Fantastic Synopses and How to Write Them

with guest Laurie Tomlinson.

Are you staring down the unhinged jaws of the synopsis beast? Feeling its hot, sticky breath on the back of your neck? 

Writing a synopsis can be a daunting task, but when you throw that puppy a bone, he’ll behave nicely. Promise.

Let’s start with the pre-writing.

Like with brainstorming a novel, a bit of work on the front end goes a long way, whether starting on the synopsis after you’ve finished your manuscript or when the story idea is still in its earliest stages. 

The two pre-writing strategies I recommend are outlines and brain dumps, depending on how our creativity flourishes best. Once we write everything we know about the story, we can decide how much to include based on the requested length. Most agents/editors/contests list formatting guidelines, but if you aren’t sure, it’s best to trend short and submit no more than 5 double-spaced pages. 

So, what should be included in a synopsis?

Depending on the length, you should focus on the story lines that best show the external conflict and the threads that are most central to the story’s genre. So if it’s romantic suspense, the synopsis will place top priority on the romantic and suspenseful storylines in the novel. 

As we’re brainstorming, it’s best to treat each thread like an individual story and identify its beginning, middle, and end to ensure the synopsis doesn’t have plot holes – even if the novel ties things up neatly. Yes, opposed to a back cover summary, a synopsis gives away what happens at the end. Agents and editors want to know how the conflict resolves itself and also how the main characters have grown along the way. 

So let’s pretend we’re writing a romantic suspense novel. In our synopsis brainstorming, we will summarize how the danger unfolds from the beginning when the character first feels that fear, to different events and near-misses, to the point where the confrontation comes to a head, to the end when the villain is abated. And then we’ll do the same with the romance: From the moment the hero and heroine are first introduced in the story, to events that forward their romance, to (hopefully) their happily-ever-after. Doing this in bullet/list form, or at least separate paragraphs, helps tie the threads together and integrate these plot points when it’s time to create the synopsis. 

As a bonus, if you’re writing your synopsis before the novel, this story thread brainstorming tactic can help with plotting. It works for this die-hard pantser because it shows which type of scene naturally belongs at a given point based on where the story is going. 

So, how do we keep a synopsis from becoming a list of sequential events? 

Goal, motivation, conflict (GMC)

As all of the plotting experts say, the characters’ goal, motivation, and conflict are the core of a synopsis and must be illustrated in every plot point. Instead of reading like a black-and-white list of events, the GMC paints the synopsis with color and character and reveals your storytelling flair.  If you’re still unpacking what happens in your story, this is a great place to start. 

What is your character’s main goal in the story driving their actions? What are the stakes behind why they want this to happen more than anything? What are the forces trying to prevent them from happily ever after—internal and external? How does each event in the story line influence or further the character’s GMC?

In our hypothetical romantic suspense synopsis, we must show how the characters’ fear and romantic chemistry evolves so the audience’s sympathy grows with them and readers care what happens next. (And notice the key word above is show, not tell.)

Once brainstorming is complete, weave the story threads together sequentially. Condense the 100,000-word novel into a riveting bedtime story – except one that won’t put your audience to sleep – by showing the arc of the characters’ GMC: how what they want changes as they grow and how the events of the story shape them. 

The GMC emphasis also helps weed out what doesn’t need to be included in the synopsis or what we can gloss over to keep things concise. If a scene or smaller storyline doesn’t move the plot forward or show evolution in the characters’ goal, motivation, or conflict, then cut it so it won’t derail the audience’s interest. It’s important not to let them get so full on the breadbasket that they miss the meat and potatoes of the story. 

How can our synopses stand out from the crowd?

When the synopsis is on paper, here’s a checklist of questions to help make it the best it can be:

• Have you adhered to the requested formatting guidelines?
• Does the synopsis communicate your writing style and voice? 
• Just like with writing a novel, do word choice and sentence structure style techniques capture interest? 
• Is the writing concise and polished? Have you had a second pair of eyes on it?
• Is each plot thread wrapped up by the end of the synopsis?
• Did you communicate the characters’ goal, motivation, and conflict throughout the plot summary?

Is synopsis writing the bane of your writerly existence? Do you write them before or after your novel is complete? Tell us your best tips!


Today I'll be giving away a 3-5 page synopsis critique to one FANTASTIC commenter. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

About Laurie Tomlinson: Laurie Tomlinson is an award-winning contemporary romance author, freelance editor and virtual assistant, and cheerleader for creatives. She believes that God’s love is unfailing, anything can be accomplished with a good to-do list, and that life should be celebrated with cupcakes and extra sprinkles.

Her debut contemporary romance novel releases in May 2017 from Harlequin Heartwarming.


You can connect with Laurie on her website, Facebook page, and Twitter.  She is also a regular contributor to The Writer’s Alley blog.

If the Shoe Fits...

In Cinderella, the glass slipper only fit Cinderella’s foot. As the story goes, of all the girls in all the castles in all the kingdom, the shoe fit her foot and hers alone. No matter how hard they tried, the other girls couldn’t wear the glass slipper.

Oliver Herford, Public Domain

Your synopsis is the shoe, your story is the foot. Stick with me now…

So, you’re working on your first (or next) Great American Novel. You’ve written the first few chapters, and you’re dipping your toes into contests and even getting brave and submitting to agents and editors. Or, you might even be selling on proposal, a short synopsis and a chapter or two.

