bequest of love
Post on 23-Nov-2014
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TRANSCRIPT
PAGE CONTENT
CONTENTS PAGES
TASK GIVEN
DECLARATION FORM 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 3
PAGE CONTENT 4
1.0 REVIEW “HOW TO WRITE A SYNOPSIS 5-6
2.0 SYNOPSIS OF BEQUEST OF LOVE 7-9
3.0 REFLECTION 10
4.0 REFRENCES 11
5.0 APPENDICES
5.1 Internet sources
5.2 Collaboration form
12-20
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1.0 REVIEW HOW TO WRITE A SYNOPSIS
Synopsis is the story in a nutshell beginning, middle and end. It’s aim is to tempt
and tantalise the reader so that the editor wants to see more. We want to see strong
character development, sparky emotional conflict and all the twists and turns of the
story. Above all allow your unique voice to shine through. A synopsis needs to do
two things. First and foremost, it needs to cover all of the major characters and major
plot points (including the ending) and the following; it needs to make the work come
alive. If your synopsis reads like "and then this happened and then this happened"
and it's confusing and dull, well, you might want to revise
Here are some tips regarding how to write a synopsis. Firstly, don’t leave your
synopsis on a cliff hanger thinking, it will tantalise the reader, the editor needs to
know what’s going to happen.Secondly, your synopsis should target the series
promise. Make sure your characters are living in the glitz, glamour and passion of
the presents world. Thirdly, you must make sure who is driving your story. Is it the
main characters, and their emotions, or are you relying on secondary characters to
create conflict.
Next, you must show your characters’ motivations. The reader needs to
understand and sympathise with the choices your characters have made in the past
and in the present. It is these choices that tell the reader who the characters really
are. Other than that, you should include the character development in your synopsis.
This shows us how the characters grow during the story – from the people they are
at the beginning, to whom they become at the end. Let us see their emotional
journey. The key turning points of the relationship is also important. These are the
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elements that change the characters relationship for better or worse and keep your
story moving forward.
Understand how key emotional themes work. You may have told us the hero is a
gorgeous Greek billionaire or the heroine a shy virgin but the label isn’t enough on its
own. Create a character! Show us their layers. In the synopsis we need to
understand who they are, their motivations and what drives them. Is the focus on the
relationship development rather than the setting? No matter how glamorous is the
settings, it’s the characters that make it come alive. You should give a best bit. Show
us the bare bones and the important emotional development. Too much detail
overshadows. If you feel you need to cram in everything to your synopsis it may be
that the characters and emotional conflict are not strong enough at present to drive
the story.
Last, but not least, keep it short. Not more than 2 sides of A4 and it must be
double spacing. It's longer or shorter than that I don't think anyone is going to be
angry, but that should be enough to do what you need to do.This should be sufficient
to showcase your story. You can challenge yourself; by just summing up in one
exciting paragraph If you are struggling with any of the above this may highlight a
potential issue within your story. You may need to go back and re-examine your
characters and storyline.
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2.0 SYNOPSIS BEQUESTS OF LOVE
Marie Gerrina Louis’s ‘Bequests of Love’ tells the story of an eleven years old
boy named Karim who was born with a disability that made it impossible and difficult
for him to use the lower half of his body without any help. Karim has a funny face,
with its far-apart eyes, button nose and rosy and rosy cheeks. He was the youngest
son for Zulkifly and Haryati. Moreover, he has two elder brothers named Fariq and
Faroq whom were twins and also perfectly healthy. Since they were six years older
Faroq whom were twins are also perfectly healthy. Since they were six years older
than Karim, they were not very closed to him but his parents do not love him
intensely.
Besides that, it seems to be quite merciful to find Karim always either on his
back, sitting up against a chair or learning, ape-like, with his extra long arms making
up for his skinny, useless legs. However, he was a brilliant boy because he often
questioned his mother topics on general knowledge and about the world. However,
Haryati couldn’t manage to answer all of his questions. Karim also enjoys admiring
the nature in the evenings at the verandah of his house with his parents although
Karim has accepted his disability and coped with it, but still there was an underlying
feeling of dread that conquered his parents.
