When approaching literary agents, along with a well-polished manuscript, you will need a strong and concise SYNOPSIS. This Synopsis is different to the blurb-like one in your Cover Letter - it should reveal everything about your story, from plot twists, to the ending. Condensing hundreds of pages into one or two can seem an impossible task, but here's how...
A book synopsis tells the prospective literary agent the ins-and-outs of your story. It will accompany your query and Cover Letter.
How does one write a powerful book synopsis?
Firstly, the synopsis should be one to two pages long, and should focus on the novel's main narrative (if you have several subplots, only mention these in passing or else it might dilute the synopsis.) The tone of the synopsis should be neutral - this is not a sales piece where you pepper the text with adjectives in the hope it makes the narrative appear more exciting, or a place to showcase your linguistic eloquence (save that for the novel.) The synopsis will be dry, matter-of-fact, and full of spoilers - and that's fine!
Format:
Length - 500 to 800 words is considered the correct amount.
Presentation - Always read thoroughly to ensure that there aren't typos or grammar mistakes. Use a normal font (Times New Roman is my go-to, although I can't use it on this blog!) Use 1.5 or double spacing (this might vary by agent; if they don't specify, I always use 1.5)
Characters - Put character names in bold or CAPS when they are first introduced. This makes the synopsis easier to navigate. You can introduce character with quick thumbnails (e.g: "John Smith, a retired teacher turned secret agent.) This illustrates to the reader the character's immediate circumstances. You can put the character's age in brackets, if you wish. I personally don't do this - a character's age is usually arbitrary (unless it is a necessary plot device; e.g: something like Gangster Granny.) Thumbnails should be plot-focused, not emotional (unless that emotional state is important for the character's immediate circumstances and the narrative that is to unfold.) Essentially, don't EMBELLISH.
Your synopsis also doesn't need to introduce every character. Only mention those who further the MAIN plot (your protagonists and antagonists, mostly.)
Third Person Perspective - Even if your narrative is written in the first person, your synopsis should be in the omniscient third-person. Ensure that you tell the story in chronological order, too (or chronological order to how the novel is written - if you happen to be writing a timey-wimey science-fiction.)
File Name - [Title] + "Synopsis" + [Your Full Name]
E.G: 'The Falling Sun': Synopsis - Dylan Day
Got all that out of the way, let's write!
Writing the Synopsis:
Trying to condense thousands of words to just five-hundred will seem daunting. But it is possible!
Here's how:
Break the story's structure into beats.
By beats I mean:
The Equilibrium (or status quo) - how things begin
The Inciting Incident - what changes the equilibrium
Rising Action - what happens as a consequence of the equilibrium
Crises - the climax
Resolution - how the problem is solved
Most stories have multiple inciting incidents, climaxes, and resolutions, but you should focus on the main one or two. Let the agent see that the novel has an overarching thread.
This was extremely complicated for The Falling Sun, which tells two simultaneous narratives. So, I spent the first two paragraphs outlining the police investigation of Akira Yamamoto and John F. Thorbes, and then I switched to the flashback of Tenshi and Hamata. The focus of narrative one was Officer Arthur Lawrence trying to expose the corrupt John F. Thorbes. Narrative two focused on Tenshi and Hamata's pursuit of the American Dream, as well as the rise and fall of Friston Farm. This gave a clear, overarching perspective of the novel.
A synopsis will tell you exactly how well you know your novel and how easy the plot is to follow. If you struggle to whittle your novel down - as I did in the first few drafts of The Falling Sun - then it's a sign that you don't have a clear thread, or need to do more diving to discover it. In this instance, it's best to simplify the story. Yes, you will miss things from the synopsis, but that is totally okay!
Once you have plotted the beats, add the effect this has on the characters.
For example: "John Smith is bullied at school. He subsequently locks himself in his room and plots for revenge. He builds the ultimate device - the WEDGIENATOR 4000."
The effect of the bullying was that John Smith locked himself away and plotted for revenge. It is plot focused.
Also notice the conjunctive "subsequently". Words like this demonstrate that there is a cause and effect. Ever heard of E.M Forster's, 'The King died. And then the Queen died of grief.' Plot is all about cause and effect. You must demonstrate in your synopsis that the events of the plot have relevance, and that they cause a chain reaction of events that lead to the climax and resolution.
Unless you're writing a whacky sci-fi, a meteor can't randomly fall from the sky and crush the bullies for John Smith. There is no cause and effect in this. That is called deus ex machina. The God in the Machine - when a seemingly random event saves the day. It can work with a little intellect (think: the flu killing the Martians in H.G Wells' War of the Worlds.) But in most cases it is an unsatisfactory ending, like 'it was all a dream'. (see my post on cliches.)
With the format, cause and effect, and the character's immediate circumstances nailed, the last component is to conclude the synopsis. This involves illustrating your characters' final states and sharing the story's resolution.
Let's go back to John Smith for a moment:
"After using the WEDGIENATOR 4000 on the bullies, John is sent to the headteacher's office and is expelled. John's parents find out what happened, but they are proud of their son for sticking up for himself. When John returns to school, the bullies leave him alone.
The End."
That was a rushed example of concluding the story. In most cases, the protagonist should have changed. If they don't, there must be a reason for this.
[NOTE: there was a version in my mind where John Smith's WEDGIENATOR 4000 is taken by MI6 to use as a weapon against enemy spies. But that apparently was too ludicrous.]
Anyway, write your conclusion.
And there you have it, a complete synopsis.
To recap. This is how you write and format a synopsis for your manuscript:
500-800 words
Third person perspective
Focus on the MAIN narrative
Times New Roman (or equivalent font)
1.5 or double spacing
Main characters only
File Name = [Title] + "Synopsis" + [Your Full Name]
Break the novel into beats
Ensure the plot has cause-and-effect ('The King died. And then the Queen died of grief')
Convey the effect of plot on the characters
Conclude the story (something has changed)
Writing a Synopsis: 8 Mistakes to Avoid
Detailing setting - saying 'San Francisco, 1969' is sufficient.
Hiding the Plot Twist - DON'T - the agent wants to know the WHOLE story. Save the teasers for a blurb.
Cramming in too many Characters - only those relevant to the MAIN plot beats should be mentioned.
Giving vast Character Backstory - keep character thumbnails relevant to the plot.
Overlooking the Ending - an agent wants to know how the story ends.
Including Subplots Unnecessarily - these can clutter a synopsis.
Being Overly Critical - some writers are critical of their work, saying things like 'this might sound cliche'. Have confidence in your work. If you don't, then why would anyone else?
Ignoring the Agent's Specifications - it might be annoying if ten agents all want different formatting and length for your synopsis, but you MUST adhere to their guidelines, or else they are unlikely to read your submission. You have put a lot of hard-work into writing your novel - don't let a moment of laziness undo all that.
You should now be confident in writing your own synopsis. Remember, other than your manuscript, the Cover Letter and synopsis are the most important parts of your submission.
READ my blog: 'How to Approach Agents and Write a Cover Letter.'
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