writing the novel synopsis

8/3/2019 Writing the Novel Synopsis

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/11/11 Workshop: Writing the Novel Snopsis

writers.com/Visionback/Issue 15/workshop.htm

Vision: A Resource for WritersLaette Gifford, Editor

[email protected]

Workshop:

Writing the Novel Snopsis

By

Sheila Kelly

2003, Sheila Kelly

lmost everyone hates or dreads writing a synopsis for their novel; for the

longest time I couldn't stand the damn things. I mean, look at the task:

first, you have to condense a five hundred page manuscript down to ten or

twenty pages. It also has to 1) still make sense, 2) cover all the important

points of the story and 3) be interesting enough to catch the eye of a jaded

editor who probably reads thirty or forty synopses a week.

Seems like you'd have better luck realigning the Hubble with a PDA, right?

Yet the synopsis represents the writer's first and foremost selling tool, and it's

safe to say that composing an effective synopsis is as important as writing a

great novel. In today's market, you simply cannot sell your novel without a

synopsis, so it's imperative to learn how to do them the right way if you want toget into print.

When you create a synopsis, what you're doing is presenting an overview of your

novel. The main goal is to outline the characters, setting, plot and conflicts in

your story. Let's go over what you need to put one together:

I. Format

The format of a novel synopsis is: double-spaced, one-inch margins, insubmission font (Courier 12 pt. is my font for everything I submit) on plain white

paper. Avoid dot matrix printers, and if you send a photocopy, make sure it's as

dark as the original. All pages are numbered in the upper right hand corner with

a header or footer of AUTHOR LAST NAME/Book Title (i.e. VIEHL/StarDoc) on each

page. Important note: before you write the synopsis, always check the

publisher's guidelines for specifics: some want certain information such as


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name/address/phone number printed on the first page; some have a certain page

length cut-off; some have content restrictions.

II. Ingedien

Now that you have your format prepared, it's time to write the synopsis. You'l

need the following information from your novel:

1. Characters identities, goals, motivations and conflicts of the

characters central to the plot.

2. Setting a brief description

3. Plot the main and subplots of your story

4. Sequence of events how the story progresses

5. Theme what's the point of this novel?

You're already getting nervous, right? Relax. Writing a synopsis is like drawing

a very detailed map to show a stranger how to get to your house. You know

where you live, you know how to get there, you only need to tell someone else

who has never been there how to do that. Same thing with a novel synopsis.

III. Baic compoiion

Begin your synopsis with an opening paragraph that presents a clear, brief view

of your protagonist, his/her world, and the situation he/she is in when the novel

opens. Going back to the map analogy, this is like telling someone about the

neighborhood where you live. Example:

"When the Allied League of Worlds withdraws from the Pmoc Quadrant to pursue

the enemy Hsktskt Faction, Lieutenant Jadaira (Dair) mu T'resa and her squadron

of SEAL (surgically enhanced/altered lifeform) pilots remain behind to provide

planetary patrol. They have to; the aquatic pilots can't survive away from thei

native underwater environment on Kevarzangia Two for more than brief periods.

Mainly they deal with remnant ordinance and space traps left behind by both

sides, and which are hazards to the influx of refugees fleeing the war."

BioRescue by S.L. Viehl

In that opening paragraph, I've briefly introduced you to my protagonist, Dair,


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her world, and the job she's performing as the novel opens. I've also touched on

three of the most important conflict elements of the novel: Dair and the othe

pilots are aquatic lifeforms who are dependent on their world, their bodies have

been altered/enhanced, and they're a peace-keeping force who helps refugees.

By reading this paragraph, you know a little about Dair and her neighborhood.

Another important note: all synopses are told in omniscient present tense.There are no exceptions to this rule.

The next paragraph(s) of the synopsis are what I refer to as the trigger, or where

you present what sets off the main conflict of your novel. Ask yourself: What's

going to happen to shake up the characters and the world that you've just shown

the reader? You don't have to present the entire plotl ine in a nutshell, but you

should introduce the element of change that triggers the main conflict. Example

"New Orleans Homicide Detective J.D. Gamble doesn't need any moreheadaches. Mardi Gras starts in two days, his caseload is a nightmare, and his

mother Elizabet wants him to quit the force, marry socialite Moriah Navarre, and

enter the polit ical arena. Being called in on an arson case at an abandoned

warehouse by the Chief Fire Marshal, his brother Cortland, is the last straw.

