Short Story Synopsis?

Diane Amy · Nov 5, 2009

Hi Everyone,

I have a short story ready to go that I want to submit to a print magazine that looks appropriate. Within their guidelines they state the following:

ALL STORIES MUST CONTAIN WITHIN THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT, A STORY SYNOPSIS PROCEEDING THE BODY OF THE WORK.

I've never heard of writing a synopsis for a short story. Has anyone else? Should I spoil the ending by including what happens? The magazine accepts short storys between 3K and 5K long, and mine is right around 3K.

Any offered guidance is appreciated.

Thanks
Diane

Stijn Hommes · Nov 6, 2009

No, I've never heard of writing a synopsis for a short story, and unless that magazine had a particular good reputation, they wouldn't be my first choice. A synopsis if a short version of the story, so if you write one, you'll have to include the ending as well.

astonwest · Nov 6, 2009

I, too, have never heard of a full synopsis for a short story. I wonder if they're looking for a brief one sentence overview of the story? Might not hurt to send a short inquiry to the editors to verify...

Summonere · Nov 6, 2009

If they ask for a synopsis, give them a synopsis. A really, really short synopsis. Two things they're going to look at: did you follow directions? Do they like the story?

NicoleMD · Nov 6, 2009

I had to do that once. They just asked for a quick one sentence synopsis. I'd suggest using that model, and make it interesting enough for the reader to want more, but not so much to give it away.

Nicole

cathyfreeze · Nov 6, 2009

Try a log line, i guess, but add an ending.

Something like "When [insert protag] [insert problem,] she must [insert solution] but [insert major obstacle] so [insert final solution] in order to [insert themes in concrete terms.]

And then tweak it to get rid of that awfully cliche pattern.

oh, and i have not heard of such a practice, either, and urge you to make sure you're sending to a top market first. But when you *do* submit to this market, i, too, recommend Following The Guidelines.

cat

cathyfreeze · Nov 6, 2009

NicoleMD said:
I had to do that once. They just asked for a quick one sentence synopsis. I'd suggest using that model, and make it interesting enough for the reader to want more, but not so much to give it away.

Nicole

Or *not* give away the ending? I'm not sure of that. I'd always heard that a synopsis gave it all away.

They're not asking for a teaser, are they?

cat

Maryn · Nov 6, 2009

As I understand the rules, the synopsis does not withhold the ending, ever. The logline, the query, sure, but not the synopsis. The agent/editor/publisher needs to know if you can come up with an ending that works.

Maryn, who sometimes can

Diane Amy · Nov 10, 2009

Thank you all for your comments/suggestions.

Looks like I'll be going with a short synopsis that includes the ending.

Fingers crossed!

Diane

Kate Thornton · Nov 12, 2009

Best of luck, Diane. I find that if I can write a good synopsis of my story, I need to edit the story down further. But I have ended up with some *very* short fiction that way.

I always give them what they ask for, even if they don't really know what they want.

nkkingston · Nov 19, 2009

I wonder if they mean a summary rather than a synopsis. A short paragraph of three or four sentences describing the set up and the thrust of the plot.

However, the fact they want it in the attached document does make me wonder if they actually want a real synopsis (albiet a short one). Basically, a way of deciding (a) if it's too similar to something else they're publishing that month (b) do you have a basic grasp of spelling and grammar and (c) if it's interesting and not cliche. Basically, it's a way of deciding whether or not to actually read the story!

pdr · Nov 30, 2009

I have...

had to write a synopsis for short stories, usually it's been a one sentence synopsis but there are a couple of SF/Fantasy markets who ask for more detail.

Just do it! And keep it brief.

Katrina S. Forest · Dec 20, 2009

I had to write a short synopsis for True Confessions, as I recall. I think I made it a short paragraph. (My story was around 5K, I think.) They bought the story, so I couldn't have been too far off the mark.

eqb · Dec 20, 2009

pdr said:
had to write a synopsis for short stories, usually it's been a one sentence synopsis but there are a couple of SF/Fantasy markets who ask for more detail.

Yeah, I know two SFF magazine markets that want a short summary--Postscripts and Subterranean. The synopses/summaries I've sent to them were a just a paragraph, but they seemed to work.

Polenth · Dec 20, 2009

eqb said:
Yeah, I know two SFF magazine markets that want a short summary--Postscripts and Subterranean. The synopses/summaries I've sent to them were a just a paragraph, but they seemed to work.

Out of interest, did you include the ending or was it more a query-style summary?

eqb · Dec 20, 2009

Polenth said:
Out of interest, did you include the ending or was it more a query-style summary?

My Subterranean query was very sketchy. It described my story as "an SF, steampunkish, feminist kind of yarn, with a high-atmosphere balloon escape and some explosions." He asked for the story, and an hour later, he bought it.

My Postscripts summaries did include the ending, iirc, but they weren't longer than a paragraph. All the summaries got a request for the whole story.

eyeblink · Dec 20, 2009

A theme anthology I submitted to once, asked for a synopsis before asking for the whole story. In this case it was to avoid too much theme repetition between stories.

Short Story Synopsis?

Diane Amy

New kid, be gentle!

Stijn Hommes

Know what you write...

astonwest

2 WIP? A glutton for punishment

Summonere

NicoleMD

Onomatopotamus

cathyfreeze

I lost my fever! I need it back!

cathyfreeze

I lost my fever! I need it back!

Maryn

I Tried

Diane Amy

New kid, be gentle!

Kate Thornton

Still Happy to be Here. Or Anywhere

nkkingston

Bemused Girl

pdr

Katrina S. Forest

eqb

I write novels

Polenth

Mushroom

eqb

I write novels

eyeblink

Barbara says hi