What is a synopsis?
I can forgive a lot of faults with submissions: query letters that ramble on, query letters that don’t introduce the work or the writer properly, the odd typo… However, one of the most frustrating things with a submission is when the synopsis is simply not.
So, what is a synopsis?
For a start, it is not a blurb.
- A blurb is that teaser piece of writing that appears on the back of books to entice readers to want to read them. This is a piece of marketing writing aimed at readers.
- A synopsis is also a piece of marketing writing, but it is one aimed at introducing your novel to agents and editors. We don’t want to be “teased”. We want the facts.
A synopsis must:
- be no longer than a page, about 500 words (my preference – some agents and editors prefer longer synopses)
- include the main plot turning points
- introduce the main character(s), their goals and their “problem” (which the story will “solve”)
- include how the story is resolved i.e. how it ends
A great synopsis will:
- read like a story in its own right
- give a flavour of the style and pace of the story
- show the main character(s) growth arc / emotional development
- leave out the names of the secondary characters
- leave out the secondary plots (unless they are essential to mention to explain the main plot)
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I find writing a synopsis almost harder than writing the book, so this is most welcome, thanks.
Bu-u-u-ut, however hard you try, getting a whole story into 500 words is always going to give an inflated sense of pace, surely?
@ Jan. 90% of the synopses I see don’t have much sense of pace at all. I think when I see pace in a synopsis that would certainly get me excited to think “ah, maybe this book works” so it is a positive point.
That makes sense.
Ah. Isn’t that typical – just resubbed to you Kate, and the next minute you post this – i think my synopsis is about 900 words…:)
I’d reworked mine in the synopsis group of a writing site i belong to and they made all the points you did, Kate – it must reflect the tone of the novel, not include unnecessary characters and subplots, and must spell out the ending.
However, there is an awareness that some UK agents now are asking for more blurby style synopses – so I guess the answer, like everything, is to carefully read the sub guidelines for each agent. Some agents like 2-5 page ones, the odd one even likes a chapter by chapter breakdown.
Agreed though, they are incredibly hard to do right.
Not that i meant blurby-style ones are becoming more popular – just aware that some agents like them (not that i, personally , can see why as to my mind that’s what the cover letter is for.)
I’m terrible at synopses. Knowing what to leave out is as important as what to leave in, but to me who wrote it, it’s ALL important. Otherwise I wouldn’t have written it… But then I’m also terrible at blurbs. As you can probably tell from this comment, I can’t use five words when I have five hundred at my disposal!
LOL!
I’m intrigued though, as to how important a synopsis (for an agent) really is (don’t shoot me down). Assuming most agents don’t read it unless the writing of the opening chaps really grabs them, surely, even if it is bad, if the writing is fab then they will request the full, realizing that even the best writers find a synopsis hard to put together?
I suppose it is more crucial where the agent is still interested in, but not smitten with, the opening chaps and looks at the synopsis out of curiosity – a very good one might mean they request the full, a poor one might not.
Only guessing, mind…
@ Sam. I am certain that different agents have different views about synopses so I can only speak for me. I think the importance of the synopsis comes into play if I do love the writing of the opening chapters but by the end of chapter three I have uncertainty where the story is going. Then I will be looking to the synopsis to provide overall context to the shape of the book and how the plot works out. The synopsis as well might give an indication of genre and/or how the work stacks up against other books – which you can’t always tell from three chapters alone.
That’s interesting, Kate. Food for thought for writers like me, then, whose chapters are quite short and therefore the full direction of the plot probably isn’t crystal clear from just a few opening chapters.
I have certainly struggled over the years, producing a sound synopsis and i can’t say how much i’ve learnt this year from actually uploading it into a synopsis workshop group – something i’d not done before because i was (and i know this is very amateurish) worried someone might steal my plot.
So, my advice to anyone would be to get some input.
In fact, I think it was Simon Trewin who even said to try and get someone else who’d read your book to write the synopsis for you!