Spies Don't Write Down Their Plans For Approval

I have never done this before. How does one actually start a proposal? I mean, a writing project proposal, not a wedding one, although I wouldn't know about the latter either. ;-). I did, however, once asked a man to marry me at midnight through a Western Union message. Hehee. I was soooo infatuated with that dude. And obviously had no idea proper proposal protocol then either....

Okay, back to the main topic and current problem. How does one propose an idea? I can do it in person quite well. This is because there is a conversation going on and the interested party is actually asking me questions, such as, "So tell me what are you planning for your next book? Anything to do with Jed?" And with that opening, I can segue so smartly into my grand ideas ;-).

But this is going to a dry typed report of a book series, and I already know I'm hopeless with a synopsis, so how am I going to capture the thrilling and exciting ideas in my mind and convince editors that this series is going to brilliant? It's easier to talk about them because my mind jumps all over the place and I make connections when they ask me questions about "how is each book going to end?" and "What is your emphasis going to be?"

On paper, however, it's an entirely different thing. Typing down "This series is about virtual reality and the use of it in spying" is soooooo boring. I fell asleep reading that first line.

I had the same problem when my Avon editor asked me what my SEAL trilogy was going to be about. She didn't ask for a proposal, thank God, but wanted to know the direction of each book. So I said, "Friendship." She waited. Umm. That was it.

She said I needed to elaborate. "The different kinds of friendships?" I said, with that hypothetical lift at the end of the phrase that denote my growing uncertainty. Silence. Then I added, "Okay, never mind, how about emotions? It's about anger. Different kinds of anger?" A heavy sigh from the other end of the phone. You see my problem now? ;-)

So I've been mulling about this new exercise. I mean, spies don't just go, "I propose we eliminate Mr. X" right off the bat, do they? Okay, maybe they do, since they don't have to sound overly nice, or brilliant, or caring. They don't actually have to make their proposal go through the wringer to see whether readers will buy into an assassination, anyway. Sometimes, spies have it easy, I tell you!

"Dear editor, my next series is about psychic hallucinations...and really there are tons of spy stuff involved...and virtual reality sex..." Sigh. Hopeless.

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