Synopsis Hell

[Saanen]

I've decided to quit putting it off, and I'm getting ready to submit Weaver's Shroud again. I got a few good nibbles on it a few years ago, two publishers (BAEN and Ace) asking for the whole ms., but obviously it's still unpublished. I've given it an overhaul and I think it's a much better book now. Anyway, I've decided to send it to a smaller publisher this time and they want a short synopsis. I have a 20-page synopsis and I've been trying to distill it down to one or two pages and MY GOD IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!

Any tips on handling a synopsis this short? And anyway, how short is short? They don't specify a length, but it's an email submission (Mundania Press) and I get the impression they don't want twenty pages. I've written over one page (single spaced) and I'm only halfway through the plot. How on earth do I distill 97,000 words into a few thousand without losing pacing, subplots, characterization, etc.?

Really, I would rather write a thousand novels than a single synopsis.

[James D. Macdonald]

Lose the subplots.

[Nateskate]

It's an art. But I'm not an artist. I just fling colors at the wall like monkey's do and hope the buyers can't tell the difference.

There's so much good advice on these pages, and links to sites on synopsis writing and query writing. Hopefully someone will save the day and send some links.

I'm probably worse at "links" than I am at synopsis writing.

If it's that great a book, I'd check one of the local colleges that have a creative writing program (presuming you don't live in the desert) and invite one of their Ph.Ds for dinner and a consultation. You buy the dinner, and they do the consultation. Since many of them have worked as editors, and some colleges don't pay very well...well...they might help.

[aruna]

Consider yourself lucky. I just had to deliver a 2 page synopsis for 1 160000 word book! Somehow I managed it. He then sent me the reader's report, which was full of questions - why did this, that, the other happen - which could have been easily answered in a longer synopsis! I too hate writing a synopsis - but I hate doing it much more if it's BEFORE the novel is even written - ie an outline - in order to get a contract. So I don't.

[aruna]

BTW I am also entering a competition which asks for the first 1000 words of your WIP plus a 500 word synopsis. Imagine THAT one! Somehow I'll do it. The prize money isn't huge but at the moment I won't sneeze at anything.

[maestrowork]

Lose the subplots. Cut all characters except the main ones (limit to less than 5). Then just cut, cut and cut. Cut all adjectives and adverbs. Cut long descriptions. Cut prose. Cut words that are not necessary. Cut pacing. Cut characterization.

A synopsis is simply: A happens, then B happens, then C happens, then.... then the end. What do pacing and characterization have to do with it?

[Saanen]

A synopsis is simply: A happens, then B happens, then C happens, then.... then the end. What do pacing and characterization have to do with it?

Because this is from Mundania's guidelines: "Convey the essential storyline complete with tension, pacing and character emotion."

But you're right (everybody's right, and many thanks)--I've got to cut this down in a major way. I'm getting out the big clippers right now.

[Misschelei]

I just spent two weeks toiling over my query letter. 100,000 words into 2 paragraphs was my goal. I'm shocked that I actually pulled it off. I got a piece of paper and taped it to my computer. It read:

Who? What? Why? Where? How?

I've gathered from my research that is all they are interested in. Hope this helps. The synopsis part of my letter was one of the hardest things I have every had to do.

[Saanen]

That's a great way to look at it, thanks! I managed to get my synopsis down to just under 1,200 words without making it seem too choppy. I'm going to try and get it to under 1,000 now.

I suppose synopses help publishers/editors or they wouldn't ask for them, but I can't help but think that this is a sort of test of our abilities (or our stamina).

[Misschelei]

Oh it's a big time test. It's what gets you past an adminstrative assistant. Nothing less than perfect will do. I'm still reeling from the anxiety of it all.

[maestrowork]

Because this is from Mundania's guidelines: "Convey the essential storyline complete with tension, pacing and character emotion."

I think what they mean is they want to see if your story has a good pacing (not your synopsis), good characters and emotional impact. All can be accomplished by the "A happens, then B happens" structure.

[cwfgal]

Try approaching your synopsis from a different angle. Rather than cutting, develop a one paragraph summary of the book (which you should have for your query anyway) and build from there. Or start by giving each chapter a one-sentence summary. Here's an example from one of my own works:

Ch. 1: Dr. Rachel Mayton, a brilliant medical researcher, is shot during a convenience store robbery on the eve of launching a clinical trial for a new drug she has developed.
Ch. 2: Rachel "dies" but is resuscitated and during her near death experience she sees her dead husband, who delivers a cryptic message.
Ch. 3: Rachel returns to work 8 weeks later, eager to start the drug trial she hopes will bring her daughter out of her coma, but haunted by the fact that she continues to see and hear her dead husband.

And so on. I give each character of any relevance (and make sure the character really needs to be in the synopsis -- not all of them do) a sentence as well. Then I put it all together, reorganize as needed to make it flow better, reword as needed to make it as active as possible, and restructure my sentences to make them less choppy and dry. For me it's much more fun to build rather than cut and since I've started doing my synopses this way, I don't dread them nearly as much.

Beth

[Danger Jane]

Ah, what contest might that be? I'd be very interested in entering...

Synopses are tough for me for some things, like the things I didn't outline at ALL. I suppose I could do it, but it feels...odd. Like something I wouldn't want anyone to read without having read the entire work first. And that totally defeats the purpose.

I can only advise you to make it VERY brief, and work up from there.

[MundaniaPress]

We receive over 300 manuscripts a month now and the synopsis is very important to us. We'll look at that first before deciding if the manuscript is something we might be interested in publishing.

A synopsis should tell what your story is about. It can be as few as a couple of paragraphs, or up to a couple of pages. We appreciate that some books take more explanation, but don't get into too many details (as mentioned above).

Pretend you've got only a couple of minutes to sit down and sell your story. What is your story about? Include a quick introduction of your main characters. What difficulties do they face? What is the story hook? What will grab my attention and make me want to read your book? What makes your book different from the hundreds of thousands of other books published each year (or the millions of submissions sent out each year). Don't try to put every plot point into the synopsis, just the basic facts (that's why it's called a synopsis). :-)

Another thing you might think about is the book blurb--the two to three paragraphs that appear on the back of the book to entice a reader to buy the book, or at least pick it up for a good look. Think of it as the teaser before the first commercial in a TV show. Catch the viewers interest so they don't switch channels. Many authors will include that as a lead-in to the synopsis. Catch our interest, then give us more information about your story. Unfortunately we can't publish every book sent to us so you have a lot of competition. The synopsis can give me the reason to want to publish your book.

Also please check the spelling and grammar on your synopsis. It's not a good sign when your synopsis is riddled with mistakes. It might give the publisher the idea that your manuscript is in the same shape.

Dan

[pepperlandgirl]

Having read that post, I have the sneaking suspicion that I really ****ed up my submission (the synopsis may have been too long) to Mundania Press. *sigh*

[triceretops]

Fortunately, I think I did something right with Mundania because they requested my whole. My email query was about 1 1/2 pages Study their website, but be patient with them. They are one of the very few who accept email whole manuscripts, hence their popularity. And yes, I found them via Ralan.

Tri

[Saanen]

I sent mine at the very end of August so it's far too early to hear back yet, but at least they have it. :) I hated writing the synopsis (and I hope I didn't go into too much detail--it ended up about 1,000 words), but I had a lot of fun writing the blurb.