One day, Fariq noticed that Karim’s preoccupation with death whereby, he
read books on death and horrifying things like that. Even Haryati realized that Karim
was getting obsessed with death and morbid. The circles under his eyes were more
obvious and his cheeks were not their usual rosy colour. When he was asked by
Haryati what’s wrong, he said he wants to live a long live and go around the world
three times. His dream was to walk and run like others while learning and seeing
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everything around the world. After that incident, he got worst because he stopped
moving about the house and pulled himself slowly with his long arms, his legs
dragging behind uselessly. He grew more melancholy and spent hours just looking at
the neighbour’s children playing hide-and-seek. He was in deep sadness and
sorrow.
Therefore, Karim’s parents took him to Dr Tan who had been treating him
since he was a baby but the chance for recovery is low. The best that Dr Tan could
do was to reduce Karim’s pain by giving extra medication and delay with his death.
Nowadays, Karim spends ample time drawing pictures and especially his family in
cartoon form. Whereas, Fariq got help from his lover’s father to publish Karim’s
creativity in his children’s magazine. Eventually, Karim was more confident and
happy with that complimentary. Moreover, the twins spent most of their time talking
and goofing around with Karim.
During a cold night in June, Karim was found collapsed in his bedroom. Fariq
and faroq quickly carried him out and laid him on the back seat of the car as Zulkifly
starts the engine. The twins followed behind by motorbike. At the hospital, Dr
Manogari instructed the nurses to put Karim on IV tube and specified the medication
to be used whereas, Dr. Tan was checking Karim’s eyes and heartbeat. Karim’s
mother was worried and panicked, hoping that Karim will get well soon. Even the
twins broke down in tears and was sitting far-apart with full of guilty and regret.
Unfortunately when the Dr. Tan and Dr Manogari came out from the observation
room, Haryati ran into the room where Karim was. She found him unconscious and
helpless. He was dead and his face shows no pain till the end.
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After that, Faroq and Fariq found Karim’s ‘Last Will and Testament” in a blue
envelope. Karim had left a bequest of love for each of his family members. The
bequest he had left that is to his mother who gave him birth; he left his garden, to his
father who loved him best, he left his rocking chair, to his greatest brothers ever to
be, he had left his colour TV. In his bequest, it also stated that he hoped his family
does not regret upon his death. His love to his family will not fade although he had
passed away. It had been a year since Karim left, however his bequest of love is still
very meaningful and precious to Haryati.
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3.0 REFLECTION
After finishing the task given, we felt so relieved because we managed to
complete it within the time given to us. We learned and gain a lot of knowledge
through this assignment.
For instance, we learned how to manage our time successfully and we were
given enough time to finish the task. We also consulted Puan Suliana Bt Wan Chik
for collaboration session. In this session, we got more information on how to do the
task systematically and arranged the content orderly. All the mistakes like grammar
and sentences structure had been corrected.
The task given to us was about writing a synopsis. We were needed to write
the whole synopsis from a short story, Bequest of Love .We gathered information
from the internet on how to write a synopsis. Based on that, we learned how to write
an appropriate synopsis and improved ourselves in writing.
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4.0 REFERENCES
1. http://www.writing-world.com/publish/synopsis.shtml accessed on 5
September 2008
2. http://www.eclectics.com/articles/synopsis.html accessed on 5 September
2008
3. http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/a4253-how-to-write-a-synopsis.html
accessed on 5 September 2008
4. http:// www.ehow.com/how_2078311_write-synopsis.htm accessed on 5
September 2008
5. http:// www.charlottedillon.com/synopsis.html accessed on 6 September 2008
6. http://www.meredithbond.com/Synopsis.html accessed on 6 September 2008
7. http://www.rfp-templates.com/rfp/for/Research-Synopsis-Write.html accessed on 6
September 2008
8. http://www.helium.com/items/652310-how-to-write-a-good-synopsis accessed on 6
September 2008
9. http://www.trinity.wa.edu.au/plduffyrc/subjects/english/writing/synopsis.html
accessed on 7 September 2008
10.http://www.creativeportal.org/advice/andrea_semple/synopsis.html accessed on 7
September 2008
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5.0 APPENDICES
ARTICLE 1
Many publishers require that a synopsis be sent before a full manuscript can be
submitted. The synopsis must interest the editor in the story in just a few short
pages. It should be printed on a good quality paper and with a standard font for a
professional look. The synopsis can also be double-spaced to make it easier for an
editor to read.
