*Actually, I can, and so can you!
You’ve just written a 75,000+ word (this is just an average – different genres have different word counts: https://oliviablacke.com/words-count/) novel – CONGRATS! That’s an amazing accomplishment! Whether this is your first novel or you 1,000th, if you wrote it in a month or twelve years, if this is hard-hitting gripping drama or a fun comedic romp, YOU DID IT! The hard part’s over! All the blood, sweat, and tears are about to pay off!
Well, not exactly.
Even if you already have an agent, if you’re going the Trad Pub (traditional publication) route, you’re gonna have to write the dreaded synopsis. If you don’t have an agent, you’re gonna have to write the dreaded synopsis. If you’re entering into a contest – surprise! – you’re gonna have to write the dreaded synopsis.
I know, I already wrote a technical blog entry about synopses (https://oliviablacke.com/how-to-write-a-synopsis/) and there are a LOT of really great resources out there from tons of professionals about how to write a synopsis, but still I recently read a Tweet where an agent had to toss queries that didn’t include a synopsis as per their submission requirements.
This is where I’m gonna digress. You could be the best writer-slash-artist-slash-revolutionary in the world. People should recognize your genius from ten miles away. The rules don’t apply to your masterpiece! Except, they do. Your novel might be, well, novel. But that doesn’t mean you’re exempt from following submission guidelines and doing so will virtually guarantee your amazing work will never see the light of day. If you want to trad pub your masterpiece, you’re gonna have to read the rules – and follow them. At least as far as submissions are concerned. Especially if you’re previously unpublished.
You’ve poured your heart and soul into this MS (manuscript). It’s 250+ pages long. There is no way you’re ever going to condense it down to a 2 page summary.
Except, you can.
Whether you’re a plotser (created a detailed outline before you even started writing) or a pantser (writing by the seat of your pants to see where the writing takes you) or anything in between, once your novel is complete, write an outline. Helpful hint: not only does this help you write a synopsis, but it also helps identify potential issues with your plot structure. Write 1-2 sentences about what happens in each chapter – not what your MC (main character) wears or thinks or feels, but what action drives the plot.
When you paste all of these sentences together along with the outline, you’ve got the rough road map for your synopsis. Except it’s probably 5-6 pages and you’ve got to get that down to 1/3 that size.
Impossible!
Well, not really.
You know all of that descriptive language that makes your book so amazing and unique? Nix it. Your MC might be “the smartest person in the world – three time winner of the Nobel prize after graduating from college at the tender age of thirteen” but in your synopsis, that MC is a “genius.” When that song comes on, the one that reminds your MC of that time they were dancing at prom, and every happy memory of their first love comes flooding back – cut it. Completely.
“But that’s boring!” you scream.
Yes. Yes, it is. That’s kinda the point. The synopsis is a linear progression of A to B to C. It’s difficult (not impossible!) to boil down 75,000+ words, each of which is a tiny piece of yourself that you agonized over, to ~700 words. The result is dry and lifeless. All secrets and plot twists hang out on the line for all the neighbors to see.
THAT IS OKAY!
A synopsis isn’t meant to be compelling storytelling. it isn’t a sample of your voice or your style. It isn’t a gripping blurb. It is an almost mechanical, stripped-down, step-by-step telling of the 1,000-foot view of your book.
This might sound hard – it is! – and maybe even a little depressing, but the best part is that YOU CAN DO IT. You’ve already written 75,000+ words. What is 700 more?
Looking for more Synopsis advice and examples? Check out India Holton‘s great article: https://indiaholton.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_11.html
#TheWriteLife #OliviaBlacke