If you’re at this stage of the writing game, then you’ve written the dreaded synopsis. There are great articles here in Seekerville and all over the ‘net to help you determine what goes into a synopsis and what doesn’t, so I’m not going to rehash that today.

But what I am going to address is whether your synopsis reflects the story you’re writing. Sometimes we writers—intentionally or maybe unintentionally— sensationalize our synopsis to the point that it doesn't even resemble the actual chapters, similar to the practice of padding a resume.

How many times have I dumped every conceivable plot device into my synopsis because a critique partner or contest judge suggested it, and I thought it would be cool? I wonder how many times I gave the "snake oil" sales pitch in the synopsis, but the story didn't live up to the synopsis and that's why contest judges and editors said no?

Some examples to make my point…

If I write a synopsis that sounds like a very dark 90K romance that deals with drunk driving, a family feud, long-lost love, and two main characters dealing with all this traumatic back story, but if my opening chapters feel and sound like a 20K novella, there’s a disconnect somewhere.

Or, how about this…

If my synopsis describes the lives of Bonnie and Clyde, but my chapters are the light-hearted, knee-slapping antics of Lucy and Desi, I’ve got a problem.

The best example I can give of my own writing would be my debut novel, Stealing Jake. Stealing Jake started out as a light, sweet novella and went through several rewrites that kept upping the tension.

If I had sent the lighter novella version of the story in with a synopsis detailing shipping street kids across the country in crates, sweat shops, a coal mine explosion, the traumatic incidents from both the hero and the heroine’s pasts, it just wouldn't have really worked together. And I’m afraid it would have tanked in contests, as well as been rejected by industry professionals.

It’s important to make sure a contest judge, critique partner, agent or editor gets the same jolt from the chapters as they do from the synopsis. Either the tension in the chapters need to be ratcheted up, or the tension in the synopsis ratcheted down. And, you, as the author, are the only one who knows which direction you need to turn the ratchet.

So, how do you do that?

Is your manuscript in the early stages or is it completed? If it’s completed, then you’re ahead of the game. Write your synopsis to fit the story and you're good. If you’ve just started this story, determine the genre and the tone. Do you write light-hearted contemporary romance, or dark historicals, or women’s fiction with snarky leads?

Read books that are similar to what you write, then describe them in your own words, just like giving a book report. See if you can hit the tone of these books. And, as an additional exercise, maybe look at some good professional reviews of those books. Do some of them describe whether the book was light, or dark? Do you agree with the assessment?

If you have a critique partner, let them read both. If they’ve worked with you a long time, they might be able to tell you if the two pieces are simpatico.

And, lastly, trust yourself. If you got it wrong, it’s not the end of the world. Just keep tinkering with it. Eventually, you’ll get it. This year I had the opportunity to submit proposals for historical romance novellas to Barbour Publishing. The proposals were extremely short, but I’ve been writing historical romance for a long time, and I’ve written a lot of proposals for novellas, and read my fair share. 

I knew enough about the process to keep the synopsis sharp, clean, and free of secondary plots. I sold FOUR proposals to Barbour because I nailed the synopsis. These novellas have a lighter tone than my full-length novels, and the one I’m currently writing (Shanghaied by the Bride) even has a slightly humorous tone, something that was clearly spelled out in the synopsis and is (hopefully) clear in the title.

Bottom line, know the story you want to tell well enough to make the synopsis fit.

Otherwise, it’s really gonna pinch.

Yep, that's us. Size 6 1/2 and 13 D

Pam Hillman was born and raised on a dairy farm in Mississippi and spent her teenage years perched on the seat of a tractor raking hay. In those days, her daddy couldn’t afford two cab tractors with air conditioning and a radio, so Pam drove the Allis Chalmers 110. Even when her daddy asked her if she wanted to bale hay, she told him she didn’t mind raking. Raking hay doesn’t take much thought so Pam spent her time working on her tan and making up stories in her head. www.pamhillman.com

Please Welcome Debra Clopton!

Synopsis that Hook and Sell

by

Debra Clopton

Okay, I confess I’m a Pantser or an Organic writer ( I like this term very much)

Both terms mean that I get it done flying by the seat of my pants OR you could say; on a wing and lots of prayer!!! And believe me that is what I’m doing right now as I write this blog because believe me—blogs and I really don’t get along. But we all have to do what we aren’t good at sometimes and sooo here I am trying to explain my process on Seekerville—you poor poor people. Please bear with me!

As a pantser it is no surprise that I, like most writers HATE to write a synopsis.  Right, no surprise there. But guess what!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to write long blurbs! (or I guess you could call it a one page synopsis if my blurb runs long J)

Crazy sounding but true! (I also sometimes have a problem with controlling the need to use exclamation marks!) But really, moving forward here—truth is there is just something about coming up with a blurb of my book that turns me on—and that is what I want the thing to do to my editor and everyone else who has to view those paragraphs before the book is bought.  

See, if you can do that, inspire your editor to see the voice and excitement of the book then she can see the marketing potential of it…and that is the most important thing. They won’t buy something they don’t think they can market and sell. So pump up the volume and get excited!

Now, not all books sell on a short synopsis. Sometimes longer synopsis are required, I still write my short blurb first, get that excitement flowing and then use it as my outline and simply expand it. Trying hard to keep the excitement and flavor of that quick 3 or 4 paragraph blurb.

