{"id":39263,"date":"2020-07-07T11:02:29","date_gmt":"2020-07-07T15:02:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/?p=39263"},"modified":"2020-07-07T11:02:29","modified_gmt":"2020-07-07T15:02:29","slug":"how-to-write-a-synopsis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/?p=39263","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a Synopsis for Your Book: A Guide for Fiction and Nonfiction Writers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you plan to publish a work of fiction or non-fiction,\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">writing a synopsis that summarizes the scope of your manuscript is inevitable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Consider the typical submission process<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: First you <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/ask-a-literary-agent-query-letter\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">write a query letter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to agents or editors, and hopefully someone requests sample chapters along with a synopsis. Usually only after this step will authors be asked to submit the full manuscript.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is a synopsis?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before we dive deep, let\u2019s first define synopsis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Simply put, a synopsis is a summary of your fiction or nonfiction project.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A synopsis will<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">have a beginning, middle and end<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">leave no plot questions unanswered<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reflect the manuscript genre and tone<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">demonstrate your voice<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That may seem like a lot to accomplish within a few pages, but you\u2019re not reinventing the wheel, here.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>What\u2019s the purpose of a synopsis?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agents and editors have certain expectations of what they\u2019ll find in your project overview, so it\u2019s best to stick with the tried and true elements that make up this standard document. Standard, yes, but never boring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After all, <\/span><b>the purpose of the synopsis is to wow your reader<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (aka: an agent or editor) and compel them to want to read more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you\u2019re aiming for a certain wow factor to demonstrate the saleable nature of your must-read book, you really can\u2019t leave anyone on the edge of their seats with unanswered questions and unresolved endings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, the synopsis should fully frame your story, include major turning points, and\u2014yes\u2014<\/span><b>share the story conclusion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Agents need to see the full story in a nutshell, from beginning to end, and see there\u2019s a satisfying and appropriate <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/cliches-avoid-4-story-endings-readers-will-hate\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resolution for readers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agents and editors also use the synopsis to determine how well a writer tells a story, inclusive of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/unique-writing-voice\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">voice and style<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In some ways, you may do well to approach writing the synopsis as though this were a mini story in its own right.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>In a synopsis, you won\u2019t have space to reveal every action or emotion, or the entire cast of characters.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Instead, focus on your main characters, what motivates them throughout the storyline and what conflicts they face along the way. This is true for both fiction and nonfiction manuscripts.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Is there a difference between writing a synopsis for fiction and nonfiction?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writing a synopsis for fiction and nonfiction is fairly similar.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A novel synopsis is generally submitted along with the first few sample chapters, while a nonfiction synopsis is a necessary component of the overall <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/how-to-write-a-book-proposal\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nonfiction book proposal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A nonfiction synopsis, or project overview, may be as short as a paragraph or may elaborate over a few pages.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Synopses for novels commonly range between one to three pages, though some genre editors may request a more detailed 10-15 page synopsis.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>3 tips for writing an effective synopsis<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ready to write your synopsis? Follow these tips.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Know your market<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In an interview with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.writersdigest.com\/writing-articles\/by-writing-genre\/nonfiction-by-writing-genre\/how-to-write-a-book-proposal-interview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writer\u2019s Digest<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Michael Larsen\u2014literary agent and author of \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/631693\/how-to-write-a-book-proposal-by-michael-larsen\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Write a Book Proposal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d\u2014urges writers to be \u201can expert of the kind of book you\u2019re writing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This advice not only applies to recognizing the length of a synopsis, but also the content scope.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most writers find writing the synopsis that much easier once the manuscript is fully drafted. Only then can you fully know the story inside and out and be able to present your cast of characters and the story arc in a succinct, compelling manner.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Brevity is your friend\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Renowned publishing consultant <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.janefriedman.com\/how-to-write-a-novel-synopsis\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jane Friedman suggests<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> crafting one single-spaced page \u201cas your default, unless the submission guidelines ask for something longer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can focus your story down to one page, you\u2019ll be able to adapt to alternative requests and add detail as necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll also be that much closer to understanding the key ingredients for an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/conversation-starters-for-introverted-writers\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">elevator pitch<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a brief paragraph synopsis used when <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/ask-a-literary-agent-query-letter\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">querying agents<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, pitching at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/writers-conferences\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">conference<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> one-on-ones, and in general <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/tips-for-pitching-a-literary-agent-at-a-writers-conference\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">conversation with industry pros<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can frame your book into a few clear engaging sentences, you\u2019re demonstrating you have a hook, know your audience, and are prepared to market to readers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. The synopsis is about craft<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><b>So what do you include in a synopsis and what should you leave out?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 Keep it simple and keep it focused.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 Introduce your main characters and their role in the story.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 Bring their world to life and share critical turning points.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 Include how your characters evolve, for better or worse, throughout the story.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 Reveal how the story ends, always.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Essentially, you\u2019ll address the who, what, why, and how of your story.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Those ingredients should provide a basic story arc to frame your synopsis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your overall goal is to make the agent or editor care about your story, and to compel them to want to read the manuscript start to finish.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>A strong synopsis will help you get published<\/h2>\n<p><b>As you finetune the synopsis, you\u2019ll likely learn a few things about your own project: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll more clearly define pivotal points for your characters. You\u2019ll strengthen your ability to succinctly <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/conversation-starters-for-introverted-writers\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">talk about your project in person<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. And you\u2019ll perhaps see themes and connections within your story you hadn\u2019t fully appreciated until you zeroed in on the story arc in this way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the synopsis is truly about craft, and presenting your story to an agent or editor, keep in mind your future editor will have to go to bat for you at editorial meetings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your synopsis is often part of the presentation materials, used to convince an editorial board of your story\u2019s merit. For that reason, it\u2019s in your best interest to take your time, but give it all you\u2019ve got.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Photo via Dragon Images \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/photos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/photos&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1594220442042000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG6rMbn1ZMrA5Re_lJZLbOvtqti9A\">Shutterstock<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Summarizing your entire book in just a few pages isn\u2019t easy. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about how to write a synopsis. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":399,"featured_media":39265,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[958],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-publishing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/399"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=39263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39263\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/39265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=39263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=39263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=39263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}