Bluenoseuk

I don't know about anyone else, but don't you just find writing a synopsis the most daunting thing? I would really like your views on this, because I'm confused, as I've heard mnay different ways of writing one. In your synopsis, for example, do you have to include all the secrets of your plot or characters? For example, I have a charcter that has a deep secret, but I don't know whether or not I should include this in my synopsis. How does anyone go about writing one???

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Imagination is our sixth sense...

Eiji Tunsinagi

I've never written one. I dont know why I'd need to. For like school assignments or for publishers or something? I'm not at that point yet.

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"nothing is perfect, nothing lasts, and nothing is finished."

"how will you go about finding that thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you?"

safari invasion

I would imagine they are a key tool in selling your book to interested publishers. I personally, have never written one either.

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"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dreams."
-Willy Wonka

eleutheromaniac

I like to be as vague as possible.

Just give the reader a little taste.

Go to a book store and read a bunch of back covers to get some idea of what works and what doesn't.

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Augmented Reality

gabriella

Bah, I hate them.

Either mine are too long (which is mostly the case) or too short.

How the hell can I summarize the 1000+ pages I busted my butt off for, into less than 100 words?

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You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.

Talia_Brie

Writing a synoposis, as in for an agent or publisher, and writing a blurb, i.e. for the back cover, are different.

I think if you're writing for an agent or publisher you should reveal everything. I think you should follow the course of the novel and explain every significant event that occurs, and how they are related. I say this because I think if an agent is going to take up your work, they are more likely to if they have an in depth understanding of it.

As far as a synopsis being "no more thna two pages" . I say the synopsis is an long as it has to be to get everything said.

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JSneddon

I keep my synopsis to one page, single-spaced.

I include only major characters, major plot thread, and conflict resolution.

For submittals you must reveal how the book ends. My first synopsis submittal was written as a statement of facts, the events in the novel as they occurred. The publisher then removed the ending and used it verbatim on the cover blurb. I was horrified because I don't think it was interest-catching enough.

Now I write them to be more interest grabbing and less factual, but I still include the book ending.

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"Ha-HA ha-ha-ha, ha-HA ha-ha-HEEE, you're going to pay and you're going to pay MEEE!" THE TOLLTAKER

Talia_Brie

My book is 215,000 words long - pure fantasy - with two concurrent "major plots", about 6 new races with over 1,000 years of relevant history.

It can't be done in one page.

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Talia_Brie

My book is 215,000 words long - pure fantasy - with two concurrent "major plots", about 6 new races with over 1,000 years of relevant history.

It can't be done in one page.

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Talia_Brie

My book is 215,000 words long - pure fantasy - with two concurrent "major plots", about 6 new races with over 1,000 years of relevant history.

It can't be done in one page.

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Talia_Brie

woops.

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