Taxiday

I’ve completed the twentieth or so revision/editing of my novel - with some very major changes - and have reached the most difficult part of all - writing the Query Letter and Synopsis. After a number of Google searches, I cam across the following, which seems to be one of the better ones I found.
She also had a very helpful suggestion of summarizing each chapter as you revise and edit it. I’d like your comments.

How to Write a Synopsis
by Marg Gilks (Summarized)

The synopsis is the most important part of your submission package and, as such, it has to be developed and sweated over and polished with the same attention you devoted to the novel itself. Along with the cover letter, the synopsis is what sells the editor on the manuscript. If they don't see anything they like in the synopsis, they won't even glance at your chapter samples.

First, acceptable length. One guideline is to allow one synopsis page for every twenty-five pages of manuscript, but even that could be longer than most editors and agents want to see. Most editors and agents, busy people that they are, prefer short synopses -- two to ten pages. The busier ones like five pages at most. I personally consider two pages ideal, and have distilled synopses down to a single tight page. If you've written a thoroughly intriguing synopsis, don't worry if it's ten or more pages long -- but it had better be gripping.

Edit, edit, edit, if you have to! Always keeping in mind that the synopsis must remain interesting and supply the necessary information. Yes, this is the hardest part. Don't know what to cut? Lose the adjectives and adverbs; keep the motivation and "flavor" of the story.

You have to tell the entire story in your synopsis. Don't send the first three chapters and then start the synopsis at chapter four. Don't leave out the ending, hoping to entice the editor or agent to request the full manuscript in order to find out what happens. What they will do is decide you're an amateur.

bryndavis

Hmm I think her advice is pretty good. The problem I used to have with writing synopseses (sp?) is that I was too reluctant to give away the good stuff. I didn't want to spoil my story.

And then I learnt that in the end they don't care about the story at first or sometimes at all, and so that I need to push the good stuff as soon as possible. My current novel that I'm revising, revising, revising has a synopses of two and a half pages. What she says about keeping motviation and flavor, totally agree with that.

RE summarising chapters, I've done that too. In fact it was really good fun to go back through my work and make into tiny little episodic chunks.

lin

You can't play hide and seek from the pro readers. You can't have surprises and cure reveals or anything with them. They just want to know the story.

I would say a ten page synopsis is WAY too long, myself. I'd be a little nervous with more than three. If you can't say what your story is about in two pages, you need to figure how to do it and hope the problem isn't that your story isn't too disjointed to fly.

It's a brutal, infanticidal business, this synopsis thing. I freaking hate it. It might have been noticed that I'm a restrained critic of "cookie cutter" writing models, but I think there's probably a good synopsis template out there for us. Not necessarily the same one for every book. But this isn't creative writing, it's corporate packaging and it's worth cruising for tips and examples.

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astralis

I think her assessment is correct. In your synopsis, you have to reveal your story by hooking them, holding them, and moving them. If your synopsis can't hold them in two to ten minutes of reading, it won't get any better when it gets bigger and the story analyzer knows it (these are the people who read your story and pass it on for someone else to look at).

Have you ever tried pitching your story to a friend; that is telling him your story in five to 10 minutes? Is he moved by your story through the highs and lows? Is he silent and in awe when you reach the conclusion? How you pitch a story is often how a synopsis might read.

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How to write a story

lin

There are no "story analyzers" in fiction. Another artifact of the film industry that you confuse with writing for the page.
Your story will first be read by some intern or young lit grad working for a publisher or agent. They are reading a whole bunch of stuff every day, most of it sucky.
They are not going to be moved or in awe, not matter what you do, believe me.

You are hoping not to entertain them, but to get them to ask you to send them your manuscript.

What you want is a quick, pithy line or two like a jacket blurb, then a tight synopsis that tells the story from aspect of what the story is about. What happens to whom and how it turns out.