As an example I’ve included the very short blurb that sold my first 1800’s novella AN EVER AFTER SUMMER which will be in A BRIDE FOR ALL SEASONS anthology collection with Margaret Brownley, Mary Connealy and Robin Lee Hatcher coming June 18, 2013

An Ever After Summer novella from A BRIDE FOR ALL SEASONS   

Texas 1870 July 

Debra Clopton

A born killer, Melvina Eldora Smith killed three people before the age of one: her mother giving birth, her father of a broken heart, her drunk uncle in front of a bar with a runaway buggy—her father and her uncle she’s not sure about, but Ellie’s aunt Millicent assures her all three deaths were Ellie’s doing. At the age of nineteen, determined to leave her bad luck behind, Ellie answers a Wife Wanted Ad from a lonely widowed rancher looking for love and a Godly mother for his baby...  

Widower Mathew McConnell’s Wife-Wanted ad leaves no room for misunderstandings—Widowed rancher looking for practical woman to keep house and be a mother to his baby girl—Bible believers need not apply. Mathew and God had parted ways the day Sophia’s mother died. Heart hardened, this is purely business, and he isn’t interested in a Bible believing, frilly woman trying to soften him up talking about God’s goodness!

Thanks to the meddlesome owner of the Hitching Post Catalogue, Mathew, desperate for a mother for his infant, doesn’t know what to do about the beautiful, Bible thumping mistake who gets off the train.

Ellie believes her bad luck has turned and its God’s plan all along for her to end up in Mathew’s life...and she aims to prove it to him—if her good luck holds out and she doesn’t kill him first!  

                                                      ---

There you go, a quick fast paced blurb. But—though small what did it tell you? 

It told the hook. It told the tone of the book, that it would be a fun story. It gave a flavor of my voice (as yours should showcase your voice). Word choice and hook are very important in getting that across. It also told you the goal and motivation of your hero and heroine. And it also told you the conflict of the book and how it comes between them to keep them apart. And then, it told you the ending…sort of anyway, with the last sentence! But that last sentence also promises fun and adventure along the way.

The behind the scenes of this blurb: After a day of struggling to come up with something this blub came to me in a matter of moments but only after I came up with my heroine’s name. (sometimes it just takes a trigger) Melvina Eldora’s name triggered my imagination and boom there it was. Does that happen every time—no. But when I give myself permission to have fun with a story no restrictions or worries about all the details that go into a longer synopsis my creative mind usually comes through quickly!  

The keys: Don’t stress. Enjoy yourself. Let yourself go.

Okay, so that’s how I do it. I checked out some awesome blogs here in the archives of Seekerville and boy did I find some great detailed ones here. As a Pantser this is the process that works for me and has sold for me since my first sale. I hope it sparks some ideas and helps someone out there J to do the same.

Happy Writing!!!!

I have a book out this month (May) Her Unforgettable Cowboy from Love Inspired it’s book 1 of my new Cowboys of Sunrise Ranch and next month (June) my first with Thomas Nelson Publishers in the mail order bride collection A BRIDE FOR ALL SEASONS. I hope you’ll check them out.

Leave a comment to get your name in a drawing for a copy of Her Unforgettable Cowboy

For chances to win books and prizes follow me on:

 http://www.facebook.com/debra.clopton.5

Check out my website and be sure to check out the contest page for a chance to enter each months prizes and receive newsletters at http://www.debraclopton.com

And follow me on http://www.twitter/@debraclopton

Synopsis Writing 101

Myra here. Let me get this off my chest right now.

I HATE WRITING SYNOPSES!!!

Is there anything more difficult than reducing a 50-100K manuscript down to 3-6 pages or so? Even single-spaced, that’s maybe 5K or less.

But now that you’ve written like crazy during Speedbo and you’re closer than ever to typing “the end,” the time will soon arrive when you’ll start thinking about submitting the manuscript. Maybe you’ll begin with a contest, or maybe you’re ready to go for an agent or an editor.

Or, if you’re an established author, maybe you’re at the point where you can sell a novel based on a proposal with a brief synopsis or synopsis and three chapters.

Wherever you are on your writing journey, at some point you’ll need to write a solid, well-developed story synopsis. So here are my tips for making the process as painless as possible. Which, frankly, isn’t saying much.

Start early! If you’re a plotter, you will have already done the prewriting work of getting to know your characters and defining the story’s major turning points. That may be enough to write an effective short synopsis (one page or less), but for a full synopsis you need to plan out in greater detail exactly how you’ll get the characters from point A to point B, etc., all the way to the climax and conclusion. You also have to consider their emotional reactions along the way. How you do this . . . well, I’m a pantser, so I have no idea! You plotters are on your own for this part!

Pantsers, you know how it goes. Sometimes we have to get a sizable chunk of the first draft written before we have any clue where the story will take us. So my technique is to jot a quick summary of events as I draft each major scene. What happens in this scene? What is each character’s goal in this scene, and what obstacles do they face? How do the characters react, both emotionally and physically? What is the outcome, and what changes or new problems will these events lead to?

Now, with your character sketches and plot outline or scene notes at hand, you’re ready to start writing the synopsis.

Central character setup. Use the first two or three paragraphs to briefly summarize the central characters’ backstory and suggest their main story goal. Here are the opening paragraphs of my synopsis of A Horseman’s Heart (Heartsong Presents, August 2011):

Kip Lorimer’s mother destroyed his trust some sixteen years ago when she walked out on him and his rodeo-riding father. Unknown to Kip, his mother was pregnant with his baby sister when she left. Even as an adult, he bears the bitterness of abandonment but has managed to make a decent life for himself, drawing on everything he learned as a kid growing up on the rodeo circuit. Kip has earned an enviable reputation as a skilled horse trainer, and his side business as a custom saddle maker supplements his bank account while feeding his artist’s spirit.