After J.D. arrives at the scene, he's astonished to learn that the only witness and

sole survivor of the fire is Sable Duchesne, the girl he once loved and lost. When

gubernatorial candidate Marc LeClare's burned body is recovered, he has no

choice but to take Sable in for questioning." Into the Fire by Jessica Hall

The main conflict trigger in my novel is when my heroine is detained for

questioning by her former lover. That single event sets all of the other events of

the novel in motion. Look at your story to find the same kind of key moment,

event or trigger, and present that after your opening paragraph.

The body of the synopsis follows the opening and the trigger paragraphs, and

this is where you present the sequence of events in your novel. Don't try to

write a summary of every chapter in sequence. Select the most important

elements of each chapter and present them in the order that they make sense.

Give your reader directions to make their way through your story.

Finally, you should have a wrap-up paragraph(s) at the very end of the synopsis,

which clearly states your ending, and also resolves the main conflict. Example:


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"Jax dreams that she and Matthias stand in the center of a circle of ten glowing

figures. A spirit-image of Gideon joins them, and tells the council that Jax and

Matthias have proven themselves by finding his killer, and are worthy of Alenfar.

Matthias suggests that because they let Unger become possessed and murder

Gideon, the council is powerless, and their threats are nothing but bluffs. Before

he fades away, Gideon smiles at Jax, who finally understands why he chose her

not just for Alenfar, but for Matthias, who has been like a son to him.

Jax suggests to the council that matters such as their actual power and the

overseers' personal lives should remain the private business that they are. The

important thing is that from now on, she and Matthias will work together to keep

Alenfar in balance.

When Jax wakes up, she's alone, but on her pillow is a single rose, glowing white

in the sunlight." White Nights by S.L. Viehl

In this ending, I was able to resolve the main conflict and the central plot

threads by how I presented the final events of the story. One note on persona

style I like to end my novels with a personal metaphor or symbolic gesture,

act, or object, and I try to do the same with my synopses (hence the fina

paragraph about the white rose.)

IV. Snopsis Secret Weapons

Trimming down everything from your novel to fit into a synopsis is tough, there's

no question about that. There are no shortcuts around the task, but there are

some things you can do to make it easier:

A. Eliminate excess adverbs and adjectives write as spare and

clean as you can. When you give someone directions, you don't tell

them what color all of the other houses on your block are.

B. Create catch-phrases and buzz words present ideas in shortform as much as possible. Example: "She was raised by nuns until she

came of age to inherit her family fortune" can be converted into

"convent-schooled heiress."

C. Read TV Guide and movie listings this sounds funny, but it's

an excellent way to learn how to condense. Hollywood can reduce a


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two hour movie into a single ten-word sentence and still make it sound

exciting.

D. Tell someone about your novel "talking out" your book with

someone else can help tremendously. See if they can follow your

plotline as you describe your book, and listen to the questions they

ask. What they want to know should probably be in your synopsis

E. Practice using other writers' books if you're too anxious

about writing a synopsis for your novel, try writing one about someone

else's book. Make it one of your favorite books and you'll be surprised

by how much you know and how easy it is to write.

V. Some Final Thogh

I really didn't like writing synopses until I did a strange thing I wrote one formyself. I was working on a novel I'm writing for my children, and I decided to

put together a synopsis to organize my notes. I have no intentions of eve

selling this book, so for once I wasn't trying to impress an editor. To my

surprise, I actually enjoyed writing it, and it turned out to be one of my best. No

dread involved, because there was no editor involved.

Now I try to keep the same mindset when I'm writing any synopsis I write

them for me, not an editor. It's been much easier ever since.

Putting together a novel synopsis may never be the writer's favorite task, but it

is necessary if you want to pursue a professional career. Relax, practice, and

have fun with it as much as possible. Remember you know where you live.

Now tell the rest of us how to get there.

writing the novel synopsis

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