If Query Letters are the Spawn of the Devil, then the dreaded synopsis surely is the devil for most authors. Sadly, they are a fact of life, so let’s try to make them as painless as possible, which I grant you, is not easy – after all how do you condense your 90,000-word manuscript to 500-1000 words? – with a lot of research and even more patience.
Defining a Synopsis
The purpose of a synopsis is to plot out novel (plot, theme, characters, setting), while also banding together the ‘big picture.’ Quickly telling what your novel is about, start to finish, so that the editor/agent doesn’t have to read the entire novel – in other words, keep no plot twists or the ending a secret.
You have likely seen agents/editors all ask for differing lengths. Most ask for 1 or 2 pages, some ask for more and a few I’ve heard of ask for 300-words or even less. In other words, there are no ‘real’ rules to the length of the ideal synopsis – so you need to follow the submission guidelines.
Most agents/editors read 100’s of submissions every week so many will ask for your synopsis to be double spaced, especially those wanting more than one page. You have to think about how straining it is on the eyes to be reading 100’s of submissions. If an agent doesn’t specify if they want the synopsis single, 1.5 or double spacing, I recommend a spacing of 1.5 – you can write something like: Per submission guidelines I have included the (number of) pages and synopsis below. As you don’t mention the spacing preferred, I have used 1.5 spacing for your convenience.
You will not lose any good-will points for 1.5 spacing but you may gain some for being considerate. This is just a suggestion and, as long as there are no specific guidelines on the spacing, you can use your discretion. Also, unless specifically stated, your synopsis should be embedded in the email.
When writing your synopsis, focus on the essential parts of your story, and try not to include sections of dialogue unless you think they’re absolutely necessary, and then only very (very, very) short sections of dialogue. Personally I don’t like seeing dialogue in a synopsis as I feel that’s what the manuscript sample pages are for. However I wouldn’t reject based on one short 10 word section of dialogue – especially if it suits the synopsis and is a brilliant line.
What to avoid when writing your Synopsis
While there is no universal standard for the length of a novel synopsis, agents/editors usually favour one to two pages. Sometimes an agent might ask for a chapter outline instead, which is a synopsis of each chapter. Here are some tips on what to avoid:
- Too much detail.What you’re aiming for is a summary, just enough detail about the plot to give them a real feel of the theme and story-line direction.
- Editorialising. Don’t use “…this is a tender and emotional point in the story…” Here’s what the agent/editor might read from your editorial notes;
- author doesn’t have confidence in their story
- the story is full of unnecessary exposition
- there could be a lot of work cutting to the meat of the manuscript
- the author doesn’t understand the purpose of a synopsis and therefore perhaps hasn’t researched the writing profession
- all of the above
- Unnecessary description/explanation. Make each word count.
- Don’t mention too many events – it’s not a shopping list.
- Don’t mention too many characters – It’s confusing for the reader to follow and unnecessary. We don’t need to know about the neighbours second cousin who visits every summer and makes the best chocolate chip cookies on the planet. Detail like this is left for the manuscript, not the synopsis.
- Writing back cover & not a synopsis. I’ve actually read some sites suggest writing a ‘hook’ for your synopsis – your query did that already. Your focus should be on giving the agent/editor a concise summary.
Synopsis Format
Paragraph 1-2: Begin with identifying your protagonist, problem or conflict, and setting.
Paragraph 3: Should convey any major plot turns or conflicts necessary and any important secondary characters (note the word important – you are not mentioning the neighbour down the street that your MC sometimes passes the time of day with – you should be introducing secondary characters vital to the plot/twist/ outcome). Characters should be mentioned in the order they are presented in the manuscript.
Paragraph 4-5 This is where you mention the conflict, and ideally, a secondary issue/conflict/point of difference. Agents/editors want to know the story is not one dimensional for example, if you’re writing a romance, the main theme is the romance, but there could be a secondary conflict – something to do with the MC’s life such as a personal struggle, a family illness (perhaps a member of the family is suffering from an illness or the MC is a single parent raising a child, or there is a legal/mortal/financial issue that needs addressing etc). Other conflicts could be the world the MC is set in (historical /fantasy) which causes issues or a past the MC needs to protect/address/resolve.
For example: “Just as the relationship between Mary and John starts to develop, Mary’s estranged father, Mike, turns up at her doorstep wanting to reconcile…” and then you go on to explain what the issue is (briefly) with Mary’s father, why they are estranged and what threat her father poses to Mary.
Paragraph 6 – Summary conclusion. This is the ending of the story not your interpretation of the ‘inner meaning and symbolism within the story’ – let the reader of your manuscript decide what the story means and symbolises. Don’t anger an agent/editor or have them roll their eyes at what might come off as cliché, predictable or simply boring. You’ve got this far with the agent/editor, don’t ruin it right at the end.
Note I have suggested the length to be between 4-6 paragraphs. This is how you break up your synopsis size. For those agents wanting 1-page, you are looking at 3-4 paragraphs. For those wanting 2-pages, you are looking at 6, possibly 7 (depending on length of each paragraph).
Lastly and if you follow nothing else I have suggested above, take this one piece of advice as a RULE. Follow the submission guidelines – to the letter. If the agent/editor wants up to 500 words, make it 500 words not 510, but 500. It’s true that most agents/editors will not dismiss your submission because it’s over by 10-words, but it will surely be in the back of their minds. If the agent/editor wants double spacing in Arial with a smiley face at the end of each paragraph – then that’s what you do. Don’t ask why, you know why – that’s their REQUIREMENT – FULL STOP – simple! Don’t cut your writers throat by being ‘clever and original’ – that’s what your manuscript is for, not your synopsis.
Further Synopsis Research
I would also recommend sites with excellent ‘how-too’s – many with examples of successful synopsis’
Sites such as:
- Writers Digest – http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/synopsis-writing
- Nathan Bransford – http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2007/08/how-to-write-synopsis.html
- Preditors & Editors – http://pred-ed.com/pubsubs.ht
There are many other’s available, the above is intended as a starting point.
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