Listing these points effectively maps out the action and arc of your story, which will enable the reader to easily follow it from beginning to end. Instead, simply emphasize character motivations at the beginning and end of your synopsis — first as justification for the inciting incident, then again to bring home the resolution. For example:. When a mysterious man offers her the chance to find them, she spontaneously buys a ticket to Florence to begin her journey [inciting action].
Also note how the text here is written in third person, present tense, as it should be regardless of the tense or POV of your actual book. Basically, the present tense works to engage the reader while the third person allows the story to be told smoothly. The best way to capture voice in a synopsis is through extremely deliberate word choice and sentence structure.
If your novel contains one or more of these twists, especially at the climax, make sure your synopsis accentuates it. Another aspect that might set your book apart is a distinctive point of view. Although this strategy works best for books with a highly unusual point of view such as The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, in which the story is told by Death , it can also be very helpful to remember for seemingly bog-standard narrators.
You also may have to delete some text, so you can get it right in that couple-page sweet spot. Many writers fall into the trap of trying to hook agents by opening with a sentence akin to the first murky line of a literary novel. Again, though you do want your intro to be intriguing, it has to cut to the chase pretty quickly. When it comes to opening a synopsis, you need to think like Tolkien, not Tolstoy.
If your synopsis is longer than a couple of pages at this point, you need make some serious cutbacks. Reduce any run-on sentences or subordinate clauses that unnecessarily lengthen your piece. Save the frills for your book; remember, your synopsis is all about substance. Previous post: Should you get producers to sign a NDA before sending them your screenplay?
How long should your screenplay synopsis be? Check out our list of recommended screenplay contests. The Budget List The best low budget, unproduced screenplays of The best low budget, unproduced screenplays of The best low budget, unproduced screenplays of The best low budget, unproduced screenplays of Looking for a script consultant? I wonder if you could clarify the use of first person for the synopsis, only because your example appears to contradict that statement.
What am I missing? Writing a synopsis in the first person would be somewhat awkward unless the synopsis was excerpted verbatim from a book that was written in the first person. Regarding length of a synopsis, I agree that shorter and more concise is better. Thank you for sharing this great post.
You do need to cover the bases so that the reader will be interested in the plot. How Long Should a Synopsis Be? By Maeve Maddox. Stop making those embarrassing mistakes! Subscribe to Daily Writing Tips today! You will improve your English in only 5 minutes per day, guaranteed! You'll also get three bonus ebooks completely free!
How long should a synopsis be? Why the synopsis is important to agents and editors The synopsis ensures character actions and motivations are realistic and make sense.
Avoid splitting the synopsis into sections In most cases, the synopsis should start and end without any breaks, sections, or other subheadings. Stick to the basics. This can be a particularly persistent problem with memoir. Avoid including dialogue, and if you do, be sparing.
Make sure the dialogue you include is absolutely iconic of the character or represents a linchpin moment in the book. That means you should leave out any attempts to impress through poetic description. Jane Friedman. Share on:. Notify of. Inline Feedbacks.
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