Example: For The Enchanted Swans, this is what I had written for my synopsis (sometimes it changes as I write the book itself!)
Children of Lir Snowflake
Shortly after the last battle between the Sidhe and the Gael, Aobh (daughter of Oillel of Ara) and Lir of Sioth Fionnachaidh had a true love, but it is cut short when she dies in childbirth. Story starts as the mother is dying, giving birth to the twins Conn and Fiachra. She has four children, Fionnuala, Aodh, and the twins, Fiachra and Conn. Lir is despondent, and almost kills himself. The only thing that keeps him in this world is the love he has for his children. In order to keep him as kin and ally, the king of the Tuatha de Danaan gives Lir Aoibh’s sister, Aoife, as a new wife. Ravens teach royal children magic, and they are bonded, giving long life to the ravens.
Aoife is a sorceress, and jealous of the love Lir has for his four children. After several years, and a year of illness, she decides she must rid herself of them. On a trip to see the king, Bodhbh Dearg, she takes a detour into a frightening wood. By a lake (Derravaragh in Westmeath), she offers untold riches, whatever they want, if the servants will kill them. They refuse, as they love the children as their own.
Aoife tries to kill them herself, but a geis when she was a child prevents her from doing so. Instead, she turns them into swans using a druid staff, and curses them to live on for 300 years in 3 different bodies of water (Lake Deravaragh/Dairbhreach (Lake of the Oaks), Straits of Moyle, Irrus Domnann/Sruwaddacon Bay). Fionnuala fights back, declaring that she must know the terms of the curse. She tells her that the doom will end when a king from the North weds a queen from the south, and when you hear the sound of a little bell that rings for prayers. The king and queen come and forces her to recant somewhat, allowing them to have the music of the sidhe and their human voices.
The king banishes Aoife to the form of an air witch. In the meantime, he and his court pay tend to the swans on the lake for the first three hundred years. Tales of the swans go far and wide across the land, to Sidhe and Gael alike. When their time is up, they must move on to the Sea of Moile for their second term of imprisonment. The air witch follows them and harasses them, though insubstantial in form. The fierce wind rips her away when the swans work newly learned battle magic.
The sea is harsh and they lose track of each other in a storm, but eventually they are reunited. A gift from Nuala’s former love, silver chains to connect them, keep them from truly losing each other. They see some of their father’s men, Fergus and Aodh, sons that bring back word of their survival, but fewer and fewer people come to the seashore to see them. Nuala and Mochán form a love.
Their third term is isolated and harsher than the see, whipped by the winds of the Atlantic storms. On their way, they rush back to their first lake, where they are eager to see their father’s family once again, but they recognize nothing. The fair hall they lived in as children was long gone in 900 years, leaving only extensive ruins and an extensive withered garden. Deoch, the daughter of the king of Munster, hears about the swans from Mochán and orders the Warrior king, Lairgnen, king of Connacht, to bring them to her. She tries to remove them from their designated place, but they escape her clutches by singing their captors to sleep. They discover that Aoife was actually controlling the queen.
After their 900 years are over, they retreat to the Isle of Inis Gluaire, where they find a stone building with a ringing bell, and monks to help them break the curse. Through Mochán, they make friends with one of the monks, Caomhóg. He describes the changes in the world since they have been cursed, and offers to baptize them into the new Christian religion. Another monk accuses Caomhóg of consorting with daemons, and tries to have him expelled from the monastery, but the swans save him by agreeing to become Christian.
They are baptized by noon that day. The air witch is finally banished. As the sound of the bell rings in the twelfth chime, they are transformed back into humans with the voices of angels, and they charm the monks with their songs.
They revel in their forms, but begin to age. They begin to panic, and sorrow befalls them as they mourn the loss of their true lives. The monk tells them to trust in god, but they disbelieve the god that gave them their life only to snatch it away again. They appeal to the old gods, but in vain. The old gods at least slow the aging to a few days. They do as much as they can, eating foods and loving life, before they die. Nuala enjoys two weeks of pleasure with Mochán. They are buried standing, Fionnuala in the middle.
Some of my character profiles. Again, sometimes they took lives of their own and the final product didn't look like the plan!
