K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple, Silly)

I'm currently in the middle of a new novel proposal, and I'm at the critical point—the one-sentence promise.

Basically, in just one, compelling yet succinct sentence, I'm answering these crucial questions: What exactly is my book about? And why should the publisher or potential readers care?

While crafting this oh-so-important sentence for the better part of the morning, I couldn't help but think of one of my favorite movies, Sideways.

One of the main characters, Miles, is also a novelist in hot pursuit of publication. His last hope is a small specialty press, and truth be told, he's not feeling all that confident about his chances given all the rejection he's faced in the past. Perhaps, if he had a better one-sentence promise, (or a stronger idea in general) his chances would've improved drastically.

Case in point: Here's the conversation that happens once Miles' potential love interest Maya asks what his novel is about...I seriously can't help but crack up every time he answers her.

Maya: So is it kind of about death and mortality or...?
Miles Raymond: Mnmm, yeah... but not really. It shifts around a lot. Like you also start to see everything from the point of view of the father. And some other stuff happens, some parallel narrative, and then it evolves—or devolves—into a kind of a Robbe-Grillet mystery—with no real resolution.

And then later on, as if things can't get any worse, a friend offers Miles this lovely encouragement.

Mike Erganian: What is the subject of your book? Non fiction?
Miles Raymond: Uh, no. It's... it's a novel. Fiction. Yes. Although there is quite a bit from my own life... so I suppose that, technically some of it is nonfiction.
Mike Erganian: Good I like non fiction. There is so much to know about this world. I think you read something somebody just invented, waste of time.
Miles Raymond: That's an interesting perspective.

I guess I'm sharing this as a reminder to always have a clear sense of what your work is about. Basically if you don't know, chances are, no one else will either.