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How to write a synopsis
Toss out those books that tell you in 150 pages or more how to write a synopsis. Ignore the people who say it's hard. Really, writing a synopsis is one of the easiest things you'll do. What is hard is knowing what company wants what. When you figure that out, you've got it made. So, let's get started.
What is a synopsis? Simply put, a synopsis is a short summary of what the book is about. It contains a hook to catch the reader on line one, a body to tell what the internal and external conflict is, space to develop their emotions and detail what is going to happen and a place to tell the dark moment and resolution. Notice, this is tell and not show. In writing we always show, but in a synopsis, it's just the opposite. Very few people do chapter by chapter outlines, however, I'll give you different ways below to set up your synopsis. Chapter Details First, we have the chapter by chapter way. The Hook You open with a hook about the book. Every outline has this so don't skip this paragraph. An example of this would be, When straight-laced Cade Hunt met loose and easy Mary Margie, the last thing he expected was to fall for the spirited sprite. OR: Looking at the wrecked car lying at the bottom of the ravine, Jamie Kent had no way of knowing her life was about to change forever. (this hints more of drama where the former hints more of humor) OR: As he lay on the floor, breath knocked out of him from the John Deer with green eyes that had just mowed him over, Jonathon Brandon had to wonder if this was the Sarah Buckheart who had been causing all kinds of havoc in the little town of Dumplins, Georgia. Note the differences in hooks. It tells you the who right off the bat, gives you an idea of the first meeting or an important event, and leaves you wanting to read more.
This is the most important sentence you're going to write. It has got to be something that is going to grab the editor's attention: Something great! Something outstand! Something to do with your story! Give a quick summation of their conflict, internal and external and then say: Chapter Summation: The story opens and put Chapter 1: give a one or two line on it, then a heading Chapter two with a one or two line that ties into Chapter one and leads us into Chapter 3 etc until you get to the end......
OR The Second Way--A Story Overview You open the same way, but instead of breaking it down chapter by chapter... immediately go into the hero in one paragraph giving why the hero and or heroine are together, what the situation is. After this is explained then we need to be told why this can't work--the internal conflict. He doesn't believe this or he is totally against this or she promised never to do this or that...etc...whatever is the main thing that is going to keep them apart. For Christian Synopses, this is where you have to include God and show what the theme is, but with God, we know all things are possible and what He has planned for them will soon come to frustration. Etc... Then we can go into the story. The first meeting has happened...now outline a bit more. Example. We know the internal and external by now and have 1-2 pages done. So, tell us what happens next. If it's romance, show us the attraction, what situation you get them in that moves the story along and helps them to realize the attraction--what point is happening that is going to show the external conflict. Then you counter with showing the immediate problem with the internal conflict and how this will move them to the next major point in your story. By this point, page 2-3 one of them should be starting to a. either have doubts about their feelings--meaning they are wondering if what they're going to do or b. they should be questioning their beliefs internally. You continue this back and forth, showing how each step of the story builds toward the end. If it's not building toward the climatic finish, then cut it. The editor does not need to know she has five sisters, unless she hates family and swore never to have kids. The editor does not need to know the guy wanted to be a pastor as a kid, unless he's running from a calling in his life. Get the point? Leave out most of the details. By now you're 3/4 of the way done with your story and you come to: The Dark Point Something externally happens to make the hero and heroine face the problem. And this is when one of them says, no way, this won't work...or, ah ha! You are the murderer, everything points to you, etc... There is on way to solve it. It's impossible. Make sure at this point we see the internal struggle and we do see how God is still involved in this and then we come to the: Resolution Somehow this problem is solved. We see the hero and heroine's perspective change, something radical happens that changes what is on the inside of them. They finally see the errors and learn a lesson and the hero and heroine get together. They resolve the problem, confess what they've learned, and wind it up with a happy ending.
