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I thought writing an author bio was hard. Writing a synopsis of your book is like going in for a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided biopsy. (Yes, I got that from a google search, but it sounds exactly as torturous as writing a synopsis.)
I've been publishing for more than two decades. When it comes to writing and publishing, and all that comes with those practices, I like to think I'm an expert. But some things that you think might get easier the more you do them actually don't get easy. They remain just as frustratingly difficult to do. That's if you actually care about representing a literary work properly. If you are the type that likes to wing it, then you won't concern yourself much with doing a good job. Just well enough to get by. Getting by gets you nowhere in the world of publishing. You got to stand out. That's why author bios and book synopses are important. These have always been my toughest areas regarding the publishing and writing process. Take, for instance, my newest publication: "Once Upon A Bad Hombre". I wrote the damn thing. It took me at least two years (on and off) of editing, revising, and editing some more, to get to the point where I thought it might be ready to be published. So, it got published. But after publishing a book, things don't just take off by themselves. You can't just sit back and relax and let the book go where it needs to go and say what it needs to say. You got to be the representative and pusher of your work. That, or pay someone to do those things for you. For authors who have little to no experience writing promotional material, this second option is favorable. For people, like myself, who have experience in writing and promoting literary works, the work is doable. You can even exceed at it. But that don't mean you're going to like it one bit, or find it easy to do. That's my situation. I'm trying out my own book synopsis here. I want to get your opinion on it. How does it sound? Is it attention-grabbing? Too wordy? Makes sense? Let me know. Here goes: "A new administration is in power in the U.S. promising to enact a 'solution that is final' to the 'immigrant problem'. In spite of the rhetoric, no one seems to care that immigrants are going missing in increasing numbers, as their fellow compatriots continue with their daily lives watching their telenovelas like any normal day. Meanwhile, a mysterious ash falls across the U.S. and Mexico, and no one knows its true source. When Marco, a reporter for the Daily News Report, is assigned to investigate rumors of a secret immigrant panel headed by the president's staff, his investigation uncovers truths too dangerous to reveal to the general public, and he is taken off the story. Facing the choice of keeping the truth in the dark, or telling the world one way or another, Marco decides to go underground and head all the way to Mexico City to reveal the plot against all people of Mexican descent. Along the way, Marco is triggered by people complacently sitting around in public spaces watching telenovelas in cafes and hair salons, which drives him to shoot the TV sets to send a message, but no one seems to get it. Will Mexicans stop living vicarious lives of fantasy through their telenovelas and live life to the fullest? Or will time run out once Marco reaches his destination and reveals the news of an impending Mexican apocalypse?" Get the Book
Thanks for the feedback. If you have not yet, please go like my page on Facebook, Gabriel Hugo Author. And share this post with others who might find it useful. I appreciate it.
P.s. Come back soon for part 2 of Synopsis Biopsy, where I "dissect" the structure of my synopsis to offer you a kind of how-to on writing synopses.
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 Writing a bio has got to be one of the hardest things an author does in his or her profession. Writing ain't easy. But writing about your self? That's just torture. For example, I had such a hard time with it that I actually used the following bio in one of my books:
"Gabriel Hugo comes from a lineage of people as old as the mountains. They saw the rise of civilization in the Americas. They were there, as well, to see the fall of Tenochtitlan. They returned to the caves of Aztlan for generations but observed from a distance as the new peoples took root and history transpired. They waited until the prophecy of Moctezuma was fulfilled, and now have returned after the long night bringing a new day and the new age of the sixth sun." I was going for mysterious, but maybe just came off as pretentious? So I thought, maybe I need to rework this whole bio thing. Maybe at some level people really do want to know more about me and what I have done. Also, about who I am. My personal life. I used to think that nobody truly cared about the man behind the stories. Now I'm not so sure... So, I'm looking for thoughts on my new bio. Will you let me know what you think? You can send me an email at [email protected] if you don't want to be public about it. Read the bio below and let me know what you think. Thanks! Gabriel Hugo is the author of Once Upon a Bad Hombre, the X Series, The Martian Ones, and The Fluid Chicano. He has collaborated with authors on several anthologies and his poetry has been featured in various literary publications. Gabriel is also the founder of The Raving Press, an independent publishing imprint in the Rio Grande Valley, publishing works primarily focused on issues affecting Chicanos and other minorities in the United States. He is also an actor, appearing in two films available on Amazon Prime Video. Gabriel Hugo lives in Mission, Texas with his two sons Hugo Kuahutemoc and Jose Moctezuma, a.k.a. “The Bro Team” P.s. If you are reading this on January 16, 2020 before midnight, you still have a chance to get my latest book "Once Upon A Bad Hombre" for FREE at Amazon.
Guess who's back? Back again. Gabriel's back...tell your friends! Because I did it again. Just another notch on the old writer's belt. I cranked out another book. It's not part of the X Series, though. I know this website is heavily influenced by that concept. But the reality is that I write all kinds of stories. My latest publication is titled "Once Upon A Bad Hombre". It was published in December, 2019, but I am only now beginning to promote it.
****Speaking of promotions, get this FREE BOOK PROMO before it's gone! Read a sample below and get the book FREE!**** That's right. I'm giving away FREE download versions of my book for just a couple of days. After the offer is over, the book will go back to $4.99 per Kindle download. It is not available in print yet, but that is coming soon. Here's the book description from the Amazon product page: "A mysterious man is crossing the country shooting television sets tuned to Mexican soap operas, and a reporter uncovers the most disturbing evidence as to the disappearance of the children of the border. Meanwhile, a strange phenomenon is taking place across the U.S. and Mexico which are experiencing increasing instances of ashfall from seemingly unexplained sources." That's it. Short and sweet, huh? It's the best way to describe it. Hopefully, it does it's job and makes you want to get it. So get it! (Did I mention it's FREE?!) For those friends of mine who are still waiting for book 2 in the X Series, it's coming. In fact, I am making it one of my top priorities for 2020 right here, right this very moment as I write these words. Way to keep me true to my art! You don't put up with no bullshit, do you? There is so much for us to discuss. I've been absent only because life keeps happening. Being a single dad raising two boys full time is no picnic. Plus work and other stuff. But, still, we have to make time soon to talk about the series, "Hernan" on TV Azteca. I hear it's a bunch of garbage. But I will reserve my commentary for now, because it would be unfair to criticize trash before actually watching it first, am I right? No? Y0u're right, as always. It's probably complete filth portraying Cortez as this genius, master military tactician. How many times do we have to remind them that the Aztecs were defeated by disease!? When the Aztec faced off against the Spanish prior to the devastation of Tenochtitlan by smallpox, the Spanish had their traceros handed to them easily by the Aztecs. The defeat was so bad, they still remember it as "La Noche Triste," when the Spanish "conquistadors" cried like babies as they ran panic-stricken to the safety of Tlaxcala. But I digress. Download a FREE copy of my book "Once Upon A Bad Hombre" right now! And please share with me your thoughts on the story. I really need input. Good or bad. Just let me have it! Here's the link...(by the way, it will say "Buy" but it means GET IT FREE--trust me): |
GABRIEL
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