Aobh Bán – dead mother, daughter of Oillel of Aran – From all accounts, she was a shining star, a sweet woman. In reality, she was a bit bland, and biddable. She could do exquisite embroidery and sing sweetly. She loved her children dearly and sang them songs, sang at dinner, etc. Blond, tall, willowy, a bit sickly, pale ivory skin, blue eyes. Like a wraith in the night. Was once courted by Cliach, the Harper of the King of the Three Rosses in Connacht, who played for a year outside, but failed. A lake burst up under his feet on top of the mountain, Loch Bel Sead.
Aoife Rua – 7 years younger sister of Aobh – a strong woman with red hair, freckles, and black eyes. Tall and thin, but with some curves. Strong personality, but insecure, needs reassurance that she’s beautiful, always lived in the shadow of her more beautiful, biddable sister. Troublemaker. Gets involved in sorcery, makes a mistake that leaves her sick for a year.
Lir – A big man, dark reddish brown hair and bluff, controlling, truly loved Aobh and was despondent and destructive when she died. He went on a rampage, and was never quite right afterwards. He dotes on his children, and while he is very controlling of Aoife, he ignores her affections. He is abusive in language and sometimes deed. He treats her like a lowly servant. Lived on Sidhe Fionnachaidh, the Hill of the White Field on Slieve Fuad. First (Pre-Aobh) wife had died after a three-night sickness. His first wife had given him two sons, Manannán and Lodan.
Fionnuala – Efficient young lady, age 14, full of energy and strong of opinion. Sasses back to her father regularly, but he loves it. Training in weapons. Great at the bow, but wants to learn spear on the sly. Hates cooking, but learns it as her duty. Reddish-blond hair, freckles, gawky and thin, but has some muscle tone. Beginning to bloom and notice men, gets in trouble occasionally for that.
Aed – Age 12, blond like his mother. Fionnuala is used to watching out for him and caring for him, getting him out of scrapes. He tries to follow Nuala (nickname) in everything, sometimes ruining her trysts with young men. He loves gardening and forests, climbing trees, finding new plants. Good at spear, not so much at sword. Helps Nuala learn spear. A very serious child, given to prophesy.
And my scene list (as it started)
- Childbirth death scene of Aobh
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- Nuala going to tell her father of her mother's death/wailing, rampage
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- Nuala taking over the household duties, with help from the ravens
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- Nuala and Aed try to pull father out of his misery and fail
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- Lesson from the ravens, memory of their parents' wedding through magic
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- During archery lessons, Aed injures himself. Nuala flirts with a young nobleman Tadhg
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- A Milesian visitor comes to the hall, from the king, offering sympathy; got through glamour
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- Lir ejects the visitor with a mad rampage about the Milesians, but the bard calms him with a song
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- The bard sings Lir to sleep while the ravens help. Nuala takes notes of the magic
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- Nuala learning of the battle of Tailltu from the ravens; Lir and Tadhg joins them
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- Kitchen disaster; Nuala fails to prevent a fight among the staff
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- Nurse Saoirse sings the babies to sleep,starts telling tales of when Nuala was young. A bit mad.
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- Father starts wailing, disrupting the whole castle.
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- Nuala, doubting her abilities to run the castle, runs into the forest for peace. Tadhg tries to follow
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- The ravens find her, drag her back as the children are ill.
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- Soothed once again, Nuala falls into a deep slumber, dreams of her mother; prophesy
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- The dreams turn to portents and danger, white feathers and air demons
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- They travel to Bodb Dearg's court for a family visit; Tadhg joins them
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- Lir's despair concerns the court, as he talks to few people.
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- Bodb Dearg offers another sister, and Lir chooses Aoife; Tadhg's father announces his betrothal as well
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- Aoife is solicitous, but Nuala is suspicious, tells suspcions to Tadhg
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- Wedding scene, great party! Hawlen warns Nuala something is wrong
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- Nuala and Aed sit in the nursery with the ravens, introducing the babies to their own bondmates
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- Aoife takes over at the household, creates friction; bard goes mad; Aed tries to help
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- Aoife, jealous of Lir's solicitude of the children; ravens tell of Aoife's geas and prophesy
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- Hawlen brings word from White Council on visions - gives some lesson in curse deflecting
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- Lir gets angry at Aoife and beats her
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- Going to bed - Children in Lir's bedroom; Hawlen brings news of Milesian treachery; killing ravens
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- Aoife falls ill and into delirium; Aed takes healing duties
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- Nuala must take over housekeeping again, but is much better this time, after Aoife
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- Aoife tries to kill Aed's raven with her bare hands
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- Aoife recovers after a year, but she is not the same. Wants to host party for Milesians
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- Preparing for a trip to the court, Nuala puts a poison in Aoife and Lir's cup so they stay home
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- The trip is longer than usual, and the children fall asleep on the floor of the carriage.