Sheridan Cross grew up on Cross Roads Farm, just outside Kingsley, North Carolina, a small community near Charlotte. The farm has been in her father’s family for many years, and his dream was to help other children experience the same healing and hope he found growing up with horses in his life. He and Sheridan’s mother eventually established the farm as an accredited equine therapy center, but Sheridan’s father died a year ago and now her mother keeps the center running.
 
With her father gone, Sheridan can’t bear the idea of her mother living at the farm by herself—not after the ordeal they both went through when Sheridan was just twelve years old. Ernie and Dell Finston, the couple her parents had hired as on-premise stable managers, turned out to be less than trustworthy. One weekend, while Sheridan’s father and her younger brother, Nathan, were away, the Finstons enticed Sheridan into their cottage, then bound her with duct tape and tied her to the bed. After subduing Sheridan’s mother in the main house, they cleaned out everything of value and took off. The trauma of that long, frightening weekend, trapped for almost two days before her father and brother came home and freed them, has never left Sheridan. Nor has her lack of trust for strangers.

Summarize your plot. Now pull out your plot outline or scene notes and look for the overarching storyline. You won’t have room to include much if anything about subplots, so focus on what happens to your main characters. Address the central conflict and 3-4 major turning points. What are your characters’ goals as the story begins, and how do these goals evolve during the course of events? What is the point of no return, the darkest moment when it appears all hope is lost? How does the story resolve?

Here’s how I described the black moment in my synopsis of A Horseman’s Heart:

Just as life seems about as good as it can get, Kip awakens one morning to find his pickup and horse trailer gone. He rushes into the barn to see if anything is missing there, and finds Grace’s favorite therapy horse is not in his stall. When he finds certain other supplies missing, he realizes Grace must have run away with the horse. He knows she won’t get far, though, because of a low-water crossing that flooded during a recent heavy rain. He saddles Jet and rides out to find Grace.

Sheridan awakens later to discover Kip, Grace, and not one but two horses missing—plus the money from both her purse and her mother’s. Heartbroken and angry, she relives the Finstons’ betrayal all over again. Was Kip’s love a lie? Did he and his sister plan this from the beginning? Though Sheridan’s mother tries to get her to think rationally, Sheridan can sense a glimmer of doubt. They call the sheriff’s department and then drive out hoping to find Kip and praying to prove their suspicions wrong.

Write the synopsis in third person, present tense. Though some writers successfully vary from this standard, you’ll be safest staying with third person, present tense. Generally, dialogue is not included, unless a specific line would best convey the emotion of the scene.

Go for dramatic impact. Think of your synopsis as a very short novel. Forget the dry recitation of plot points and strive instead for the same emotional and dramatic impact you developed in your complete manuscript.

Use action verbs. Write in a language and tone to reflect your story’s mood (humorous, serious?) and era (contemporary, historical, fantasy?). Here’s a paragraph from the synopsis of my novel When the Clouds Roll By, a historical romance coming next September from Abingdon Press:

One autumn day, as Annmarie admires the beautifully glazed and fired vase she has worked so hard to create, her father bursts into the pottery factory workroom. Startled, she drops the vase, cringing in horror as it shatters at her feet. But when her father announces the armistice has been signed ending the Great War, resentment quickly turns to thanksgiving, and a broken vase becomes meaningless. The only cloud hanging over this otherwise joyful day is concern for Annemarie’s wounded fiancé, Lieutenant Gilbert Ballard. Though he expects to be home by Christmas, his letters have grown less and less affectionate and personal. Annemarie fears the war has changed him and that his love for her has dimmed.

Review, revise, and tighten. Once you’ve drafted your synopsis, review it to be sure you’ve clearly and compellingly conveyed the most important aspects of the story in as few words as necessary.

Synopsis checklist:

1. Central characters’ needs, dreams, and goals--are they clear?
2. Motivation for your characters’ actions--is it believable?
3. Opposition--what obstacles stand in your characters’ way?
4. Dramatic impact--strong verbs, characters’ emotional responses?
5. Appropriate language and tone--does the synopsis reflect the finished manuscript?
6. Tight writing--did you eliminate “weedy words” and repetition?
7. Black moment and climax--clearly described, no important details omitted?
8. Conclusion--does it satisfy while suggesting how the characters have grown and changed?

Here’s the final paragraph of my synopsis of Autumn Rains (Heartsong Presents, October 2009):

Ten years later finds Valerie and Healy happily married and anxiously awaiting the decision of a judge in another courtroom. Their entire family sits behind them, including their four adopted special-needs children—miraculous evidence of answered prayer and exhaustive efforts to convince adoption authorities of Healy’s complete turnaround after his criminal conviction. The judge praises Healy for the fine life he has made for his family as she finalizes the adoption of their fifth child. Healy draws everyone together and offers a prayer of thanksgiving, to which Pastor Henke adds, “Amen indeed. ‘Be glad, O people of Zion’!”

For extra help writing your synopsis, check out the following resources:

Writing the Fiction Synopsis: A step by step approach, by Pam McCutcheon

Your Novel Proposal from Creation to Contract, by Blythe Camenson and Marshall J. Cook

The Sell Your Novel Toolkit, by Elizabeth Lyon

Join in the discussion today, mention your interest in your choice of the above craft books on writing synopses, and one of you just might be the lucky winner!

