Synopses

[Del]

I have conflicting info on how to write a synopsis. A publisher stated that it wanted the synopsis to contain the same energy that fueled the book. "Flair, excitement, let your voice come out".

I've also been advised that a synopsis isn't to entertain. It should contain the facts of your book and be more like a business letter.

Should it sound like a movie trailer or a collage lecture?

[Jamesaritchie]

I have conflicting info on how to write a synopsis. A publisher stated that it wanted the synopsis to contain the same energy that fueled the book. "Flair, excitement, let your voice come out".

I've also been advised that a synopsis isn't to entertain. It should contain the facts of your book and be more like a business letter.

Should it sound like a movie trailer or a collage lecture?

A long time ago, I had two editors tell me they liked synopses that read just like the ones on the jacket of a published novel. The exception being that a synopsis should include the ending.

This made good sense to me. The synopsis on the jacket of a published novel is there to make the reading public want to read that novel. I see no reason why it would not also make an agent or editor want to read the manuscript. I've written synopses this way every since, and it always seems to work.

So I'd defintely say more like a movie trailer.

And do you know how boring business letters usually are? If your synospsis bores an agent or editor, why would they want to read your manuscript?