Inviting Critique

For the upcoming re-release of Sunstone, I've made a one-piece cover for the book.  In the process, I of course needed to do a back-cover synopsis, one of the things that hooks a reader.

I didn't realize how difficult it would be for me to write a synopsis for Sunstone.  I know the story and characters well.  I've gone through the manuscript enough to basically know it inside and out.  So why was it so difficult for me to summarize the highlights of the story?

I don't think it was because the flow and plot points of the story was out of wack.  On the contrary, I've actually smoothed out the story even more with its latest revision.  The story is pretty simple: a group of warriors and a goddess and a gang find out about the Sunstone.  The first two parties want to keep it safe and returned to the right hands, the last party wants to use it for their own power gain.  All go on a search to get it.

But I still had a hard time introducing the story via a worthy synopsis for the back cover.  So I turned to the folks over at the Mythic Scribes forums and invited them to critique it.  I wanted anything: the good, the bad, and the ugly.  I was lost, and needed some sort of direction, whether or not the readers liked the synopsis.

The key to receiving critique is an open heart and mind.  Everyone has their opinions.  In critique, those opinions and observations are there to assist the writer, not to send them crashing and burning.  Fortunately I received some really good critique, which both praised what I wrote and pointed out the flaws of my draft synopsis.  I could have taken their observations the wrong way, but humility came in instead, and  I am so grateful I asked for help.  The synopsis is way better than it used to be, and I will eventually post it here on Xenithar's Lair in the Legend of Draconite book section.

Just my thought for the day, and I thought I would share my feelings of gratitude with my readers :)