Difference between Synopsis and Summary? - Writers Forum

Trinket · 12-11-2005, 02:57 PM

I know that is a stupid question to many of you on here. But I'm rather ignorant of all this, having just started getting into it.

From what I've gathered, a synopsis is longer than a summary and tells what happens from start to finish, not teasing or keeping anything a secret, which is the realm of the blurb on the back of a published book. Did I hear that a synopsis can be as long or longer than five pages?

Thank you so much, and please don't be rude. I'm just a poor, ignorant little girl.

~Trinket

Nickie · 12-11-2005, 03:38 PM

A summary is telling from A-Z what happens in your story.

A synopsis must convey the essence of the story, and should usually not be longer than 2 pages.

If you start querying agents and/or publishers, you'll often get the request for a short bio + synopsis, consisting of maximum 2 pages.

Nickie

mammamaia · 12-12-2005, 02:57 PM

a synopsis can be longer than 2 pages, especially if the novel is a family saga or a sci-fi/fantasy epic... you really need to go by each agent's/publisher's guidelines in deciding how long a one to send...

as for the term 'summary' as far as i know, it's not really used in the us, though it may be in the uk... and a synopsis should tell the whole story from a to z, so i don't know what nickie considers to be the difference, other than length, and i can't agree with the comparison given, since synopses for longer novels can run 5-10 pages, depending on how long and detailed the agent/publisher wants it...