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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Nov 22

We’re thrilled to welcome TJ Stecker to Rosecliff Literary!
TJ’s life reads like a novel: from Naval Flight Officer &history-making amputee to lawyer & world traveler. His novels, THE MOTH & DISHONORED, have earned him 2 #ClaymoreAward finalist nods & a spot on the Murder and Mayhem Award Long List.

Man in a white tuxedo standing against a blue gradient background

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · May 29

A hearty welcome to the team, David!

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David Darling, author @daviddarlingauthor.bsky.social · May 28

🚨 Big news! 🚨
I’ve officially signed with literary agent Jessica Berg of @roseclifflit.bsky.social . Years of writing, rewriting, and perseverance have led to this milestone—and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.

#WritingCommunity #AmWriting #AuthorNews #LiteraryAgent #WritersOfBluesky

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 8

Y'all know Jess always wants gothic vibes. Old houses, eerie landscapes, creeping dread. Horror? Mystery? Literary? Doesn’t matter. If your book feels like a haunted house you can’t leave, send it. #MSWL

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 21

I know your book is good. Your synopsis doesn’t have to prove that! It just has to clearly show what happens. Editors and agents can fill in the blanks. Just give them something worth filling in.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 24

“But my book has twists! If I put them in the synopsis, they won’t be surprising anymore!”
Right. But if you don’t put them in the synopsis, then your story won’t make sense. And that’s a bigger problem.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 26

If your synopsis is bloated, try the “AND THEN” test.
Read your draft out loud. Every time you naturally want to say and then..., stop. That’s where you’re stuffing too much in. Cut where needed.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 27

If you struggle with synopses, write one badly on purpose. Seriously. Write the worst, most boring summary possible. Then go back and make it sharper, clearer, and less painful. This works better than trying to get it “perfect” from the start.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 28

Synopses are built for speed, not scenic detours.
I promise your book’s side quests, emotional beats, and cool worldbuilding still exist. Just... not here.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 28

Synopses are built for speed, not scenic detours.
I promise your book’s side quests, emotional beats, and cool worldbuilding still exist. Just... not here.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 27

If you struggle with synopses, write one badly on purpose. Seriously. Write the worst, most boring summary possible. Then go back and make it sharper, clearer, and less painful. This works better than trying to get it “perfect” from the start.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 26

If your synopsis is bloated, try the “AND THEN” test.
Read your draft out loud. Every time you naturally want to say and then..., stop. That’s where you’re stuffing too much in. Cut where needed.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 25

So well put!!

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Sofiya Pasternack @sofipasternack.bsky.social · Mar 24

Plus, synopses aren’t for readers. They’re for the people who need to know the spoilers, because they’re helping you refine the story! Editors, agents, critique partners, long-suffering writer friends who are tired of hearing you complain about POVs and timelines—

Ahem. People like that!

Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 24

“But my book has twists! If I put them in the synopsis, they won’t be surprising anymore!”
Right. But if you don’t put them in the synopsis, then your story won’t make sense. And that’s a bigger problem.

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Kirk Rafferty ✨is editing✨ 📖 @kirkrafferty.com · Mar 25

This.

Your query letter is where you can be a little mysterious. Your synopsis has to spill it all.

Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 24

“But my book has twists! If I put them in the synopsis, they won’t be surprising anymore!”
Right. But if you don’t put them in the synopsis, then your story won’t make sense. And that’s a bigger problem.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 24

“But my book has twists! If I put them in the synopsis, they won’t be surprising anymore!”
Right. But if you don’t put them in the synopsis, then your story won’t make sense. And that’s a bigger problem.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 22

If your synopsis reads like a dry book report, congratulations! You have written an extremely skippable document. Your goal isn’t to summarize your book. It’s to sell the story in a clear, compelling way.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 21

I know your book is good. Your synopsis doesn’t have to prove that! It just has to clearly show what happens. Editors and agents can fill in the blanks. Just give them something worth filling in.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 20

Biggest synopsis mistake? Too many names. If I need a seating chart to understand who’s who, I’m out. Keep it simple: main character, main antagonist, key supporting roles. Everyone else is “his friend,” “her brother,” or “the rival.”

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 19

A synopsis is not a vibe check. “I want to show the feeling of my book.” No. That’s the job of your pages. A synopsis is what happens, and why it matters. If your book is emotional, the plot should still convey that.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 17

Your synopsis should pass the “personally attacked” test. Would a reader who loves your genre feel seen by the way you describe your book? Or would they squint at the page like, why does this sound like a Wikipedia summary?

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 16

A synopsis is a movie trailer in plain text.
You’re not cutting to black every two seconds for DRAMATIC EFFECT. But you are giving us the highlights in a way that makes us want to watch the full thing.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 15

Your book is not too complex for a one-page synopsis. You just don’t want to make decisions.

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Rosecliff Literary @roseclifflit.bsky.social · Mar 14

A synopsis is a movie trailer in plain text. You’re not cutting to black every two seconds for DRAMATIC EFFECT. But you are giving us the highlights in a way that makes us want to watch the full thing.

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