If you’re a writer, do you hate writing a synopsis? I’m rewriting one now, after I finished the book. So much has changed in the story that my synopsis needs a makeover. Not only is a synopsis necessary as part of a book proposal, but the marketing department in a publishing house may use it to prepare a sales pitch for your work. Several published writers give excellent workshops on this topic, so try to catch one if you can. Meanwhile, here are my tips, both from my own practice and from my doing numerous critiques of other writers’ proposals.

1. Open with a hook. You already know this is crucial in your manuscript, but it applies to your synopsis as well.
2. Use action verbs. Your story should be engaging as you relate it to the reader.
3. Make sure the story flows in a logical manner from scene to scene.
4. Leave out unnecessary details like minor characters and their names, physical descriptions unless applicable to the basic storyline, subplots unless critical to the resolution of the main plot.
5. Include your characters’ emotional reactions and stay in their heads as you would in the story. Use transitions if you switch viewpoints.
6. Show your character’s internal struggle as well as his/her external conflict.
7. Consider adding a log line (i.e. one liner story blurb) on your first page before the story begins.
8. If it’s the first book in a series, consider beginning with a short profile of your main character(s). For example, for my mystery proposal, I started with a few paragraphs about my sleuth before the narrative. For a romance, this would mean offering a paragraph or two about your hero and heroine. What brought them to this situation? What do they hope to accomplish? What is keeping them from reaching their goal? Why is it important to them?
9. Motivate your characters’ actions in the narrative so their responses don’t seem random and illogical.
10. Explain the ending. In a mystery, this means you tell whodunit and why. In romance, it’ll be your dark moment and the resolution of the romantic conflict. You’ll also want to relate how your character has changed or grown from this experience.

I've been using my tracking board for my current manuscript, and my little post-its summarizing each chapter will (I hope) give me the starting point for my synopsis. I can't write one that comes close to what the final product turns out to be until I finish the book. Your points are very well taken. It's just so hard to have all that shine through when someone wants a 2-3 page synopsis.

Thanks for the good advice, Nancy. I have a problem writing the synopsis and your 10 tips are more than useful.

I'm not talking about a short synopsis. Then you just need to hit the highlights. Mine tend to run 10-15 pages.

Thanks Nancy. Your tips are very helpful. I find what helps me is keeping a brief summary (hey, a synopsis) on each chapter like Terry Odell. It makes writing the synopsis for the book a lot easier. Rosemary:)

I do my plotting board before I start writing. That's blocking out chapters and using Post-Its. I also do character profiles. At that stage, I write the synopsis. It acts as my writing guideline for the story. The story can change, hence the revised synopsis afterward.

Great advice Nancy, but then your advice is usually wonderful. Thank you. I've started a blog, too and posted a short story called Death Caps on it, and I'm offering writers tips as well. You can reach the link through my website.

Really good advice. Too many synopses are bland when they would be better if they read almost like a mini book.

Helen
Straight From Hel

Excellent advice Nancy. May I add that in a Romance, the synopsis should explain the emotional development. I remember an editor from HQ who made me rewrite a synopsis based ONLY on the emotional development from scene to scene. She said that: "Often how characters react to a situation is as important as the situation itself, if not more.":)

When I write a synopsis I am always reminded of the old book reports we used to have to do, just fleshed out.
Great tips Nancy!

Nice list, Nancy. I enjoy writing a synopsis about as much as having a root canal. But it's a necessary evil. Your #10 is so important. Many new writers want to hold back the ending thinking it will create suspense for the agent or editor. Never works that way. Thanks for sharing your tips.

I've never written a synopsis as long as yours, am more familiar with the one-pager to go along with a query (one page to sum a 300-page ms: THAT I really dread!)
Anyway ... I've always heard it should be in the present tense. Right? Or, no?

Yes, present tense is correct.

thanks so much for posting this. I can never write logical and concise synopsis's.

Thanks, all, for your comments. I think most writers grind their teeth when they start their synopsis. As Joe said, it's a necessary evil. But it also helps you lay the proper groundwork for your story.

Nice

Great tips. Synopsis-writing is not my favorite chore...

Hi Nancy, thanks for the tips. They are concise and easy to understand. People are always asking me for help, now I can give them your blog address for advice.

Here's another site someone recommended to me:http://www.bethanderson-hotclue.com/workshops/writing-the-tight-synopsis/