Guest Blogger Linnette Mullin's Three Simple Steps to a Successful Synopsis!

‎"Necessity is the mother of invention!”

Hey, Seekervillagers! I’m sitting with Ruthy in the Yankee-Belle Café sipping on a tall glass of my very own Vanilla Frappe`.

Yum! Come join us. We might even be able to scrounge up a scrumptious chocolate pudding cake that’s to die for. You see, we’re celebrating a breakthrough in synopsis writing.

Ruthy, did you hear that collective gasp?

You heard me right. I used the words “breakthrough” and “synopsis” in the same sentence. I know! I was as shocked as anybody! Funny thing is, I’ve considered this method before but never fully attempted it. It seemed too easy and we all know that synopses are supposed to be hard. Right?

Hmm…

So, here I am preparing for Genesis and I get desperate. They want a synopsis. A one-page synopsis! Did someone say panic attack? Yikes! It’s not that I haven’t written a synopsis before. I’ve written several. For the same book. But I’ve never really been satisfied with any of them. So…

Then I remembered Ruthy’s post on query letters and thought to myself, “Maybe I could try something like that. Hmm…” So, I went to typing and wrote up this beautiful one pager that is a tiny summary of my novel. That is, after all, what a synopsis is. Right?

So, I emailed for feedback and heard wonderful news. “It won’t work. It’s nicely written, but it’s not technical enough to be a synopsis.”

I slumped, held my head in my hands, fed the shredder, and hopped back on the not-so-merry-synopsis-go-round. Anybody else motion sick?

I started pounding the keyboard, looking for answers. Every site I explored, everything I read, every friend I bugged, I found the same answers I’d found a gazillion times over. Frustrated, but unwilling to throw my computer out the door, I opened a fresh document. I started summarizing without summarizing, yet it quickly turned into a summary. That’s when the mental chant returned.

Bullet points. Bullet points. Bullet points.

I couldn’t get away from it.

I groaned. “I’ve tried bullet points, before.”

“Yeah, but did you really stick to them?”

“Noooo….” I groaned.

"Then, what do you have to lose?"

But it seemed too simple. Too easy. And this is not supposed to be easy. Right? So something must be wrong with this idea that wouldn’t leave me alone.

I shrugged. “I’ve tried everything else.” So, I sucked in a deep breath and took the plunge.

Now, before I go into that, we still need to understand the synopsis, right? Dictionary.com says a synopsis is: a brief summary of the plot of a novel, motion picture, play… No. Really? Well, that’s helpful! How about Merriam Webster on-line? He says that a synopsis is: a condensed statement or outline (as of a narrative or treatise): ABSTRACT … That definition is supposed to help? Seems a little… um… abstract, don’t you think?

So, let’s turn to writing professionals.

Pretty much everyone in the writing community will tell you that a synopsis is like a summary, but it’s not a summary. Or, it’s like a longer version of the back cover blurb except you’re supposed to give the ending away. Or, it’s a chapter by chapter outline of your novel, but it has to fit on one or two pages. Or, it’s like telling your best friend about a movie you’ve seen or a book you’ve read. You’ve probably heard these descriptions and more. There’s nothing wrong with them except for one thing. They don’t tell you how to write a synopsis. It’s all very abstract and this is one area in which writers need the concrete.

So, what in the writer’s world is a synopsis? From all I’ve gathered, its 1-2 pages of an outline that briefly and technically tells (yes, I said tells) your entire novel in a way that appeals to an editor.

How do you do that? As tempted as I am to tell you all the “how to’s” I’ve read, I’ll spare us both. We’ve heard it all, read it all, anyway. Finally! It’s time to stop the synopsis-go-round!

Linnette’s Three Simple Steps to a Successful Synopsis:

Before you start, keep in mind that, even though I did this with a complete manuscript, yours does not have to be complete. You probably know all the highlights of your novel or have a general idea of where you’re going. You see the story play out in your head. Use that to guide you, remembering that you aren’t tied down to your synopsis. You can always tweak it once your MS is complete. So, let’s get started!

1) Bullet points. Start at the beginning of your story and type specific but brief bullet points. (No bullets, please. They’re too painful to remove.):

Grace escapes town.

Grace runs out of gas.

Max rescues her.

Grace finds answers in the Smokies and a new friend in Max.

Grace’s dad is hospitalized.

Grace flies home.

Grace sees Joe and breaks off their engagement.

Joe refuses to accept the break-up.

Grace reunites with her parents.

Grace and her mom visit her best friend, Tammy.

Joe follows them home.

The police chase Joe off.

Max drives Grace’s car to Kansas City.

Max meets with Grace’s parent’s approval.

Joe gets into Grace’s parents house and threatens her.

Max chases Joe off.

Grace spends time with her parents, Tammy, and Max.

Joe stalks Grace and Max.

Grace files a restraining order.

Warning: When you start listing your points, you will be tempted to summarize. Don’t. You might also be tempted to list every little thing that happens in your story – especially if your MS is complete. Don’t. List the main points… those things that make up the bare bones of the story without leaving holes in it. For example, there are several things that happened in the Smokies, but I summarized it with, “Grace finds answers in the Smokies and a new friend in Max.” Listing every single thing that happened will bog the synopsis down and frustrate you.

2) String the bullet points together into paragraphs. It’s easy. I simply backspace, space, and indent. No cutting or pasting required.

Grace escapes town. Grace runs out of gas. Max rescues her. Grace finds answers in the Smokies and a new friend in Max.

