Writing a Good Synopsis
Posted by

I spent four years getting my novel “right” enough to snag an agent. I spent four months condensing it to a single page that included the synopsis, my bio, and marketing prowess. The end result was a somewhat functional if hopelessly earnest attempt to detail the entire book.

The good synopsis is harder and can take longer than writing the novel. At least writing the novel is fun.

The synopsis it is hard because it had to be short.

Four years. My agent re-wrote it. Oh so briefly, she captured:

  • the hook;
  • the expanded hook;
  • one more, slightly longer graph describing (get this) just the first 70 pages; and
  • a final, short graph posing a question to set up a compelling interest in the rest of the book.

How do you take your whole novel and condense it?

Where have you succeed?

Where have you missed the mark?

How do you know?

0
Replies