Synopses Synapses

My brain is a bit fried, but I finished the second draft of my synopsis! It’s now running ten pages, but my agent is going to give it a look over and let me know if there’s anything that needs changing. After that, it’s off to Harper for approval.

I wonder if established authors still have to write synopses, or if J.K Rowling wants to write a book she says, “I have an idea…” and the publisher shouts, “Yes! Do it. Now!” and throws money at her. One day that will be me…J

So it’s back to book 2 for me, new chapters and editing. Back Friday with another ARC Spotlight.

 

Book 1.5

Right now I’m working on a synopsis for a novella that might come between In the After and Book 2. Its purpose is to fill in back story for a few of the characters and it’s really fun to bring these background scenes front and center.

The trouble I’m having is getting all the information into a 3-5 page synopsis. Right now, it’s running 7 pages, and I’m not sure which info to cut out…of course I think it’s all dreadfully important and pertinent. J My agent has it now and is going to help me refine it a bit, before we send it off to Harper for approval.

How about you guys? Do you have trouble with synopsis, or are you a summarizing ninja?

I'm going to try and sort out my summary this weekend, so I'll be back Monday!

 

 

Writing a Synopsis or Summary – The Long Version

Writing a longer version of a synopsis is much easier than the shorter version. When an agent asks for a synopsis they usually want something between 8 – 12 pages, but of course, always make sure.

With this longer synopsis you can introduce more characters, expand on your plot points, and go into greater detail. Also, you have to include the ending. In a longer synopsis you don’t have a choice; it’s just how it’s done. Here are some tips.

1)      Always write your synopsis in third person, present tense. Even if your manuscript is first person past tense.

2)      Go through your manuscript chapter by chapter and outline all the major events. This will present you with a sketch of a synopsis. This will also help you see themes and connections that you weren’t aware of before. (Believe it or not, it happens.)

3)      Weed out minor characters that don’t need to be in your synopsis. Focus on your main character and a few essential supporting characters. My longer synopsis mentions (by name) seven characters. The first time each character appears, highlight them and make sure you’ve introduced them into the storyline properly. That way, the reader (agent or publisher) can quickly glance back through and reference any character.

4)      Focus on the major plot points. This is an opportunity to showcase all the exciting and important events in your novel. Make sure events flow in your synopsis; you don’t want to get stuck on unnecessary information.

5)      Pay attention to style. You want your synopsis to read well and be interesting. It’s a representation of you and the way you write.

6)      Don’t waste words. In a synopsis each sentence needs to count. This isn’t the time for flowery writing or drawn out scenes.

7)      End with the ending. This may seem like a no brainer, but a lot of people feel like they should end with a cliff hanger…maybe in a query but never in a synopsis. The agent or publisher needs to know what happens at the end.

These are my suggestions. Any others? I’m working on a two-page synopsis for books 2 and 3 of my series, so I’ll do a post about that next week.

Writing a Synopsis or Summary – The Short Version

If you have your hook, the next part should be a breeze…not really, but don’t you feel a little better about it?

Your short summary is what you’ll use in your query. It will only be 2 -3 paragraphs, you’ll want to get across your main characters and your major plot points. I’m a big fan of putting the ending of a book in a query (for agents’ eyes only) but that’s a matter of taste. You want them to be interested in reading your manuscript. You don’t go into sub-plots or minor characters, no matter how much you like them.

Here are some tips:

           

1)      Simplify. Remember elementary school English? What are the most important things that happen in your book? Who is the main character? What is the major conflict? Some of you will want to mention the resolution.

2)      Refer to your main character and one other important character central to the plot by name. Three is pushing it. If you mention (by name) four or more characters, you need to reevaluate your summary.

3)      Sometimes it’s helpful to pinpoint your central plot point. Mine is the idea of safety vs. freedom. Expand on this point.

4)      Less is more. You don’t need to say: Stephen turns Mindy over to the awful Grunda monsters. Now the dastardly creatures have the device that can destroy Mindy’s home planet. You can instead say, Mindy is betrayed by a trusted friend, jeopardizing her safety and placing her home world in peril. (Oh yeah, I just made that up…impressed? J )

5)      Don’t use slang that you’ll have to explain. This is especially true for sci-fi or fantasy. Although your manuscript may be riddled with words of your invention, now is not the time to use or explain them.

6)      Don’t get bogged down in explaining details. Avoid writing things like, So and so does this because of these motivations and then this happens. Be succinct and to the point.

Just remember, this is a short summary, you will not be able to give every detail of your manuscript. You may feel at first like you’re cutting the heart and soul out of your story, but eventually you’ll be able to see a middle ground and be able to relay your story in a few paragraphs.

Any other tips on writing a short summary?

Next time – Writing a longer synopsis.

*There is a huge storm moving through the Midwest, sooooo I might be out of commission for a few days. If I don’t post tomorrow I’ll be back Thursday or Friday.*

Writing a Synopsis or Summary – The Hook

A long time ago (in a blog post far far away) I talked a bit about writing a summary for your query. I’m currently working on a synopsis for book 2 & 3 of my series, so this week is all about the synopsis. I’m going to expand on my previous post and talk about writing a synopsis of your book and provide tips for a summary of a few paragraphs, a few pages, and a full synopsis.

The first thing that you need in a synopsis of any length is a hook. The synopsis is a quick sell of your book and you have to make it as interesting as your story. This is also useful at the beginning of your query. Your hook should be one or two sentences that sum up your story in a fresh and interesting way.

Here’s mine:

Amy has not spoken in three years. Not since They arrived; creatures with incredible hearing, amazing swiftness, and a taste for human flesh. They hunt by sound and Amy has learned to survive in a world of silence.

Mine is three sentences, but I can cut it down to just the first two depending on what I want to use it for. It’s extremely difficult to get the feel of your story across in a few short sentences, but it’s something that you’ll be able to do with a little practice.

Any one else want to share their hooks for their WIPs?

(If people are worried about intellectual property theft, I understand not wanting to share, but I’m almost to submission so if someone thinks they can steal my idea, write an entire manuscript, snag an agent, and get a publisher before me…good freaking luck!)

Next time, more on writing a synopsis.