The Basic Elements of A Synopsis

At one time or another, an agent/editor has asked us for a synopsis and our first reaction has been similar to the cat's! What should be in a synopsis? What should not be in one? These are the two questions that usually come to a writer's mind when they are asked for a synopsis. There are as many answers as there are people to ask the question of. Here is the format I've used:
First let's discuss some generic format rules.

1. How long should a synopsis be? If the requester does not give specific guidelines, 1 page for each 10,000 words in the manuscript, to a maximum of 10 pages, is a general rule of thumb. As in all things we write, say the most in the fewest words, if you can do it in 5 pages, do so.


2. Write the synopsis in present tense. Example: A sniper kills 4 people on Boston Common and homicide detective MIKE HOUSTON is called to the scene... Try to avoid long blocks of text; keep the paragraphs short.


3. The first time a character name appears put it in caps or bold face. See the example in item 2. Restrict the number of characters to only those important to the story line. Too many characters can lead to confusion.

Content. As stated earlier there are many theories as to what should be in the synopsis. Over time you will become familiar with what your agent/editor requires, however until then here are some pointers.

1. The Setup. This is the beginning point of your story: premise, location, time frame and main characters' backgrounds. Like the opening line/page of your book, this is where you need to hook the reader. The object here is to hook the agent/editor.


2. Why? This should be considered throughout the synopsis. Unlike the manuscript, in a synopsis you don't want to keep the agent/editor in suspense. In other words this is not the place to tease the reader. In the example above tell the reader what the sniper's underlying motivation is as well as the reactions and decisions made by your characters.


3. Characterization. This includes background, personality, occupation--everything that makes your character who he/she is. It does not, however, include a physical description of the character. Unless there is something about the character's physical attributes that affects him/her emotionally, leave it out. A good rule of thumb here is: The less said, the better. You do want the reader to make a connection with your character, so focus on emotional aspects of the character. As I said earlier, only include major characters in the synopsis.


4. Plot Points. Include all major plot points; do not include subplot points. Focus on the basic story line and your major character.


5. Conflict. You must present the conflict clearly. Conflicts are simply the barriers your main character must overcome to achieve his/her goal. For example, if your main character has a fear of birds and must pursue the villain into an aviary. The main point here is that the conflict must be difficult for the hero to overcome. The American Indians believed a warrior's ability was as good as those of his enemy...the better the enemy was; the better the warrior was. No conflict = no story...


6. Emotion. Emotions are always a key element, however in some genres, such as romance, it may be the key element. Inject emotion into your synopsis whenever possible, it keeps it from being a dull read. After all, if the reader finds the synopsis boring, what does that tell them about the manuscript?


7. Action. Action is what drives most stories forward. However, don't put action into the synopsis unless it results in some important consequence to the plot. When putting action into a synopsis it is better if you adhere to another old axiom: If in doubt, leave it out.


8. Dialogue. Dialogue should only be used in a synopsis when it creates more impact than a description of the conversation. It is best to use no more than a couple of lines of dialogue in a synopsis.


9. The Black Moment. The moment of reckoning should always be in the synopsis. At what point does your character believe that the odds against him/her are so great that everything is at stake?


10. Climax. This is the moment you having been building up to since page one, word one. The final confrontation. It must always be in the synopsis.


11. Resolution. Tie up all the loose ends. Any questions posed in the synopsis should have been answered by this point. This is not the place to keep the reader in suspense about the ending.


12. Essential Basics. The 1st essential is to write the synopsis in present tense. Tell the story as if you were relating it to your best friend. Avoid passive language, you want to keep the reader involved. Focus on the main story and avoid extraneous information.


13. Formatting. Check the submission guidelines! Strictly adhere to them. If you are unsure about something--ask.


14. Submission. At the risk of being redundant: check the guidelines! Strictly adhere to them. If you are unsure of something--ask.

A writer's clearest work should be the query and synopsis. After months of work completing a manuscript it would be a shame to ruin its chances with a poorly written example of either. Put as much effort into them as you did when you wrote your great American novel!

Mystery Man

THE DREADED SYNOPSIS...

Sooner or later, an agent or publisher is going to request a synopsis of your novel. I've known a number of oft-published writers who will readily state that writing a synopsis is the hardest thing for them to do.

So, what is a synopsis? It may be best to first say what a synopsis is not. While it is a selling tool for your novel, it is not a sales pitch; that's the purpose of a good query letter. The primary goal of the synopsis is to show that you can write...

It demonstrates your ability to write a story that is coherent, logical and well thought out and organized. It should show that the plot unfolds logically, that the interaction between characters is realistic, and that the story moves at an appropriate pace and will hold the reader's attention.

"So," you may be asking yourself, "what's the big deal?" The big deal is how do you condense a 90,000 to 100,000 word novel into a 5 to 10 page summary. Obviously, it isn't easy; but it can be done.

While some publishers still request a chapter-by-chapter synopsis, most prefer a narrative that follows the story as a whole. The narrative format allows you to concentrate on the key elements of the story without beating your head against a wall trying to say something about each chapter. I believe the primary advantage of the narrative format is that it allows me to focus on the plot and my major characters without mucking up the issue with subplots and minor characters.

In my next post, I'll discuss synopsis format and content...

Keep writing!

Mystery Man

Writer's Chatroom

Interested in an on-going forum about writing? Check out the Writers' Chatroom, http://writerschatroom.com/, a twice weekly chatroom for and about writers.