Step1
Detail any back stories relevant to the main story. Keep this information short,
making every word count.
Step2
Write a descriptive paragraph about the setting of the story. Make the reader feel the
setting, which will foreshadow the tone of the synopsis.
Step3
Begin the storyline with an introduction to the major characters. Make the characters
feel fleshed out, including as much relevant information as possible in a short space.
Step4
Cover the storyline, including every major conflict and resolution. Write the story in
short chapter summaries until the entire book is summarized.
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Step5
Add a few quotations into the summary. Choose quotes that say something about
both the characters and the storyline. Quote directly from the manuscript, using
quotes that are interesting, funny or exciting, but that contain the needed information.
Step6
Keep the entire synopsis in the present tense to generate a feeling of excitement and
relevance. Keep the length of the synopsis to five pages or less. Read the
publisher's writing guidelines to find to the exact length each publisher prefers. Be
prepared to write several versions of any manuscript's synopsis in order to fit the
guidelines of different publishers.
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ARTICLE 2
Ten ways to write the perfect synopsis
1. Keep it short.
Two pages maximum. A single page is often enough.
2. Be brutal.
Edit like you've never edited before. Avoid baggy language. Make sure each
sentence is no longer than it needs to be, especially in the first paragraph.
3. Tease.
The trick to a good synopsis is to give a flavour of your novel without giving the
whole game away. Don't detail everything that happens. Don't over explain. Just
provide the central premise, and a few of the juicier events.
4. Go for the present tense.
Consider the following two phrases: 'Josie's marriage was falling apart' and 'Josie's
marriage is falling apart.' The second one is instantly more immediate, and involves
you, because it is happening right now.
5. Read book covers.
As I've said before, the blurb on the back of a novel is exactly the style you should be
going for. After all, this is how publishers sell their own books.
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6. Do something a little different.
The top agents can get as many as one hundred submissions a month. Clearly it
helps if you can stand out. You've got to reach out from the page and grab them by
the throat (or whichever part of the anatomy you'd prefer).
7. Experiment with the voice.
Matt often uses the second person voice when he is writing a synopsis. So instead of
writing 'the novel is about a man called James Smart. He has six days to save his
marriage with Josie', he'd go for 'You are James Smart. You have six days to save
your marriage'. Obviously this approach doesn't work for every type of novel, the
point is that by doing something a little different you will stand out.
8. Don't introduce all the characters.
Don't bombard agents with thirty characters. Stick to the two or three main ones.
Otherwise it will be too much for them to take in.
9. Proof read like crazy.
I know I've told a lot of you this already but the first time I sent out my synopsis I
spelt the word synopsis wrong. Having synpsis at the top of the page is not a good
way to start. . .
10. Finish on a great sentence
Make sure you finish on a great sentence. Something that gives enough, but leaves
them itching to read the novel. The classic way to do this is to close on a question, or
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a series of questions that draws on the main theme of a novel. Such as 'can
someone ever recover the person they've left behind?'
Writing a Novel Synopsis
Who needs a synopsis?
Anyone beginning a novel, contemplating one, or who has just completed one.
When is the best time to write the synopsis--before or after the book is
written?
Either time can work. You can write your synopsis first, before you even begin to
write the book. This will help you with your plotting and the synopsis can be a guide
for you while you write. It is much easier, by the way, to write a synopsis before you
write the book. You don't get bogged down in all the details, mainly because you
aren't aware of all the details yet. Of course, what often happens is that once the
book is finished, you need to go back and change your synopsis. The book will
probably take on a life of its own and there is no reason you have to follow your initial
synopsis to the "T. But you might find the rewrite much easier when you have an
initial synopsis to work with.
There is another reason to write a synopsis before you write the book. Once you
already have an agent and you are discussing future projects, you can present your
ideas in this one-page synopsis format for your agent to look at and give her opinion
on.
What is a synopsis?
1) It's a narrative summary of your book--with feeling.
2) It's written in present tense.
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3) It's written in third person.
4) It's written in the same style of writing your book is written in. If your book is
"chatty," then your synopsis is, too. If your book is serious, literary, filled with dialect,
or any other style, so must your synopsis be.