I forgot to mention before, but something you see a lot and is a DECIDED no-no, is not revealing the resolution. They don't need from "As this quandry unfolds, both learn a lot about life." They want to know exactly how the central conflict, question, hijunks, mystery, etc. resolves.

Good luck

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astralis

A story analyzer is simply a generic term for someone who analyzes your story before passing it along. Many publishing houses employ people full-time to read stories (associate editor or editorial assistant are the glorified titles some employ for this job, among many others). Some don't. Either way, someone is going to analyze your story before passing it on, whether you call them a story analyzer or not. I think these are the people who are the hardest to get through.

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How to write a story

Damian_Rucci

Her advice seems good, synopsis I heard is the hardest part of writing a novel.

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HarryG

I may be behind the times on this, but it used to be a one-page synopsis and a one-page CV, and three sample chapters (or the first 50 pages).


The synopsis should tell the entire story, including the denouement, in fact, the denouement is the most important part.

lin

BTW, addressing aspiring writers.

Where you see the term "story analyst" used is mostly in contexts of "you pay me and I'll analyze your story and tell you how to fix it up so you can sell it for big bucks."

It is NOT a good idea to pay these vultures to critique or coach your work.

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astralis

Usually they are. And you will see I've called them readers in the past if you review my posts. I don't see why this is a big deal. A reader analyzes stories to pass onto consideration. They have many titles. Those who read screenplays are also called many titles. They're hired by agents or publishers or production houses. What they do is analyze your story for their boss, not for the writer.

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How to write a story

astralis

Challenge all you want. I feel confident about my philosophy on writing, just as you feel confident about your philosophies on writing, to believe they should be shared, especially among the most impressionable.

From you, all I see are personal attacks and innuendo. Get to the real issues of writing as I've been doing and we can discuss this. You don't discuss nor debate ideas. You attack people when they disagree with you.
So what if I didn't? In actuality, I have listed a number of books through my time here where my ideas are developed, including, "On Writing" by Stephen King, "Poetics" by Aristotle, "Story" by Robert McKee, Kenneth row, William Archer, and John Howard Lawson, among others if you want them. The articles on my website are full of references to writers such as these.
You can think as you please and say it as many times as you please, but that doesn't mean your opinion is true and certainly not infallible. I think my ideas are shared among most people who accept that principles of story can improve a writer are actually helpful, not harmful. The spine and subtext are key to writing a story. Consciously understanding the principles can help many writers. What is this magic key you speak of? I've never said principles of story will make you write fantastic stories anymore than being a student of Mozart would make you a virtuoso. You have to have talent and you have to maximize your craft in storytelling. Stephen King even agrees, although he's more in the camp of unconsciously learning how to write by reading other stories and absorbing what you learn about structure, language, etc. You don't like that my opinions are against your belief that story principles can't be taught. You're like a school bully who roams the halls trying to stop people from having ideas that aren't your own. You're welcome to have your own opinions. But so am I. From the thread you posted about this issue, it seems half the board disagrees with you on whether story principles can be taught and that a writer can synthesize them and increase the quality of their work.
My responses to you have been explanations about what I believe. Your "picking" has merely been personal attacks and insults. You have yet to discuss your ideas beyond saying my ideas suck.
Same with me.

I have ideas and I share them. You don't like it but you don't have to like them. I promise I won't force you to like them, either.

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How to write a story

lin

That is just SO kind of you.

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PageOfCups

Thanks for posting this. It's been really helpful ^.^ Writing the synopsis and the enevitable rejection letters are the things that are most daunting about finishing the book I'm working on. It's great to see some advice here. Give me less of a reson to procrastinate

BOURBON

I'm not picking a fight with you astralis, but, from what I've seen of your 'ideas' and 'writing philosophy', you are more opinionated than knowledgeable. I agree with lin: you are far more likely to mislead new writers than do anything to help them. I have seldom read nonsense more glib and platitudinous.

lin

Check the thread where you were asking about agents, Page.

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