Synopsis—Writing from Fear to Finished

Just the word “synopsis” strikes fear into the hearts of most writers. How the heck does one capture an entire novel in a one (or at most) two-page single-spaced document? A document that must cover the major plot points and be captivating at the same time. A document that is supposed to grab the interest of an agent or editor. I think I’m getting PTSD just writing this. However, they have gotten easier for me to write.

I’ve mentioned this before, but Barb gave me the best advice for writing a synopsis. Here it is:

Pretend you are in a bar with an old friend you haven’t seen in a while.Start like this, “You wouldn’t believe what happened to my friend Sarah. Yes, she’s the one who was involved in the yard sale murder. But this time, something even more crazy happened. She… then start the story. Go as far as you can.Don’t be afraid to say, as you would in the bar, “Oh, and I forgot to tell you this part…”When it gets boring, say “That wasn’t even the craziest part. After that she…” and go as far over the top as you can. That’s the climax.Write that down.Go back, straighten it out.Go back and put her arc in, and some personal stuff.

Making the synopsis a conversation, took mine from a dry, boring page to something with voice.

Here are the beginnings for two of my synopses:

Rum and Choke: Chloe Jackson knows something is up the minute she walks into the Sea Glass Saloon and sees the expressions on Joaquin Diaz and Vivi Slidell’s faces. Their tentative expressions border on trepidation. Minutes later she knows why.

Sell Low, Sweet Harriet: When a young spouse is murdered on Fitch Air Force Base, everyone grieves. Sarah Winston feels the death deeply because she could have been that woman many years ago. When Special Agent Frank Bristow of the asks Sarah to help with the investigation, she says yes. Her instructions are to listen to conversations and report back because she can participate in base activities and move among the spouses in a way that a special agent can’t.

Author Amy M. Newman has some don’ts when writing a synopsis:

Do not write it in the form of a list, like an outline. …Do not include a detailed breakdown of each chapterDo not include every scene in your storyDo not include most (if any) of the subplotsDo not include minor charactersDO NOT include dialogue

And if you want more information, here are links to a couple of great articles on writing a synopsis:

https://janefriedman.com/how-to-write-a-novel-synopsis https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/blog/how-to-write-a-synopsis-for-your-novel