This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Is there a part of the submission package that writers dread more than the synopsis? From my (totally unscientific) poll of writer friends, I don’t think so…
It’s perfectly understandable. Writing a novel is art – condensing that novel into a few succinct paragraphs is more like science. In addition to being a difficult technical exercise, it also plays to our fears. The thought of describing our plot in such a bald, unadorned manner, makes us feel exposed. What if our story seems trite or boring when laid out without its pretty wrappings?
The good news is that it definitely gets easier with practice. Better still, the synopsis is unlikely to be the make-or-break factor in your submission package. Yes, the agent (or editor) will want your synopsis to show that there is a solid, completed story on offer, but your opening chapters are, by far, the most important determining element in your submission.
So, onto the nuts and bolts of the thing. First, how long should it be? A synopsis should be as concise as possible, while still giving enough information to explain the story.
If the guidelines ask for a one-page synopsis or a two-page synopsis, then make sure you follow them. Don’t forget, your synopsis can be single-spaced (unlike your sample chapters which will be double-spaced), so one page gives you a decent number of words to play with.
While your synopsis should follow the tone of your book (so, for a romantic comedy, you would use a light tone), it shouldn’t read like a blurb. In other words, you should avoid making vague statements or asking questions that you don’t answer.
Similarly, you need to give away the ending of the story (yes, even if it’s a big twist).
A good way to approach your synopsis is to identify the core of your book. If you’ve already been through the editing process (and you should have!), you will probably have already done this. Haul out those editing notes and look at the spine of your story – the main plot. Who is your main character? What do they want? Who or what is stopping them from getting what they want? How is this conflict resolved?
This core story should give you the spine of your synopsis. Secondary characters and subplots can be added wherever they affect your main plot. Minor characters can be omitted completely.
Don’t worry if your first attempts are overly-long, you can go back through and prune the deadwood.
Once you’ve done this a couple of times, do show it to a trusted friend or fellow writer for feedback. At this stage, you know your story too well to be objective about what is unclear in your description of it.
As always, check and re-check for spelling errors, typos, and awkward phrasing.
For more on synopsis writing, I recommend this excellent practical guide by Nicola Morgan: Write A Great Synopsis