Grace’s dad is hospitalized. Grace flies home. Grace sees Joe and breaks off their engagement. Joe refuses to accept the break-up.

Grace reunites with her parents. Grace and her mom visit her best friend, Tammy. Joe follows her home. The police chase Joe off.

Max drives Grace’s car to Kansas City. Max meets with Grace’s parent’s approval. Joe gets into Grace’s parents house and threatens her. Max chases Joe off. Grace spends time with her parents, Tammy, and Max.

Joe stalks Grace and Max. Grace files a restraining order.

3) Edit the paragraphs and fill in details to make them coherent, smooth, and appealing. Make sure your opening sentence hooks and your final sentence brings closure:

Synopsis

Grace Smith flees town to escape her manipulative fiancé, Joe Riddle, and the guilt over (her brother) Josh’s death. Max Jones rescues her when she runs out of gas. She finds solace and answers to her confusion in the Smoky Mountains, as well as a new friend in Max.

A week and a half later, Grace’s dad is hospitalized and she boards a plane home. Defying hospital jitters from when her brother died, she heads straight for the intensive care unit. She finds Joe there and, though she breaks up with him, he threatens her, emphasizing it’s not the end.  She reunites with her parents in the IC unit. Afterward, she and her mom visit her best friend, Tammy. When Joe tails Grace and her mom as they leave, Grace calls the police and they chase him off.

Max returns Grace’s car to Kansas City. He meets her parents and gains their approval. Joe gets into Grace’s home and threatens her, but Max runs him off.

When Grace and Max find Joe stalking them a couple days later, Max calls the police. Grace files a restraining order and Joe lays low – even skipping Church. …

Final note: On the outset, this might seem daunting, tedious, and like it’s going to take forever when you start making those bullet points. You may wonder if it’s all going to fit on one page? But keep at it. If your MS or outline is complete, check against it to make sure you get everything chronologically accurate and you don’t overlook anything vital.

For me, not only did my bullet points fit on one page, but by the time I finished paragraphing, editing, and adding filler, my synopsis fit. It didn’t take nearly as long as I thought, either. An afternoon. And it was almost… (Dare I say it?) fun.

So, there you have it. How to write a successful synopsis in three simple steps. Give it a whirl and let me know how it goes.

Do you already have a successful synopsis writing method? Please share it. I’d love to know what works for you! :D  Leave a comment and your name will go into the drawing for a $15 Starbucks gift card!

~Linnette R Mullin

Author of Life-Changing Romance

Founder & Coordinator of PCWN: Palmetto Christian Writer’s Network

Member of ACFW & HACWN

www.LinnetteMullin.com

Linnette’s Writing Corner on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Linnettes-Writing-Corner/23510882491?ref=ts

Linnette is the wife John and a mother of four amazing boys. She’s a Missouri girl from birth, but currently resides in South Carolina. She’s been busy seeking an agent and publisher for her current MS and WIP, as well as getting ready for Genesis, and playing around with other genres just for fun.

*I changed character names for this post since this is the story I’ve entered in Genesis. However, this is not my entire synopsis. I can’t go giving the ending away, now, can I? ;-)

 

 Today is another day of our March Speedbo. Find out more about Speedbo and our exciting weekly prizes here. Comment today for a chance to win! Winners announced in the Weekend Edition.

The One-Sentence Hook

Camy here! Today I thought I’d do a more interactive post and have you guys create a one-sentence hook for your story. This is actually a lesson from my Synopsis online class that I teach through my Story Sensei critique service, so forgive me if you’ve taken my class and this sounds vaguely familiar. :)

An agent might use this one-sentence hook when she presents your story to an editor, or you can use this hook in your proposal, and an editor might use it when she presents it to the pub board. Actually, I would strongly suggest you have a one-sentence hook in your proposal, because even if your editor doesn’t use it in pub board, you may be asked to submit a one-sentence hook later, after the book is contracted, to give to the Marketing and Sales team.

This hook will also help you step back from your story and adopt a more high-level view of the manuscript. It can be hard to wrench yourself out of the nitty-gritty of the story and take this bird’s-eye view, so, well ... make an effort.

Be a little impassive about your story—don’t be too tied to it. That’ll help you to step back and look at the overall picture.

Here’s the actual one sentence hook I used when I was pitching my novel, Deadly Intent:

A massage therapist must prove her innocence when her client dies in her family’s elite Sonoma spa.
(17 words)

(1) Aim to make your one-sentence hook only 15-20 words long. No longer. I’m serious! The shorter, the better. Do not go trying to sneak in a 50-word one-sentence hook! I can count! ;)

(2) Don’t use proper names, because names mean nothing to an editor/agent. Instead, use a general term for the character’s identity. Don’t use “Jane Smith.” Instead use “a legal secretary” or “a volleyball player” or “a nurturer” or “an adventurer” or “an ex-cop.”

(3) Tie together the big picture and the personal picture. Which character has the most to lose in this story? Now tell me what he or she wants to win. Introduce the story problem—what keeps her from getting her goal.

(4) Make the sentence in present tense.

(5) Try to make the main character(s) the subject of your sentence. That way you can show the character(s) in action in the story conflict. For example:

A massage therapist must prove her innocence when her client dies in her family’s elite Sonoma spa.
“A massage therapist” is the subject, “prove her innocence” is the character in action and shows the story conflict.

This might take a while, so don’t be discouraged if you can’t shoot this one out in a few minutes.

When doing this exercise, *be very specific and deliberate in your word choices.*

A massage therapist must prove her innocence when her client dies in her family’s elite Sonoma spa.

