I want to:
Write a Synopsis
A synopsis is a summary of your novel, detailing the main characters, their motivations and
their actions, the major conflicts and plot points, and, most importantly, what happens at the
end. You don’t include minor characters or subplots in your synopsis as these will come
through in the reading of the novel itself.
The synopsis is a way of showing not only that you know what your story is about, but that you
can communicate it to other people like agents or publishers.
Read the submission guidelines
If you are preparing a submission for an agent or publisher, the first place to start is with their
submission guidelines. In most cases, each will ask for a specific set of materials to be
delivered in a certain way. This information can be easily located on their website.
If a synopsis is requested, the below information forms some general tips on how to craft one.
How to format it
Some agents or publishers will ask for a one-page synopsis, some for a two pages. Generally
speaking, the more succinct your synopsis, the better. The thing to remember is: there’s no
point in writing a synopsis that’s as long as your novel!
If your synopsis can fit on one A4 page, single spaced, with generous margins, this is a good
place to start.
What to write
You will need to have a clear idea of what your book is about. You might like to revisit your
chapter plan before starting out. The easiest way to summarise your novel is to follow the
path of the main character. Anything that occurs outside of their, backstory or subplots, don’t
need to be included in the synopsis.
A tagline is a short teaser, similar to what you might see on a movie promo poster. You can
grab someone’s attention if you can distil your story into a tagline. For example: Blade Runner
“Man has made his match … now it’s his problem.”; Angel Heart “Harry Angel is searching for
the truth… Pray he doesn’t find it.”; The Matrix “Reality is a thing of the past.” If you have a
tagline, you might like to open your synopsis with that.
The blurb is the paragraph you find on the back of a book that gives a brief overview of your
main characters, the obstacles they face and leaves the reader hanging so s/he feels curious
enough to go and buy said book. If you summarise your novel in 25 words or less, this is your
blurb.
Start your synopsis with a summary paragraph. This is a sweeping overview of the plot.
Consider the primary goal of your main character and focus on that.
Write a Synopsis / 2.
After your summary paragraph, your synopsis will detail the sequence of actions and scenes
that make up the plot, in the order they appear in the book. Of course, you can’t include
everything so try to condense the beginning, middle and end of your novel into two
paragraphs each. It is an excellent discipline to practise being succinct.
Refer to your characters by name, and use all caps each time a new character is introduced,
then revert to lower case for other mentions. (e.g. MEG, then Meg in all other cases). To
identify point of view character write (POV) after the character’s name at the first mention.
For example, MEG (POV)
Remember the synopsis is the encapsulation of your novel, which means, yes, you need to
reveal what happens in the end. Agents and publishers are professionals, not punters, and
they need to know how the story ends.
The synopsis is the only place you are allowed to use clichés. This is because they form a kind
of shorthand for anyone reading the synopsis. Clichés in this context can help transmit your
story in a fast and effective manner. Use short sentences and simple language. Synopsis
writing is more art than science. It should be half-way between a sales pitch and a summary of
the story. It’s not just a blow by blow description of what happens, but also a legend to the
book’s themes and characters, and a showcase of the author’s ability to hook a reader’s
attention and tell a compelling story.
The other thing to keep in mind is that your synopsis is an opportunity to present your writing
style as well as the story itself. Make sure you show your writing at its best, and capture the
voice and tone of your book. Synopses that are written in a dry “this happens, then this
happens” style are unlikely to engage an agent’s/publisher’s attention. The synopsis should
capture the same energy and emotional timbre of the novel, so if you’ve written a crime
thriller, the synopsis should capture suspense, danger, etc. If you’ve written a romantic saga
set in the Outback, the synopsis should capture the sweeping landscape, the sense of
possibility, the emotional stakes, etc.
Finish off with a concluding paragraph, which contains the length of the novel, the genre it’s in
and possibly a comparison to the work of other authors. “This is a literary crime thriller 90 000
words in length, which will appeal to readers of Di Morrissey and Gabrielle Lord”. This also
shows that you know who your audience is, and will help an agent/publisher to decide
whether you are right for their list.
Where to send it
The Australian Writer’s Marketplace (AWM) is Australia and New Zealand’s only guide to the
writing industry. AWM is a comprehensive resource providing submission guidelines and
contact information for the publishing industry, details of support organisations and
information services, a range of writing courses and workshops, literary events and
competitions, and services for each stage of the writing, editing and publication process.
www.awmonline.com.au
Still have questions? Contact Queensland Writers Centre on 07 3842 9922
or email [email protected]