Famous writers, up-and-coming authors, and other notables closely tied to the writing and publishing industry are featured guests each Sunday at 7:00 PM EST. These chats are moderated to allow those in attendance to gain the most from each chat. Each Wednesday from 8:00 to 11:00 PM EST, the chatroom features un-moderated discussions between writers and aspiring writers. However, you should read the caveat listed on the website before joining in.

Admission to the Chatroom is free of charge and there is an easy sign-up located on the website's homepage.

The chatroom also offers workshops, contests, a 24/7 forum and a newsletter. Check it out!

Mystery Man

Mark Your Calendar

The public library in Freeport, Maine has scheduled a book reading/signing with Level Best Books to be held on May 11, 2009. Authors whose work has appeared in Deadfall, the 6th annual anthology of stories by New England writers will be there to read portions of their story and to sign books.

Level Best is currently accepting submissions for the seventh anthology, current untitled. They are seeking original crime stories by New England writers in the following genres: mystery, thriller, suspense, caper, and horror. They will consider stories with elements of the supernatural. The book is usually launched in November at the New England Crime Bake, a writer/reader conference sponsored by the New England Chapters of Mystery Writers of American and Sisters in Crime. Submission guidelines are pretty basic and can be found on their website: http://levelbestbooks.com/.
The guidelines are:

• Original stories should be no more than 5,000 words in length and should not have been previously published anywhere, including on the web via an e-zine or your own website.
• Stories should not have torture, cruelty to animals, or depict violence toward children.
• Each story should be 12 pt., double-spaced. Please number your pages.
• In the upper right-hand corner, please include your name and address, phone number, e-mail address, and word count.
• Please submit hard copy with a SASE and include a brief cover letter describing your publishing experience. We do not accept electronic submissions.
• Level Best Books will accept submissions from January 1, 2009 to March 31, 2009.
• If you have any questions about whether you qualify as a New England writer, please query before submitting, info@levelbestbooks.com

Mail submissions to: Level Best Books, P.O. Box 161, Prides Crossing, MA 01965

Revealing Characters (Characterization VI)

I've come to the final post on characterization. These techniques may be numbered 13 through 16 on my list, however they are by no means less important that those preceding. In fact, they may be the most often used and important of the techniques. They are so intertwined that it's almost impossible to separate them as individual components. They are:

13. Reveal Character By Exposition. The most direct form of revelation, novelists usually resort to it when only exposition will work. It is usually done when two characters discuss another who is not present during the conversation.

14. Revealing Character By Description. This method brings the character to life for the reader. The reader gets a sense of who the character is by learning about the character's appearance, physical characteristics, and dress.

15. Revealing Character Through Narration. This method is employed when the reader learns about a character's traits, personality, and actions through the narrator rather than actions or other characters.

16. Revealing Character Through Action. It is my belief that this is the best way to reveal who your character is. A novel tends to use this method rather than narration to show the reader the details of a character.

Exposition, description, narration, and action rarely occur as isolated techniques, they are best when intermixed with each other. Writers often intermix action with dialogue to avoid what I call "talking head" syndrome where the reader is subjected to line after line of dialogue with no action to break it up. When people communicate there is a tremendous amount of action taking place. What is the speaker doing while talking? Are his/her hands stationary? What are his or her eyes and torso doing? Is he/she sitting, pacing, doing both? On the other hand, what the listener is doing can reveal a lot about how he/she is receiving the message the speaker is sending.

As a summary, the writer should consider one key element: What interests people most? Answer: Human behavior. If a character is to come to life for a reader, he/she must be Human. They must have the general, physical, emotional and emotional traits of a person. These traits must be probed and developed. The deeper you probe the more 3-dimensional your characters will be.

Mystery Man

Finally, A Winner!

Congratulations to Sharon L. Cook of Beverly, Massachusetts who sucessfully identified Nubble Light in York Beach, Maine.

Sharon your copy of Deadfall will arrive soon.

Mystery Man

Revealing Characters (Characterization V)

Now that I'm getting back in the groove, I'd like to finish up the posts on revealing characters. In previous posts we discussed techniques 1 through 8, so lets talk about methods 9 though 12.

9. Conflict Reveals Character. When a person comes in conflict with anyone or anything, there is an emotional response to that conflict. In fiction, as in life, conflict is the forge that either strengthens character or brings out a persons weaknesses. Conflict is the single most important element of any work of fiction. A story without conflict is not a story.

10. Moments of Truth Reveal Character. A short story may have one moment of truth, whereas a novel will have many, including the protagonist's final showdown with his/her antagonist. How a character handles these moments of truth will tell your reader whether they are brave or cowardly, generous or stingy, or even compassionate or uncaring. Each moment of truth should bring out the character strength (or flaw) the writer is trying to show.

11. Confession reveals Character. Confession is a very important principle for revelation of character. A character's self-confession reveals intimate and direct aspects of the character's personality. While this technique is used in all 1st person narratives, it is not restricted to them. In a 3rd person narrative one character can confess to another.

12. Giving A Person A choice Reveals Character. Which alternative a character chooses when faced with a choice tells the reader a lot about him/her. This principle has been discussed in earlier methods, but is important enough to bear repeating.

In my next post, I'll finish this topic by discussing methods 13 through 16. By now it's evident that there are a number of ways to communicate your characters' traits and personalities to your reader.

Back Live!

I am finally settled in and have internet access again. Look for daily posts to resume tomorrow, March 3, 2009.

Mysteryman