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- When they awake, they are near Lake Dairbhreach, and Aoife tries to get the servants to kill
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- Aoife, in a rage, tries to kill the children, who are awake now but the geis prevents her
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- Nuala tries to talk Aoiife down, but mentions Lir by mistake, Aoife curses them
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- Nuala counters part of her curse, retaining voice and song.
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- Aoife runs to court without them, and they sing sorrowful songs on the water
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- Aoife tells king they were killed by boars, but he doesn't believe her; banishes her as a demon
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- King searches for the children, finds them by the lake
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- Lir, Bodb Dearg, and the swans try to find a way to break the curse
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- Ravens are sent to research magic with druids
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- They sing to serenade the court as they camp that night; aed guilt at all his fault
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- The ravens return, with no good news. They promise to stay by the children
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- Aoife demon returns to harass them, but the ravens chase her away
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- Tadhg visits after 10 years. Wife is dead, has a child, she is adorable and named Finna
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- Las must retire from her guard duty, due to illness. Tor takes over guardship, adds Roisinn (fem)
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- Ravens continue to teach magic, and continue to try to transform.Porrig botches spell, ravens are ill
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- Finna (adult now) gifts them silver chains, the ravens are healed
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- They must leave their home now, 300 years later, for the Sea of Moyle. King and Lir are sad;
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- The flight is beautiful across the land; almost lose the twins.
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- The ravens get separated from the children, and they despair. Tor finds them.
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- They find a haven in a rocky island in the sea. Stawn comes with a solution.
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- A storm comes, and they fear separation, but remain together with the silver chains
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- They form a plan in case it happens again; finds Roman trader and make friends/Roisinn falls in love
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- Stawn performs his magic, but dies as a result of the spell.
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- Porrig visits one more time before going to Tir na nOg
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- They despair ever surviving the curse; mourn lost childhood; Roisinn leaves for love, only Tor left
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- Porrig tells of Bodb Dearg's death in a battle beneath the hills
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- Harassment by the air demon again, Nuala casts spell to rip her away
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- Peace sleeping in each other's wings. Tor must leave, his replacement comes- Celt Conor Dubh
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- They meet a druid MOCHÁN, on shore, helps them learn more magic to keep them sane, adopts children
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- Find their father's men, Fergus and Aodh, on shore, barely remembered.
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- They sing a song to bring on the night, sad and sorrowful, but together. Nuala loves Mochán
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- They must travel to their third term of the curse. Frightened of the journey
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- They see the king's home, but it is abandoned and grown over. Despair.
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- Beautiful journey across the land; Riordan caught with a local girl when they arrive
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- Frozen sea, cave, they still have each other, and MOCHÁN follows them to keep care of them.
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- King Tadhg yet lives. Old and a bit mad.
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- Fiachra tries to go feral, almost dies trying to leave. Nuala must heal his mind, and goes mad herself for a while
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- MOCHÁN heals Nuala's madness
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- They see ravens, but they are no longer magical ravens. They are dumb beasts
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- Anticipation as their third term nears end; will she be happy in the underworld? Will MOCHÁN join?
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- Lairgnen appears, to take them to Deoch. They escape with magic song putting them to sleep.
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- Visit by Caomhog, with news of the marriage of a king and queen from north and south
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- Curse finished, but not transformed. Retreat to isle of Inis Gluaire for bell. A peaceful garden
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- The monk, Caomhog, greets them and tells them the changes in the world. Wants to baptize
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- Another monk accuses them of being demons, try to expell them.. They agree to be Christian
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- Baptism into the new faith
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- The demon appears to stop the baptism, but the monks, druids work together to banish her
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- They transform into humans, charming monks and druids with their sweet songs
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- They begin to age. Druids tell them they will die. They beg God and the gods to give them life
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- God doesn't answer. The druids say gods can only give them a few days.
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- They enjoy their few days in song and revelry, Nuala makes love to the druid, and they die.
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- They are buried standing as four, and the five stars swoop across the sky, reunited in Tir na nOg
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See all those 'added scenes'? It's where I expanded one into 6
I keep track of how far through the book I am by dividing my current scene by the total, and then multiply my word count by that amount. It gives me a percentage completion, but it's skewed if my scene count changes too much.
What can I say? I'm a numbers gal.