Massage therapist—her profession, which is unique for the line I am writing for, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense
Prove her innocence—the character’s story goal, also shows her being proactive as a character
Client dies—crime/suspense story conflict
Family—suggests her family plays a part as secondary characters
Elite spa—indicates the type of setting, dealing with the wealthy and pampered, which can also be a hook
Sonoma—place, which is also unique for the line I’m writing for

I broke down my sentence to show how certain key words would jump out and smack an editor. You might want to do the same with your 15-word sentence, just for yourself. (You don’t have to post the breakdown when you post your sentence.)

Focus on juicy words that promise lots of conflict or tug on heartstrings. Conflict and emotion.

Be very choosy about the words you use.

Also, a word of caution: Don’t be too vague. You want the editor to be able to hear the one-sentence hook and see immediately what the story premise is going to be like without needing an explanation what it means.

Post your sentence in the comments, and also include the story’s genre.

Everybody, feel free to offer feedback on each other. That’s what we’re all here for!

I’ll be checking in later in the day to comment and give feedback, so if you don’t hear from me right away, don’t freak out. :)

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Her novels Single Sashimi and Deadly Intent are out now. She runs the Story Sensei critique service, is a staff worker for her church youth group, and leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels and ponders frivolous things. Sign up for her newsletter YahooGroup for giveaways!

Synopsis writing - your voice

Camy here! Talking about a topic most people absolutely hate, but which I absolutely love--the synopsis! Yaaaaaaaay!!!!

(Ducking Ruthy's rotten rutabagas)

Actually, there are tons of articles on the web about how to write a synopsis, and I even have a Synopsis Worksheet available on my Story Sensei website to help people write their synopsis. (Sorry, couldn't resist the blatant plug)

But I wanted to blog today about something not many synopsis-writing articles talk about--how the synopsis can really showcase a writer's unique voice.

While a synopsis is usually not your best writing, and a synopsis is all telling and no showing, you should nevertheless try to make the synopsis sound like your writer's voice and the tone of the story.

Your voice is what captures an editor or agent, so why not make that voice sound out in the synopsis as well as your manuscript? What do you have to lose? And you've got everything to gain.

You don't know what the editor/agent will read first--your manuscript pages or your synopsis. So if your voice is strong in the synopsis, it might intrigue the editor/agent enough (along with your stellar story plot) to be favorably inclined toward your manuscript.

That "favorably inclined" part is more powerful than you know. A propensity to like what they're about to read will go really far in making your stand out to that editor/agent.

What does it mean, my voice in my synopsis?

If your story is poignant, try to make the synopsis sound that way.

If your writer's voice is quirky and funny and the story is, too, try to get that into the synopsis.

IF your writer's voice is flowing and dramatic, make the synopsis writing flowing and dramatic.

If your writer's voice is dark and sexy, definitely get that in the synopsis!!!

Here's a "before" and "after" shot of the synopsis for a humorous contemporary romance I wrote that isn't published:

Risa Takayama has no social life because she's thrown all her energies into her wedding accessories shop in the mall. Unconventional, rebellious Risa hates the numerous family gatherings because her aunts tweak her about her weight and lack of a Significant Other.

vs.

Risa Takayama would rather eat rotten tofu than listen to her aunts’ tweaking her about her weight. She’s the Elephant Man next to her Barbie-doll cousins with their Ken sidekicks, so she throws herself into her wedding accessories shop in the mall, All the Trimmings. She’s becoming so savvy and self-sufficient, she hasn’t needed to bother God for any help in a while.

What about word count?

It's true, adding more of your voice to a synopsis usually adds words, and if you're trying to cut words, you might be tempted to cut out your voice.

The choice is yours, but if you can, try to cut other words and keep your writer's voice. It will make the synopsis stand out and give a taste of what your story is like, the atmosphere of the novel.

And you want a strong first impression for that synopsis and that story, right? Go for a powerful punch to make your story stand out from the dozens of other manuscripts that editor/agent has or will read that day.

What if I don't know what my voice is?

Ahhh, the internet. There are lots of good online articles about developing your writer's voice (I wrote one here: Developing Your Writer's Voice) and also great books you can order through Amazon or through your Inter Library Loan system at your local library.

I personally think it's really worth it to spend some good, quality time to develop your writer's voice. That voice is what captures an editor right away.

Let me end with a neat story. I was at Mount Hermon Writers Conference in the Career Track. There was a panel of editors, and the moderator read a paragraph or two from the beginnings of a few unpublished novels from my fellow classmates. The editors gave their on the spot impressions.

One particular story mesmerized the entire room from sentence one. The writer's voice was so unique and cool and awesome that the editors were overflowing with praise after the sample was read.

The VOICE was what captured those editors' attentions from the start. The story premise and characters came second. The writer's VOICE was the magic that made them want to read the rest of the manuscript.

YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT KIND OF WRITER'S VOICE!

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Her novels Single Sashimi and Deadly Intent are out now. She runs the Story Sensei critique service, is a staff worker for her church youth group, and leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every week and ponders frivolous things. Sign up for her newsletter YahooGroup for monthly giveaways!

SYNOPSIS: The Good, The Bad, and The Optional Unjudged

I'm thrilled to welcome Gina Welborn to Seekerville! Take it away, Gina....

Shiver me timbers! What’s it about synopsis that makes writers break out in hives? I cringed just typing the word.