How long should this be? With the quick sketch above, let's now get into the real questions. Har/Sil says two pages, but every time I submit two pages my editor wants more. So, the last synopsis I submitted to that particular editor was 15 pages long. It was very detailed, with all of the scenes mentioned and I made sure to show the depth of feelings and range of emotions they were feeling. That story was bought w/o a problem. However, another editor before her only wanted a one page synopsis with no details, just the internal external conflict, the meeting, attraction, dark moment and resolution. Know your houses. If the story is only 125 pages, 3 pages is probably long enough. If the story is 300 pages, 5-7 pages is long enough. A 400 page story as a Single Title...try 10-15 pages. My story was 250 pages and a 15 page synopsis. My editor wanted that.
The rule of thumb is, shorter is better. Editors get their desk trashed. Oh, did I mention I was selling that on synopsis w/o chapters? So it was ONLY 15 pages with no chapters (something published authors can do). When I submit 3 chapters with a synopsis I would do my dead level best to keep it 3-5 pages on any book. The chapters will speak for themselves. Where to put the synopsis? I always put my synopsis on the bottom. I want them to read the story first. Whether it makes a difference or not I have no idea, but it can't hurt. But if you do this, make sure your first chapter is very strongly written and will hook them! I cannot stress this enough. The first pages they see MUST hook them or they aren't going to read it. Is the synopsis too long? A good way to judge this is simply 10 pages equals one paragraph, so figure five paragraphs per page, etc... So, if you have spent an entire page on the first scene that only takes up two pages at the beginning of your book, you've got a problem. However, if you spent the first page (actually this is really the second, remember the hook, the opening, the internal and external are all shown on the first page) and you have covered the first meeting, attraction and stepping back from the situation as their internal conflict comes into play, you're doing good. No No's for synopses Never use dialogue. That's for the book, not the synopsis. Don't bring in minor characters unless their role is pivotal to the book. Don't single space this. Make sure you follow normal ms. guidelines: Double Spaced, header with page number in upper right corner. Don't put in your synopsis stuff about your writing, or your past or how great this book is, that's for the cover letter. Don't use the words 'was' 'feel' 'felt' 'thought' etc. Find ways to use active words as you describe the story. No 'he said' or 'she said'. Definitely do this A hook. An explanation of the hook, showing us the external conflict of that hook and then showing us the internal conflict. Short concise and too the point. Organized. As short, lengthwise, as possible. Read over it, set it aside for a day or two, then read over it again. Spell check it. Set it aside and then read it again looking at your: internal conflict, external conflict, characterization, mood of the story (does it come across in the synopsis). Does all of this lead up to the dark moment? Then, does the resolution fit? What did they learn? Is it shown here?
That's a quick overview of a synopsis and how to write one. Below is an example of one of MY synopses! This is a story coming out in January: Synopsis
This is lacking a hook. A proper hook would have been: A hurricane bearing down on them and someone out to end Lilly's life, Joshua must face his past or lose the woman who has come to mean so much to him. OR: It takes knocking Joshua Staring off his feet, before he finally notices the one person who can change his life, his secretary, Lilly Lastname. Get the idea. Something here to grab them and give them an idea what the story is about
Joshua
Staring is a white hat type of guy. Embittered
by a protection case (He was a U.S. Marshall) gone wrong where he lost the woman
and her son, and full use of one of his legs, he is angry with God.
INTERNAL CONFLICT He has
never forgiven himself for the mess up. His
knee is a daily reminder that he ended his career, not in helping someone, but
in losing a woman and child. INTERNAL CONFLICT Four
of his good friends whom eventually left their jobs have joined forces with him
and formed Staring Securities. A
Security firm, their jobs vary from strictly electronic security to small cases
as the need arises. Little
does he realize his secretary is about to test his endurance and patience as her
past comes back to haunt her. Here is my hook. Lilly
Hammond is a new Christian, having been rescued out of a cult-ish like center
she used to live at before she became saved.
The problem is her ex-fiancé, one of the two people who run the cult
wants her back. By allowing her to
escape it, they have given other people the idea that they can leave whenever
they want to as well. HINTS AT HEROINE'S INTERNAL
CONFLICT. He’s
out to bring her back and make an example out of her.
He’s spent the last year wearing her down, finding her and reminding
her that he is there. VILLAIN AND PART OF THE MOTIVATION
AND EXTERNAL CONFLICT OF THE HERO AND HEROINE (EXTERNAL CONFLICT IS WHAT FORCES
THE HERO AND HEROINE TOGETHER...THIS VILLAIN FORCES THEM TO WORK TOGETHER W/O
GIVING THEM A WAY TO ESCAPE IT). However,
when she managed to get work at a lawyer’s office and actually discussed the
problem with him, her ex-fiancé (Taylor Matterson) grew enraged.
