THE GOOD SYNOPSIS

WRITERS generally hate writing the synopsis. They can write three hundred plus pages for a novel, but the two-page synopsis is another matter. A good synopsis however is necessary; a poorly written one will work to your disadvantage. As all writers know, competition for publication is fierce. Agents and publishers want to see what happens in your story. It must convey the book’s entire narrative ark. A synopsis isn’t a sales copy or the back blurb of a novel on Amazon. It’s an industry document that helps an agent or submissions editor to quickly assess your story’s appeal. They look at the synopsis along with the first three chapters. Writing a good synopsis isn’t easy. It’s difficult to suppress your entire novel into two pages. Most synopses should be between 600-1000 words, and only practice makes perfect. For agents, a synopsis will reveal any big problems in your story e.g., it was a dream ending or an act of God, or a romantic story that ends in divorce. They should usually be written in the third person and describe the protagonist’s motivation at the opening of the story. The agent needs to understand what drives your protagonist and how the story conflict plays out. Whether the main character fails or succeeds. At the end, the synopsis should show how the conflict is resolved. A synopsis should also get to the point- fast. Check your sentences aren’t too long and passive. Common synopsis mistakes: –Thinking the synopsis just details the plot. This will make it sound mechanical and boring without depth or texture. The characters emotions, motivations and reaction to what’s happening have to be shown. You have to include both plot and character colour. –Don’t get weighed down with specific character names and places. Use the name of the main characters. –Avoid character back-story. –Avoid including dialogue and if you do be sparing. –Don’t ask rhetorical questions. In the synopsis, you have to show what happens. –No need for pretty or purple prose. You can impress agents and editors with a lean, clean and powerful synopsis. It can become your friend if you get it right with practice. Check out examples of good synopsis on the internet. A good synopsis forces you to often improve and tighten your novel. Still, I doubt writing a synopsis will ever become a favourite hobby of writers, but you can improve with practice.