A synopsis can be quite helpful

When you first begin a novel, it's fairly easy to remember what you've written so far. However, the deeper you get into that word count, the harder it is to keep track of everything, and you could easily find yourself amidst a jumble of confusion regarding various characters and storylines. When did she last speak to that guy? How did those two characters leave their last meeting? What month did her mom come visit?

Going back and rereading specific sections will of course refresh your memory, but that can be time-consuming and can often feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. It can also interrupt your momentum, which is something you definitely don't want to do. Plus, once you have tens of thousands of words written, just finding the scene you want to re-read can be a pain.

Searching through your novel for little details can be time-consuming!

I find that creating a chapter-by-chapter synopsis is a great way to address this issue. Each time I finish a chapter, I switch over to the synopsis and note the salient points and timeframe, then get right back to the novel. When I need to check dates, confirm conversations, review how the overall story is progressing, etc., I first consult the synopsis to locate the section in question. Then I go to the manuscript to read it.

Before I started using synopses for my drafts, I found myself rereading from the very beginning over and over and over. That approach leads to lots of editing, but not a lot of writing. Using a synopsis will help you complete your first draft faster. Then you can go back and make it better, which is my favorite part. It's much easier to edit than to stare at a blank page, right?

-Maria

Maria Murnane is the best-selling author of the romantic comedies Perfect on Paper, It's a Waverly Life, and Honey on Your Mind. She also provides consulting services on book publishing and marketing. Learn more at www.mariamurnane.com.

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Comment by Evalyn Lee on September 6, 2012 at 7:52pm: Adela. Excel. Whoa. That's scary. Cool too.

Comment by Evalyn Lee on September 6, 2012 at 7:51pm: Thank you. Thank you. This seems smart. I'm so lost in text its just crazy. But hey, at least I'm writing!

Comment by Juanita Davis-King on September 6, 2012 at 11:31am: Thank you:)

Comment by Daphne Q on September 5, 2012 at 6:37pm: Hi, Maria... thanks for posting this... good advice... I learned a little late in my first novel that an outline of some sort was crucial

Comment by Beverley Stevens on September 5, 2012 at 5:08pm: I just joined this site today, and this is the first thing that caught my eye. I spent my morning doing just as you suggest. What a relief! I feel 100% better about my work. And I used excel which satisfies my anal-retentive number crunchy side. I had previously fallen into the trap you mentioned - reading from the start every time, which definitely is tedious and allowed me to easily fall into the "re-editing the same *&^@# over and over" routine. THANK YOU!

Comment by Brianna Soloski on September 5, 2012 at 9:34am: Adela, that's a fantastic idea. I might have to try that.

Comment by Joann Pensabene on September 5, 2012 at 9:12am: I really like this idea. I'm writing my first book and I find myself getting lost in pages of text and notes and totally confusing myself about where I am and what to do next. I'm definitely going to give this a try. Thanks.

Comment by Adela Crandell Durkee on September 5, 2012 at 6:16am: I have a spreadsheet. Each chapter gets a line: Chapter overview, characters, conflict (major/minor), wordcount, status (rough draft/draft/polished.) I learned this at a conference. I can't tell you how much it helps keep me on track.

Comment by Lynne Favreau on September 4, 2012 at 8:03pm: That's a great idea, I'm so stuck in that loop right now. I must have reread my first 6 chapters dozens of time trying to get back into my story when I've had to leave it for a few days. Thanks!!

Comment by Brianna Soloski on September 4, 2012 at 5:15pm: That's great advice. I'll have to try that with my next WIP. I think I did pretty well with the WIP I just finished, but I definitely need to go back and edit.