Synopses.... I know. The thing most authors dread above all else. And why not? You spend months or years crafting a novel that is exciting, vibrant, full of fascinating and realistic characters with flaws and failings, a plot that urges readers to keep reading right until the final page of beautifully realised prose.
And then you have to try and distill all that into a document that’s less than eight pages. In some cases, even into a single page. No wonder synopses have writers tearing out their hair!
But don’t stress too much. While it’s important that a synposis is clear and well written, it’s not designed to show off your sparkling language and inventive turn-of-phrase. Agents and publishers ask for a synopsis as a means to ascertain if your story flows well, meets enough beats and has a satisfying ending. And yes... You do have to give away any plot twists or surprises at the ending.
So how to begin?
Firstly, some housekeeping. Synopses are always written in third person present tense, regardless on how you’ve chosen to write the actual novel. Character names should be in caps the first time they are mentioned, and it’s important not to mention too many characters by name. If they are not central to the story, try and call them by their role eg/English teacher or step-mother.
If you’re an outliner (and I’m not), it may be helpful to dig that out. Chances are you’ve changed a lot since writing it, but it could be a good starting place. If, like me, you’re not an outliner, take a look at your manuscript and try to distill what happens in each chapter down to a handful of sentences.
This probably won’t flow together very well, and the cause and effect of events may not be clear because you’ve basically just created a list of what happens in the book. So go through with an eye to the overall plot and make sure the reasons and reactions for and to every major event are clear.
Novels aren’t just plot though. The character journey or arc is equally important, so now it’s time to go through your nascent synopis to ensure who your characters are and how they move through your story is clear. Characters almost always change during the course of a novel, so it’s important that their arc is clear too.
By now you should have a pretty good overview of the book, but it is probably starting to run long. The length of synopsis required by agents and publishers varies widely, so I suggest having several different ones at hand if you’re querying. I like to have them at around five, three and one pages to cover all my bases, so this is the point at which I start editing.
When editing, the words you choose are very important. You have limited space, so make sure every word you use is pulling its weight, every sentence is as succint and full of meaning as it can be. It’s amazing how much more a well-crafted sentence can convey than a baggy, over-blown one.
Once you think you’ve nailed it, give your synopsis to someone who hasn’t read the book to take a look at. Ask them if it makes sense, if they understand the story and its arc. Sometimes as an author, you’re too close to the story and the characters to see where you’ve missed a crucial piece of information.
And then, barring more edits, you are done. Your synopsis is ready to send out into the world.
Good luck with it!
And then you have to try and distill all that into a document that’s less than eight pages. In some cases, even into a single page. No wonder synopses have writers tearing out their hair!
But don’t stress too much. While it’s important that a synposis is clear and well written, it’s not designed to show off your sparkling language and inventive turn-of-phrase. Agents and publishers ask for a synopsis as a means to ascertain if your story flows well, meets enough beats and has a satisfying ending. And yes... You do have to give away any plot twists or surprises at the ending.
So how to begin?
Firstly, some housekeeping. Synopses are always written in third person present tense, regardless on how you’ve chosen to write the actual novel. Character names should be in caps the first time they are mentioned, and it’s important not to mention too many characters by name. If they are not central to the story, try and call them by their role eg/English teacher or step-mother.
If you’re an outliner (and I’m not), it may be helpful to dig that out. Chances are you’ve changed a lot since writing it, but it could be a good starting place. If, like me, you’re not an outliner, take a look at your manuscript and try to distill what happens in each chapter down to a handful of sentences.
This probably won’t flow together very well, and the cause and effect of events may not be clear because you’ve basically just created a list of what happens in the book. So go through with an eye to the overall plot and make sure the reasons and reactions for and to every major event are clear.
Novels aren’t just plot though. The character journey or arc is equally important, so now it’s time to go through your nascent synopis to ensure who your characters are and how they move through your story is clear. Characters almost always change during the course of a novel, so it’s important that their arc is clear too.
By now you should have a pretty good overview of the book, but it is probably starting to run long. The length of synopsis required by agents and publishers varies widely, so I suggest having several different ones at hand if you’re querying. I like to have them at around five, three and one pages to cover all my bases, so this is the point at which I start editing.
When editing, the words you choose are very important. You have limited space, so make sure every word you use is pulling its weight, every sentence is as succint and full of meaning as it can be. It’s amazing how much more a well-crafted sentence can convey than a baggy, over-blown one.
Once you think you’ve nailed it, give your synopsis to someone who hasn’t read the book to take a look at. Ask them if it makes sense, if they understand the story and its arc. Sometimes as an author, you’re too close to the story and the characters to see where you’ve missed a crucial piece of information.
And then, barring more edits, you are done. Your synopsis is ready to send out into the world.
Good luck with it!
5 comments:
Very interesting and informative post. I enjoyed reading this one.
Excellent advice! I'm bookmarking to come back and re-read again later.
Thanks for sharing.
As you point out, writing a synopsis is a very difficult step toward publication. While not all manuscripts become published via the query-to-agent route, the experience of composing a synopsis as you describe is invaluable.
http://gail-baugniet.blogspot.com/
E is for: Elderly Fare at Cork Market
Good advice on what gets me jittering. Thanks.
The dreaded S! Great step-by-step guide :-)
Ronel visiting from the A-Z Challenge with Music and Writing: The E
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