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
1 comment:
Another benefit of writing the synopsis is that it forces you to look at your book differently. Editing the synopsis, I see what needs to be added/deleted to the book.
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