest stumbling block every writer encounters which makes writing the synopsis hard is showing instead of telling," she says, adding "showing" is a primary reason for running over your allotted page count in a synopsis.

"Another mistake is not telling the editor the entire story by leaving off the ending. That's like trying to sell a car without a motor. "

Sinclair has never sold a book without a synopsis, and in today's publishing industry, she sees it as nearly impossible to sell without one. More and more publishers require unpublished authors or those new to that publisher to submit a completed manuscript before offering a contract.

"Bottom line is, if you want to sell your book, learn to write the dreaded synopsis."

How has the publishing industry changed over your careers?

"There was a time when the author only had to focus on writing a strong book - the best possible book," Hinze explains. "The publisher worried about the rest. That time is gone."

There are fewer large publishers and the numbers of small publishers continue to grow. While giving authors more opportunities to publish, more books mean more competition for readers and their dollars. So there is an even greater emphasis on how a book sells.

"More and more acquisitions are based on marketing decisions and not just editorial preferences," she says. "There was a time when a book/author’s numbers weren’t all important. When an author could start over with a pseudonym or get that second book out before the numbers on the first severely impacted orders on the second."

Today, if your first book doesn’t sell, the publisher could cancel your second book, even if you have a contract. Sales are more closely monitored and publishers require authors to take on more and more responsibility for the promotion and marketing of their books.

The used book market and Internet discount sales have become major issues for authors. "With the costs of books escalating (as is everything else), it’s more difficult to get readers to invest in authors who are unknown to them," says Hinze. "Used books aid in this, but coupled with the Internet, used book sales have really cut into new book sales. So it’s a double-edged sword." Authors receive no royalty payments for used books.

Print-on-Demand is yet another change in the publishing world, but Hinze believes it can co-exist successfully with traditional publishers. POD allows a book to stay in print longer, and in venues other than traditional bookstores, but the marketing of the book falls solely on the shoulders of the author. POD publishers don't often provide much help in marketing their titles.

Some changes have been good for writers. Many publishers will now accept e-submissions, saving time and money. Also revisions and galley reviews/approvals are often handled by email, speeding up the publishing process.

"One thing I know is that stagnant industries die. Publishing is extremely dynamic, so it’s healthy, morphing - and it’ll continue to morph to stay relevant. It must do so to survive."

What's next for these two authors?

Both have multiple books coming out in the next year. Hinze is continuing her War Games series with War Games: Kill Zone due out in July 2009. Two others in the series will follow. Sinclair's Angel Unaware, a romance about an inept and reluctant angel, and Burning Secrets will be released in December 2008 and January 2009 respectively. She has a third book due out at the end of 2009.

Finally, Hinze adds some advice she wishes someone had told her when she was starting out: "If you can quit writing, quit. There are far easier ways to earn a living. If you can’t quit, then gird your loins, jump into the fray, and go for your dream--no matter what. It’s always been risky. For authors, for publishers."


To learn more about Elizabeth Sinclair and Vickie Hinze, visit their websites. Both are packed with information for writers, for readers and for fun.


*The Dreaded Synopsis is currently unavailable. Keep an eye on Sinclair's site for updates.