Before the lawyer could react he had the building burned down, with the
lawyer inside. HINTS AT INTERNAL CONFLICT. He
hadn’t expected Lilly to escape so easily and he’s on the search for her
again. The
story opens SHOWS WHERE THE STORY STARTS with
Lilly, having been rattled by two hang-up phone calls, at the Staring office
near midnight to do some work. The
boss comes in and unintentionally scares Lilly.
It’s there in that moment where both of their guards are down that
Joshua Staring discovers there is something different about Lilly--something
attractive. Not only that, but she
is hiding something as well. Lilly
also discovers that though she had never expected to be attracted to man again,
Joshua can really be attractive when he wants to, despite the fact he walks with
a walking stick and has a bad knee. SHOWS ATTRACTION It
comes out that he was a U.S. Marshall until his knee was shattered--effectively
ending his career. During
their talk the phone rings and Lilly is certain she’s been found. Joshua
answers it and it’s one of his friends. Lilly
goes home. Thinking
to run, she instead shows up the next morning willing to talk--only to a point. HINTING
AT HER CHARACTERIZATION...SHE ALWAYS RUNS INSTEAD OF FACING PROBLEMS. Joshua
has found out where Lilly last worked and that her boss died the day after she
left for Baton Rouge. And he also
realized it wasn’t Oklahoma she had come from but Philadelphia. Questioning
her on this he offers her help if she’s running.
She finally admits there was an ex-fiancé, but the fire was accidental,
not tied to her ex-fiancé in any way (which is a lie) and that she still
thinks, sometimes, that he’s looking for her (which she passes off as her
paranoia instead of letting him know it’s the truth). Joshua
accepts this, thinking since there is nothing else in her records, that she must
be telling the truth. He tells her
about Angelina’s (security specialist that works for him) suggestion they
check out a generator for the hurricane problems they often have this time of
year (one is in the Atlantic at the moment) and has her check into it. While
she is on the phone about it, he decides, unable to get this woman off his mind,
to have a work luncheon, a first for him, and takes her out to lunch while they
discuss business. He is lonely,
having actually been in love with the woman who died.
(He got personally involved when he shouldn’t have).
Lilly is the first woman he has found interest in since the deaths.
And though he won’t readily admit it, taking her out for a work
luncheon is only an excuse so he can spend some time with her.
She
ends up the topic of business. As
does his past. Realizing
they have been at lunch two hours and he’s running late for an appointment
they return to work. IN THE STORY THIS SCENE ACTUALLY
NEVER HAPPENS BECAUSE IT WASN'T NECESSARY. IT WAS A SHORT IN AND OUT TYPE
OF THING AND SHE COMES WALKING BACK TO HER OFFICE TO FIND... LESSON TO LEARN
FROM THIS: SOME THINGS IN YOUR SYNOPSIS ARE NOT GOING TO
HAPPEN! When
she gets back it’s to have Rita, a secretary who does overflow paperwork, show
up to question her. Joshua
is considered a good catch and many women have tried so everyone at the office
is immediately interested in how she got him to take her out on a dinner
appointment. Rita herself is
divorced and looking to marry a rich man--one reason she has the job she does,
hoping a client comes in that she can meet. RITA'S CHARACTERIZATION
CHANGES SOME AS WELL IN THE STORY. Lilly
doesn’t share much and returns to work. That
day as work wears on Joshua calls her into his office to take some notes.
And while she is there and discussing the weather, which has taken a turn
for the worse, he mentions that they are having a special meeting tomorrow. She
goes home that night only to get another hang up call.
She gives in and calls Josh at home and then decides it’s not
important. While
they’re on the phone, he asks her out. She is
stunned, but admits she really doesn’t want to be alone and she can’t deny
she is very attracted to this man, a safe haven as well as more in her storm.
