Sara Pauff

Mr. Write by Sara Pauff

Joanna “Jo” Elliott’s perfect man? Tall, dark and imaginary.

Since her last relationship ended in heartbreak, Jo has spent more time thinking about fictional men than real ones. But when one of her favorite literary men, Mr. Rochester of Jane Eyre, appears one night, she’s more pissed off than pleased to see him.

Of course, he does nearly gallop over her car. Also, he’s rather rude. And Jo has no idea how he ended up in a modern-day college town or how to get him back to his novel.

Her confusion only grows as more characters show up at her house and the bookstore where she works. Soon Jo discovers she can bring to life any fictional being she wants simply by writing about them. Scribble down a short story, write some fanfiction or just compose a note in a greeting card and BAM! Instant hero.

So when her best friend suffers yet another break-up, Jo decides to create the perfect man. All she has to do is write a simple love story.

Someone should have warned Jo that nothing about love is simple.

No matter what she writes – and rewrites – Jo can’t get her leading man to cooperate. And she doesn’t have time to wait for romance to bloom, because that guy who broke her heart? He’s back, and he’s dating her best friend.

“Mr. Write” is a 98,000-word work of women’s fiction. I am a newspaper copy editor and former newspaper reporter and columnist.

 

The Book Doctors:

We really like the first lines of this pitch.  Such a wonderful play on the old cliché: Tall, dark and handsome.  You’ve taken something familiar and turned it on its head.  That tells us right away you have a cool, unique voice.  You also have a terrific premise.  It reminds us a little of the Woody Allen movie Purple Rose of Cairo.  This idea of a character from another story being put like a fish out of water into a strange environment is familiar, but what you’re doing with it seems unique.  Everyone knows Mr. Rochester.  He is a big pain in the ass.  We like that she works in a bookstore as well.  Weirdly, that will help you sell books when this novel comes out.  And we really like the weird superhero powers that she has.  That she can conjure these beloved literary characters.  It’s very post-modern and meta in the best sense.  This idea of creating a leading man who won’t cooperate her with her seem so funny and deeply psychologically revealing at the same time.  Then you have the guy who broke her heart back in the mix, increasing complications.  We were a little confused as to whether she plays a role in her best friend being with the guy who broke her heart or not. That seems important.  Plus, we’d like to know what kind of newspapers you wrote for. This experience can be a big leg up in getting published, so the more info the better. Great pitch!