For the budding—or experienced—contest entrant, the dreaded synopsis isn’t something that can be avoided. More and more RWA chapter contests are requiring a synopsis in addition to the manuscript pages, although they’re oft unjudged.

The ACFW’s Genesis contest states…

The entrant must submit the first 15 pages of their manuscript, double-spaced, and an OPTIONAL one-page single-spaced synopsis.

What in Elvis’s blue suede shoes is “optional” all about?

Is it like the dentist saying, “Gee, Gina, we’d like to do a root canal on that molar that’s been bothering you, but we hate to be anal about things so we’re gonna say the root canal is optional. Care for a mint?”

Dude, fix my tooth. I don’t like pain.

Neither do I like writing synopsis. But some pain can’t—and shouldn’t—be avoided. What doesn’t kill ya makes ya stronger. (Even the 3 Little Pigs whose houses kept getting blown down know what I’m talking about.) Why should you send in an optional synopsis, especially when it's unjudged?

Since April 1st of this year, I’ve judged 21 contest entries with 8 more to go. Trust me when I say, as a judge, I’d much rather see a contest allow for an optional (or not) unjudged synopsis then require and judge it. Or not require one at all. One-page synopses are nice appetizers. Two-three pagers are a healthy meal. More than four pages…well, I'll freely admit I skim 4+ page synopses. One of my Golden Heart entries this year had a 15-page synopsis. zzzzzzzzzz

As a writer, I know synopses are a pain to write so I tend to be lenient when I’m judging them. On a sorta side note, Missy Tippens did a post recently in which she talked about GMC. If you answer the questions she listed, then the structural foundation of your short synopsis pretty much writes itself. How cool is that?

Anyhoo, last year when I was judging the Genesis, all but one of my seven entries came with a synopsis. None of the synopses were well written, but they did provide information to assist me in scoring some questions.

In one particular entry, I realized what happened in the entry pages didn't seem relevant to the rest of the story. Typical opening of heroine in her ordinary world. Other than the hero’s job being the same in the entry pages and in the synopsis, the synopsis could have come from a different story.

I made a point to tell the entrant that I didn't think she began her story in the right place based on the fact nothing significant occurred during the entry pages that seemed relevant to the story plot as outlined in the synopsis. Her story really started the moment the heroine began her vacation because the entry showed something important happening on the first day she arrived in the vacation-town.

When judging this month for the VRW’s Fool for Love, I often struggled to answer the question “Is the plot strong enough to sustain word count?”

With my Genesis entries, I could answer a question like that because all the entries included a total manuscript word count in the header. Not the FFL. In a contest that asks a specific question like that, if the entrant doesn’t include word count, the judge is left with using a synopsis to answer the question. Would you believe barely half of my FFL entries included a synopsis? How the sweet tartar sauce was I suppose to score that question without anything but the first 20 pages of the manuscript?

(imagine a loud sigh here)

Back to last year’s Genesis entries…

Would you believe that of all those entries, the one I really really really wanted to read the synopsis on (because the manuscript pages were fan-freakin-tastic) was the very one that didn’t include one. Talk about torture! I was desperate to know what (in a 1-page nutshell) happened to the characters. Ended up I said something like, "You horrible author. How dare you not send a synopsis! Now I'm gonna suffer not knowing what happened until your book is published. Uggh! :-) I don't think I like you at this moment. Great job, though, on hooking me with your story alone. I'm sure you can tell by my scores and my comments that I loved your story. Best wishes!!!"

While not sending in a synopsis won’t hurt you significantly, I do think that a ho-hum one is better than one not at all. Most of the time. If the scoresheet asks about GMC being strong enough to sustain plot for entire book, then you probably ought to include a synopsis. No argument.

On a side note, I didn’t include the optional synopsis with my Duel on the Delta 2009 contest entry. Not only did my story final, but none of my judges commented on wishing I’d have included the synopsis. I’m guessing they didn’t feel they needed it to answer any questions.

Anyhoo, I still advise including an optional synopsis even if it’s poorly written. Why? Well, you may get a judge who knows a little about writing synopsis and who will give you tips on improving yours. I tend to give links to online articles or recommend Mary Buckham's workshop: SYNOPSIS: For Those Who Hate To Write Them!

Now that “horrible Genesis author” who didn’t send in a synopsis with her entry was Jenness Walker. She ended up winning first place in the Genesis romantic suspense category. I’m thrilled to say the novel is now an October 2009 Love Inspired Suspense release.

I can safely say the entries I’ve judged this month that didn’t included their optional synopsis all lost at least two points on their score because the scoresheets had questions pertaining to GMC being strong enough to sustain plot. Had they included that optional synopsis, they may not have.

Think two points aren’t that big of deal?

Last year when I coordinated the Golden Pen historical and the Touched by Love long contemporary categories, the difference between being one of the three finalists and being #4 was one point.

One. One. Do you hear me? O.N.E.

Despite me not sending in the optional synopsis with my Duel of the Delta entry and my judges not commenting on it, I still believe that you should err on the side of including the optional synopsis.

Now where’s our sexy pirate barista. I could use some coffee and hot cross buns. Or a nice cheese danish. Or….

-----

A 2007 RWA GOLDEN HEART®inspirational finalist, Gina enjoys helping with contests both as a category coordinator and judge. No, she is not insane to any degree. Or at least the tests say she isn't. While she doesn't enter many contests, she has choice words for judges who deduct 2 points on formatting because the entry used underlining instead of italics. Today's choice words are...well, she'd prefer not to say in case her kids are reading.