MOTIVATION. FEAR AND ATTRACTION ARE DRIVING HER NOW TO BE WITH SOMEONE. She
agrees, since it is now Friday, to go out tomorrow evening with him. They
go out and have a wonderful time. He
kisses her goodnight. Sunday
he actually goes to church with her though he admitted during dinner that he
hasn’t been in awhile. NEVER MADE IT INTO THE BOOK They
discuss business and pleasure, agreeing not to mix the two. So,
Monday they return to work. Rita,
of course, notices a difference and asks her about it during lunch.
She makes a comment at this time about Lilly’s brother.
Lilly, thinking she has her mixed up with someone else shrugs it off.
Angelina also confronts her friend Joshua and encourages him to go for a
relationship with this woman. ANGELINA IS NOW IN AUSTRALIA
SO IT'S ANOTHER CO-WORKER WHO ENDS UP TALKING WITH HIM ABOUT THIS...ANGELINA
WANTED HER OWN STORY SO I HAD TO SEND HER AWAY. NOTE HOW MY STORY IS
TAKING A SLIGHT TURN FROM THE ORIGINAL IDEA, BUT THE MOTIVATION AND CONFLICT ARE
STILL IN LINE. Meanwhile
the hurricane has entered the gulf and is a Category 1.
It bears watching. Joshua
calls Lilly in after lunch to mentioned the hurricane and then he casually
mentions someone had called asking for her. She is
blows it off in front of him. He
insists if there is a problem she should talk to him. She
struggles but decides against it. She
wonders if it’s her landlord knowing that he knows her phone number and had
needed to talk to her about something--having left a notice on her door about
some work that needed doing. She
decides to talk to her landlord tonight and if it’s not him, then she’ll
talk to Joshua. On the
way home that night her tire blows out. She
gets out in the pouring rain to change it, just as Joshua is passing. YOU
CAN SEE BY NOW HOW ARE THE ACTUAL STORY HAS DRIFTED...WE ARE 3/4 OF THE WAY
THROUGH THE STORY...THERE ARE SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE HURRICANE, AND THEY
ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THE GUY...AND SOMEONE BLOWS OUT HER TIRE... He
stops to help her, only to get nearly run over by someone. Getting
her in his car he calls Angelina SOMEONE ELSE DOES THIS
and has her get security on it and have someone pick up her car. He
then asks Lilly what is going on. He
demands her answers. She
confesses she was once involved with someone and that he wants her back and why. The
entire story comes out. He
takes her to ‘the bunker’ as he calls his house in Pride.
It’s a special place that’s self sufficient--even if the hurricane
hits--which looks very likely as it is now a Category 2 and headed right for the
mouth of the Mississippi. She
figures out during this time that Rita actually gave information to this man
because he posed as her brother asking about her. She also finds out that Joshua doesn’t like to mix business with pleasure as he becomes really cold toward her trying to break off any feelings he had previously shown. NOTE SOMETHING HERE...WE ARE 3/4 OF THE WAY THROUGH THE STORY...THIS IS ABSOLUTELY STUPID AND UNREAL...WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD A MAN WHO HAS SAVED A WOMAN AND LOVE HER DO THIS...SO HE IS WORKING TO GET HER BACK WHERE THEY AREN'T ALONE...I FORGET THE REASON IN THE STORY FOR GOING TO THE BUNKER, BUT IT WAS TO TURN AROUND...THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE--OH! THE GENERATOR. THEY HAD TO HAVE THE GENERATOR...SO THAT'S HOW THEY ENDED UP OUT HERE...HE HAD HER SAFE AND DECIDES HERE, TO KEEP HER WITH HIM, HAVE HIS FRIENDS TRY TO FIND THE GUY WHO IS TRYING TO KILL HER AND SHE AND JOSH WILL PICK UP THE GENERATOR... LITTLE
DOES HE KNOW, THE GUY IS THERE, AT HIS HOUSE, HAVING PREDICTED THIS WAS WHERE
JOSH WAS GOING... Angry
at his attitude and worried at the same time because Joshua does have a bad
knee, she slips out when he’s asleep. AGAIN, BY THE TIME
I HAD DEVELOPED THE STORY, THIS WAS TOO FAR FETCHED...SHE WANTED TO RUN, BUT BY
NOW SHE SHOULD LOVE THIS GUY ENOUGH NOT TO WANT TO LEAVE HIM IN DANGER...SO JOSH
HAS ALREADY CONFRONTED HER, AFTER THAT IRE WAS BLOWN OUT, ABOUT HER AFFINITY TO RUNNING. NOW
IF SHE RAN SHE WOULD BE GIVING IN TO HER INTERNAL CONFLICT SO SHE MUST MAKE A
STAND. THIS IS THE DARK MOMENT AS EVERYTHING COMES OUT... The
hurricane hits (for you who know, a hurricane can take days to do its worst).
