Synopsis for #FoW15 #Writing
Once again, the Festival of Writing is upon us. One amazing event where you can have 10 mins 1-2-1 with Literary Agents and Book Doctors. Trust me, hearing praise, criticism, advice, the truth, or the unwanted truth face to face is powerful and real during a 1-2-1.
Closing Date for tickets is Friday 21st August.
It can make the difference with knowing your direction. Definitely has with mine.
As part of the 1-2-1 submission, you’ll need to submit the First Chapter, a Covering Letter, and a Synopsis. It can feel odd having to condense your novel into one page. Even more that you’re changing the POV, the tense, and the approach.
Don’t fret. With some planning, you can make it easier for yourself.
My approach follows:
Stage One – use a sheet of paper, Excel, or any other spreadsheet tool to list your chapters. Get clear the aim of each chapter in terms of Who, What, and the Outcome.
Who = The players.
What = The key moments
Outcome = Where does the chapter end, or take the reader?
Once listed. you’ll understand what earns its place in the synopsis. You can’t fit every sub-plot, character, car chase, explosion, toaster malfunctioning, or cat pooping outside of the litter tray into the synopsis. It’s meant to be a summary. Be harsh. Be strong. Tell us the main plot, the main conflict, and the key moments that drive us to the end.
You can then group the parts you will use/might use. These help with understanding paragraph structure.
Stage Two – Write it!
Don’t bother with indents per paragraph. Try to keep it on one page. State your contact details in the top left, and details about the novel (genre, word count) in the top right.
DO NOT hide the ending. Make it clear how the novel ends. None of the: Jack pilots the spaceship into the mothership. Will he or won’t he survive? … A big no-non-nein-nay especially if you cover the outcome in your novel.
Note how I stated that we should Tell? Your manuscript is about showing and not telling. In the synopsis, tell like your life depends on it.
Give the synopsis space to breathe. Don’t use tiny margins, small font (I use Times New Roman 12), or blocky paragraphs.
Below, my synopsis came in at 310 words (minus the upper details). Once done… print it off, and read aloud. Manuscripts are not judged on synopsis alone, but don’t risk putting someone off.
In Stage One, I identified 10 Groups, but in the end it came in at 8 paragraphs. Modify it. Hone it. Drill it. Love it.
Any typos are subject to interpretation…
Written by Imran Siddiq, Young Adult Science-Fiction author. His views are considered epic by his cats. Follow at @Flickimp, see his released novels and Goodreads ratings.
