Rosecliff Literary
@roseclifflit.bsky.social
DC-based literary agency | where stories find their path | founder @jessicaberg.bsky.social
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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.
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.
November 22, 2024 at 2:31 PM
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.
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.
Reposted by Rosecliff Literary
🚨 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
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
May 28, 2025 at 12:52 PM
🚨 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
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
Reposted by Rosecliff Literary
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
March 8, 2025 at 7:00 PM
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
Reposted by Rosecliff Literary
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.
March 21, 2025 at 2:54 PM
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.
Reposted by Rosecliff Literary
“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.
Right. But if you don’t put them in the synopsis, then your story won’t make sense. And that’s a bigger problem.
March 24, 2025 at 2:36 PM
“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.
Right. But if you don’t put them in the synopsis, then your story won’t make sense. And that’s a bigger problem.
Reposted by Rosecliff Literary
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.
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.
March 26, 2025 at 8:37 PM
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.
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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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.
March 27, 2025 at 11:44 AM
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.
Reposted by Rosecliff Literary
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.
I promise your book’s side quests, emotional beats, and cool worldbuilding still exist. Just... not here.
March 28, 2025 at 4:43 PM
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.
I promise your book’s side quests, emotional beats, and cool worldbuilding still exist. Just... not here.
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.
I promise your book’s side quests, emotional beats, and cool worldbuilding still exist. Just... not here.
March 28, 2025 at 4:43 PM
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.
I promise your book’s side quests, emotional beats, and cool worldbuilding still exist. Just... not here.
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.
March 27, 2025 at 11:44 AM
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.
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.
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.
March 26, 2025 at 8:37 PM
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.
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.
Reposted by Rosecliff Literary
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!
Ahem. People like that!
“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.
Right. But if you don’t put them in the synopsis, then your story won’t make sense. And that’s a bigger problem.
March 24, 2025 at 3:37 PM
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!
Ahem. People like that!
Reposted by Rosecliff Literary
This.
Your query letter is where you can be a little mysterious. Your synopsis has to spill it all.
Your query letter is where you can be a little mysterious. Your synopsis has to spill it all.
“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.
Right. But if you don’t put them in the synopsis, then your story won’t make sense. And that’s a bigger problem.
March 25, 2025 at 5:23 PM
This.
Your query letter is where you can be a little mysterious. Your synopsis has to spill it all.
Your query letter is where you can be a little mysterious. Your synopsis has to spill it all.
“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.
Right. But if you don’t put them in the synopsis, then your story won’t make sense. And that’s a bigger problem.
March 24, 2025 at 2:36 PM
“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.
Right. But if you don’t put them in the synopsis, then your story won’t make sense. And that’s a bigger problem.
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.
March 22, 2025 at 12:06 PM
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.
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.
March 21, 2025 at 2:54 PM
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.
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.”
March 20, 2025 at 8:05 PM
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.”
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.
March 19, 2025 at 10:19 PM
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.
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?
March 17, 2025 at 4:11 PM
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?
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.
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.
March 16, 2025 at 1:04 PM
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.
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.
Your book is not too complex for a one-page synopsis. You just don’t want to make decisions.
March 15, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Your book is not too complex for a one-page synopsis. You just don’t want to make decisions.
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.
March 14, 2025 at 9:19 PM
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.
Writing a synopsis is just translating 90K words into 500. While keeping voice, stakes, and clarity. While not panicking. Anyway, how’s your day going?
March 12, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Writing a synopsis is just translating 90K words into 500. While keeping voice, stakes, and clarity. While not panicking. Anyway, how’s your day going?
‘Just summarize your book in one page!’ Babe, I haven’t even summarized my life in therapy yet.
March 10, 2025 at 10:36 PM
‘Just summarize your book in one page!’ Babe, I haven’t even summarized my life in therapy yet.