She’s out driving in the mess to get away.
She goes to her house. Joshua
catches her there and his entire story comes out.
He was in love with the woman and lost her and her son. He has never forgiven God.
She confronts him on this and asks how he can hold God at fault for a
choice made by a man or a woman. She
tells him that he has to let go of his pain if he’s going to do any good now. He
kisses her, admitting he loves her and doesn’t want to lose her too.
She tells him to trust God and she’ll trust him to protect her. He
goes to drag her back to her house, but the worst of the hurricane has hit and
they end up stuck back at the security building, the safest place around. The
power of course, goes off and the back up generator dies.
He is stuck there with her and thus begins the cat and mouse game of her
ex-fiancé trying to get her. Joshua
goes to attempt to fix the generator. When
he realizes the generator hasn’t gone out but was purposely broken he tears
back up after Lilly. SO, IF THEY DIDN'T DO ANY OF
THIS...WHERE AM I GOING...I CUT ALL OF IT OUT AND HAD JOSH KNOCKED OUT...AND WE
GO RIGHT INTO THIS...SHE IS IN THE GARAGE AND JOSH GETS KNOCKED OUT, THE EX
STARTS STALKING HER IN THE DARK OF THE GARAGE/BARN...THIS IS THE CLIMATIC MOMENT Meanwhile,
Lilly’s ex-fiancé confronts her about her past, insisting she is going to
come back, one way or another. It
hurt his position when she left. If
he has to beat her into submission he’ll do that but she’s coming back. He
tries to catch her as he talks, backing her into an office with no escape. He catches her and starts out with her, only to be confronted
by Josh. Josh
has called his friends. And
they’re on their way. But it
comes down to him and Taylor. If he
doesn’t lower his gun, Taylor will kill Lilly.
So, Josh does lower the gun, only to be shot (he has on armor though
Lilly doesn’t know it). He
allows Taylor to start past and managing to get his breath gets up and tackles
Taylor. Lilly
gets the gun away and holds it on Taylor until Angelina shows up, gun ready with
the police at her side. They
take Taylor away. REMEMBER, A LOT OF THE ABOVE HAS
CHANGED AS THE ENDING CHANGED SOME WHAT....HOWEVER...BY LILLY NOT RUNNING AND
TAYLOR ADMITTING HIS FEELINGS, THEY HAVE OVERCOME THEIR PAST...SO NOW WE HAVE TO
SEE THAT HAPPEN NEXT... She
confesses that she should have never doubted his ability.
He agrees but insists she’ll have years to learn, if she’s willing to
become his wife. She
agrees. And
Angelina insists they wait out the storm somewhere safer and herds them all out
toward her house. The
End SO NOTE WHAT HAPPENED...I WROTE THE SYNOPSIS FOR THIS STORY...IT WAS BOUGHT...BUT AS I GOT INTO IT AND WORKED IT OUT, I NOTED SOME THINGS WERE HAPPENING TOO LATE IN THE STORY AND HAD TO CHANGE THEM...BUT THE SAME CONFLICT IS THERE, THE SAME INTERNAL/EXTERNAL AND MOTIVATIONS ETC.... I ACTUALLY TIGHTENED THE STORY BY USING THE SYNOPSIS AND SEEING, WAIT, THIS IS TOO FAR INTO THE STORY...IT HAS TO BE SOONER OR I'M GOING TO HAVE A 350 PAGE STORY! SO REMEMBER, A SYNOPSIS IS A GUIDE, NOT WRITTEN IN BLOOD...BUT DO TURN IN THE BEST POSSIBLE!
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