5) The synopsis introduces your main characters and their main conflicts, all woven
together in the narrative. (It does not list your characters.)
6) Weaving, by the way, is important. One paragraph should flow logically to the
next. If you are switching ideas, you need to make sure you build in a transition to
connect your paragraphs.
7) You do not have to include every character or every scene, plot point, or subplot
in your synopsis. But your synopsis should give a clear idea as to what your book is
about, what characters we will care about (or dislike), what is at stake for your
heroes, what they stand to lose, and how it all turns out.
8) Yes, you must put the conclusion to your novel in your synopsis. No cliffhangers
or teasers. Agents and editors want to know that you know how to successfully
conclude your story. (Often agents don't read the synopsis until after they've read the
entire ms--but not always.)
Synopsis Format
In the upper left hand corner you should have the following info:Synopsis of "Title
here"Genre:.................Word count:By__________ Single space your synopsis.
(Synopses longer than one page should be double-spaced.) Its paragraphs are
usually indented, with no spaces between paragraphs. You do not use a cover page
or any fancy headings or fonts.
Synopsis Checklist:
Does the opening paragraph have a hook to keep the reader reading?
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Are your main characters' conflicts clearly defined?
Are your characters sympathetic?
Can the reader relate to them and worry about them?
Have you avoided all grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes?
Have you hit on the major scenes, the major plot points of your book?Did you
resolve all important conflicts?Did you use present tense?
Fiction Writer's Connection
PO Box 72300
Albuquerque, NM 87195
Phone:(505) 352-9490
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ARTICLE 3
Thursday, August 30, 2007
How to Write a Synopsis
Much like my haircuts, this is a blog post that I have put off for quite a long time. How
to write a synopsis. It's like my own personal kryptonite. I've been meaning to post
about this for such a long time, but then I'd think, "How in the world am I supposed to
give advice on how to write a synopsis? Ohh! I know! I can write about The Hills
instead!!"
But I shall put it off no longer. Today's post will be about how to write a synopsis.
I'm starting now. I can do this.
I mean it. I'm going to do it.
Starting now.
Ok, really starting now.
The reason for my recalcitrance is that there's really no one way to write a synopsis.
Everyone has a different idea of what a synopsis should entail, how long it should
be, whether it should be single- or double-spaced, whether it should include all of the
plot or just the really important stuff... I mean, how I can even begin to summarize
this and offer any advice is frankly beyond me.
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But here is the thing to know about synopses: A synopsis is not an opportunity to talk
about every single character and every single plot point in a "and then this happened
and then this happened" fashion. A synopsis needs to do two things: 1) it needs to
cover all of the major characters and major plot points (including the ending) and 2) it
needs to make the work come alive. If your synopsis reads like "and then this
happened and then this happened" and it's confusing and dull, well, you might want
to revise that baby.
A good place to start for a model on how to write a good synopsis is to mimic book
cover copy, only also include in the synopsis what happens in the end. The blurbs on
flap jackets and on the back of paperbacks are usually good synopses -- they're a
hybrid of plot points but with a bigger sense of what makes the book unique and
interesting (although discard the stuff in cover copy that talks about the author -- that
doesn't go in a synopsis). You want to strike a balance in the synopsis between
covering the plot and characters, but also conveying the spirit and tone of the book
and smoothing over gaps between the major plot points you describe.
So in the synopsis, you definitely want to capture how the novel begins and the hook
and include all of the major climaxes and the big climax at the end. Between those
points introduce major characters and their relationships, and make sure you're
conveying the core of the conflicts between all of these elements. But then, rather
than just filling in with more and more plot and more and more characters, connect
the dots between them with your own summarizing, in order to make the synopsis
easy to read and compelling on its own.
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Easier said than done, I know. Synopses are tough. Like mosquitoes (my war
against them is going better, btw).
How long should a synopsis be? Unless the agent specifies otherwise or you have
found better synopsis-writing advice elsewhere (the odds of that are pretty good,
frankly), I'd shoot for two to three pages, double-spaced. If it's longer or shorter than
that I don't think anyone is going to be angry, but that should be enough to do what
you need to do.
So there you have it. It's done. I did it. Thank goodness. Now about that haircut I've
been putting off...
POSTED BY NATHAN BRANSFORD AT 12:25 PM
LABELS: WRITING ADVICE
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