The Dreaded Synopsis - Tips
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| Courtesy Leah Jones |
Hiya, readers! I thought I'd pass along my Simple Synopsis Technique - which is actually pieces of many other writers' synopsis plans. I glommed what worked for me and made my own. Disclaimer: just because it works for me doesn't mean it'll work for you. Here goes:
Step One: Write one sentence describing each of the following: hero, heroine, beginning hook, major turning points and resolution. You should have (depending on length) 7 sentences, give or take. I write shorter so I usually have 3 turning points; obviously longer books will have more.
Step Two-A: Expand both the Hero and Heroine's sentence to become a GMC statement; 3-4 sentences (max) is good.
Step Two-B: Expand the beginning, turning points and resolution sentences to be NO MORE THAN a 3-4 sentence paragraph. No cheating: don't use And But Or to conjugate two sentences. This needs to be succinct.
Step Three: Add in the fun - what leads the characters from Beginning to Turning Point 1 to Turning Point 2 to the Black Moment to the Resolution? Again - be succinct. Some of these will be one sentence, some will be 2. Very few should be more than 3 sentences long.
Step Four: Don't forget the emotion. You've done such a good job of getting the Who What and When and possibly How down on the page. This is where you add in the Why - why does the Heroine act like ___, why does the Hero respond like ___; what emotional entanglement leads them to ___. Once again, be succinct. You're dealing with emotions at this point, but remember it's a synopsis not the actual book.
Step Five: Read it. At least twice, looking for moments or reactions or happenings that you forgot to include. If something big - not just the heroine getting a manicure, I mean a moment that changes things for the hero or heroine - happens and you've not mentioned, this is the time to add it in.
You're through. That's my simple synopsis technique; usually I can keep this to 2 pages. When I remember it's a synopsis and not the actual book. :)
Do you have a secret formula?
Great tips, Kristi, but I'm really glad I don't need them, since I don't have to write synopses any more.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Margery! I actually use a paired down version of this - just a sentence about H/h/main turning points - as an outline while I'm writing, too.
DeleteI'm definitely going to give this a try. I totally despise writing a synopsis. They are the bane of my existence but somehow I always struggle through them. Screaming and sobbing along the way, LOL. Thanks for the great tips!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Mae, hope it works for you! I'm not a synopsis expert, but before I started using this technique it would take...days to write a decent synopsis. Now, a couple hours and I'm okay. Not that my synopsi are perfection or anything... lol
DeleteI appreciate your tips on the dreaded synopsis...smile. Will tuck it away for when I need it. It's always nice to get tips from those who have succeeded. So many authors give back to the writing community and it is appreciated.
ReplyDeleteHi, Brenda! Thanks for visiting today - and good luck with your books!
DeleteGreat tips Kristi..thanks for sharing your tips. I'm wordy, but hopefully this will help me keep things under control :)
ReplyDeleteOh, wordy...I'm *still* wordy...but this does help me keep it to 2ish pages. Mostly. lol
DeleteGood idea. I've seen one similar before (maybe it was yours just somewhere else lol). I keep saying I'll try these 'easy' steps I stumble across but when I start a syn I never do. Thanks for this one. Maybe I'll actually try it.
ReplyDeleteThe key really is finding something that works for you, Calisa...so it's possible your subconscious already knows what you need to write a synopsis! LOL :)
DeleteSynopsis. Blech. My CPs and I had special words for these... sucknopsis (because writing them sucks, and because the first few you write usually...yep. suck. LOL). and also synopsisisisisisisssss because, well, I generally hiss that word out of hate.
ReplyDeleteBut now that I'm an editor, I'd like to offer up 1 very important step to add in between each of yours: Breathe in. Now Out. Now do it again. :)
(almost) every editor has also written the synopsis and the sucknopsis and the synopsisisisissss, so we understand and only use them to make sure the plot and GMC are coherent and the story has resolution. In other words, we understand, and won't base our decision solely on that document.
Now, agents are a whole other story....
Great advice, Piper, thanks for chiming in!
DeleteGood tips, Kristi! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteyou're welcome, thanks for dropping by, D'Ann!
DeleteGreat pointers, Kristi. I used to hate writing synopsis' but now I don't mind them. I think because now I write it before I actually write the book so I don't have all that extraneous stuff I have to wade through. LOL.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by, Sharon! And good point about writing a synopsis before the book - I use one of those as an outline, to keep me on track. Well, until the plot veers off course. lol
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ReplyDeleteGreat tips, Kristina. I start with my blurb and expand out, trying for no more than 3 pages. The shorter the better.
ReplyDeleteshorter is definitely better, Jenna! At least that's what I've been told. :)
DeleteGreat tips, Kristina. I start with my blurb and expand out, trying for no more than 3 pages. The shorter the better.
ReplyDeleteThey are great tips, Kristi. I think you left out the pitcher of margaritas step, but I'm sure that was just an oversight. It seems I've tried everything and I still hate synopses as much as I always have, and I always think they suck. Truth is, I don't usually like other people's, either--it must just be an editorial thing. I suppose they don't have to be likable--they just have to tell the story.
ReplyDeleteLOL, Liz, pitcher of margaritas...that would be Step 6!!
DeleteGreat tips, Kristi... I'm like Jenna, I usually start with my blurb and then expand that. But this sounds like a great plan too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by, Sara! Its good that you've found a system that works for you!
DeleteThanks so much for sharing! You've got writing the synopsis down to a formula that really sounds doable!
ReplyDeletethanks for coming by, Arsoleen! It's definitely a formula for me... :)
DeleteThanks for this! I'm about to embark on the synopsis for a full length Single Title so this is going to help me narrow down 75,000+ words to a few pages. I must confess: I don't look forward to it.
ReplyDeleteSynopsis scare the snot out of me. I freeze up when the time to write one comes.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for these tips. I'll definitely try your way.
Great tips, Kristi! I'm actually writing a synopsis this weekend. Printing this out!
ReplyDeleteThis is a keeper Kristi! Am definitely going to use it. Thanks so much for sharing! x
ReplyDelete