Pulling Teeth with Pliers... Or, Writing a Great Synopsis
It's Friday! *does Friday dance involving flailing of arms and awkward hip swings* Want to know something even better than Friday (no, not wine)? Tomorrow, I'm off to the sunny climes of Cairo for two weeks! Not to worry, though, I'll still be blogging as much as I can, as per usual. While my in-laws go off for hours in Arabic I haven't a hope in hell of understanding, I'll be tucked in the corner, tapping away at my lovely little laptop. We are still planning our regular outings to the Pyramids, the market, Memphis and Alexandria, so I will have plenty of photos to share.
Now. Onto more serious things: the dreaded synopsis. If you're not a writer, consider yourself very lucky that this is something you've escaped. For me, it's like pulling out my own teeth with rusty pliers while someone hammers nails into my eyeballs. Oh yes, it's just that much fun. Luckily, today I've got Crabbity Bat (her words, not mine) and absolute writing genius Nicola Morgan here to talk about her new book, Write a Great Synopsis.
Take it away, Nicola!
Hello Talli andTalli's lovely readers!
Thank you so muchfor letting me visit again. I'm very honoured and in recognition of that I'vebrought some champagne. *pops cork* Cheers!
Since most or manyof your readers aren't writers, I thought I'd say something that might interestboth groups.
Writers gethorribly vexed about synopses. Many ofus (not me, tbh) would rather eat witchety grubs than write one, and yet quitehappily sit down to write a 100,000 word novel. Thing is, making a few wordswork well is hard. Blaise Pascal famously apologised (in French) for writingsuch a long letter, saying he didn't have time to write a short one. Andthere's a real truth in that. And what writers have to do is turn a 100,000word thing into something very short– maybe 600 words – and that's veryhard.
On the other hand,Tolstoy said, "No book should be too complex to explain to a barmaid." (Veryrude to barmaids, imo.) Indeed, Anna Karenina may be long but it's far fromcomplex – omit the farming, and there's very little left to go in the synopsis.
Actually, I alsothink it might be easier for a reader to produce a good synopsis of a book thanits writer. In fact, one of the things I recommend to writers in Write a GreatSynopsis (WAGS!) is to forget your book, or forget the details. If you forgetthe details and sequences, what you're left with is the core – what and whoit's about and how the story ends, bringing the memorable driving forcestogether.
Writers, pleasestop worrying! WAGS covers everything about synopsis-writing, clearly andreassuringly. At the end of it I believe you truly will say to yourself, "Don'tpanic – it's only a synopsis!
And readers, nexttime you pick up a new book, spare a thought for the poor writer who almostcertainly had to write a sparkly synopsis before getting the deal!
Thanks forlistening, everyone. I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts.
Would yourather write a book or a synopsis?
NB: all commentersbelow (by Feb 15th) will be entered into the Big WAGS Competition,with chances to win a critique of your synopsis by the Crabbit Old Bat herself!One comment per person on each blog – though you can add to your chances bycommenting on the other posts on the tour. Details of all stops on the tourwill appear on my blog (Help!I Need a Publisher!) as they go out.
Details about thebook, including buying options, here. The linkdirect to Amazon UK is here; Amazon.com is here. And it's stupid cheap tillthe end of January!
Thanks, Nicola!
Well, I'd much rather write a book than a synopsis. A zillion times more! How about you? Have a great weekend, everyone!
Now. Onto more serious things: the dreaded synopsis. If you're not a writer, consider yourself very lucky that this is something you've escaped. For me, it's like pulling out my own teeth with rusty pliers while someone hammers nails into my eyeballs. Oh yes, it's just that much fun. Luckily, today I've got Crabbity Bat (her words, not mine) and absolute writing genius Nicola Morgan here to talk about her new book, Write a Great Synopsis.
Take it away, Nicola!
Hello Talli andTalli's lovely readers!
Thank you so muchfor letting me visit again. I'm very honoured and in recognition of that I'vebrought some champagne. *pops cork* Cheers!
Since most or manyof your readers aren't writers, I thought I'd say something that might interestboth groups.
Writers gethorribly vexed about synopses. Many ofus (not me, tbh) would rather eat witchety grubs than write one, and yet quitehappily sit down to write a 100,000 word novel. Thing is, making a few wordswork well is hard. Blaise Pascal famously apologised (in French) for writingsuch a long letter, saying he didn't have time to write a short one. Andthere's a real truth in that. And what writers have to do is turn a 100,000word thing into something very short– maybe 600 words – and that's veryhard.
On the other hand,Tolstoy said, "No book should be too complex to explain to a barmaid." (Veryrude to barmaids, imo.) Indeed, Anna Karenina may be long but it's far fromcomplex – omit the farming, and there's very little left to go in the synopsis.
Actually, I alsothink it might be easier for a reader to produce a good synopsis of a book thanits writer. In fact, one of the things I recommend to writers in Write a GreatSynopsis (WAGS!) is to forget your book, or forget the details. If you forgetthe details and sequences, what you're left with is the core – what and whoit's about and how the story ends, bringing the memorable driving forcestogether.
Writers, pleasestop worrying! WAGS covers everything about synopsis-writing, clearly andreassuringly. At the end of it I believe you truly will say to yourself, "Don'tpanic – it's only a synopsis!
And readers, nexttime you pick up a new book, spare a thought for the poor writer who almostcertainly had to write a sparkly synopsis before getting the deal!
Thanks forlistening, everyone. I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts.
Would yourather write a book or a synopsis?
NB: all commentersbelow (by Feb 15th) will be entered into the Big WAGS Competition,with chances to win a critique of your synopsis by the Crabbit Old Bat herself!One comment per person on each blog – though you can add to your chances bycommenting on the other posts on the tour. Details of all stops on the tourwill appear on my blog (Help!I Need a Publisher!) as they go out.
Details about thebook, including buying options, here. The linkdirect to Amazon UK is here; Amazon.com is here. And it's stupid cheap tillthe end of January!
Thanks, Nicola!
Well, I'd much rather write a book than a synopsis. A zillion times more! How about you? Have a great weekend, everyone!
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