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writing a synopsis
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I was told by an author friend that write it as if telling your bf about a story you're excited about, then polish it (take out extra words, slang etc. :)
Aoife wrote: "Okay not sure if it's just me but I am terrible at this every time I read my synopsis for eden forest I feel like screaming it sounds so bland, I want to say so much but it would end up being 20 pa..."If you're talking about a blurb synopsis (I think that's what you mean), yeah... I know how that feels. I'm still perfecting mine and it seems like I can't get them right. My advice, keep trying until you get something that you like. I've seen really short ones that worked and really long ones that worked too. It just depends on the story.
If you're talking about a query synopsis (you aren't, I know, but someone mentioned it) that's a pain.
If you're talking about a long synopsis (probably not talking about this one either, but someone also mentioned it), then all the ones I've seen are kind of bland, meaning they're more of a play by play of the story, not that they can't get a reader excited.
Coming from a readers point of view, a synopsis is everything. I don't bother picking up a book, let alone buying a book, if the synopsis does not catch my attention. Some of the best synopsis I have ever read are the ones that describe the book exactly. When you are writing a synopsis, you have to think from a readers point of view, you know what you like as a reader, so keep that in mind while writing it as an author.
♥Jackie♥ wrote: "Coming from a readers point of view, a synopsis is everything. I don't bother picking up a book, let alone buying a book, if the synopsis does not catch my attention. Some of the best synopsis I ha..."Great points Jackie
Study the ones on Amazon from books that are best-sellers that are in your genre. I spent an entire day just working that once.
Basically, what I do is a brief line or paragraph introducing the world or setting, a brief paragraph introducing character 1 and their problem/goal, a brief paragraph introducing character 2 and their problem/goal, and a brief paragraph on the challenge they face in the story. Don't go into the whole plot; this is just to intrigue the reader enough with the setup and the characters to make them want to find out what happens in the book.For me personally, I like blurbs with an emphasis on the characters (but don't tell us the story of their whole lives in the blurb).
This is for back cover/sales blurbs. For query synopses, I can't help you (having to write query synopses is one of the many reasons why I decided I didn't want to pursue traditional publication).
here, I worked up kind of a quick example from the blurb you have right now, illustrating some of the points from this thread:Sarajane Anderson seems to have a perfectly normal life, with family, friends, and a job. But then she finds herself in Saskia, a world she never could have imagined, a world where magic is real.
In this world, she must face a father she never knew, a guardian who captures her heart, a darkness that wants to take it, and the price demanded by her newly-discovered magical abilities.
And, as the world of Saskia is threatened and her loved ones are put at risk, Sarajane must find an answer to the question, How do you choose who lives and who dies?
That is a really good synopsis, that is one that will make me go out and buy the book. Good job :-)
lol, thanks :-) Aoife can use it if she wants. I'm always tinkering with my blurbs and trying to make them better, so I've had a little practice.
You're selling the story. Think of the voice-overs you hear during a movie promo. Throw in a theme. This might help with generating a theme:
http://lzmarieauthor.com/wp-content/u...
Kyra's example is great--you might substitute "take" for "steal." Use strong, powerful verbs and specific nouns.
Expect to write many drafts! It's fun once you get the hang of it!
Aoife: thanks, hope that helps. Feel free to use and change it as you like.
I hate writing the synopsis. I will have to check out these resources.
All I can say is that I found writing the synopsis more difficult and frustrating than writing a novel!! Good Luck! And may the force be with you!
Ok, this is my view on synopsis.Personally, I usually go blah when they are too long or when they have too many strange names, such as empires, tribes etc. Since I don't even know them yet, how can't I relate to them. Instead, they come out as a mushy mix of strange words and I don't feel like untangled them to understand the synopsis.
Also, long paragraphs and long descriptions don't do it for me. I just stop reading and check the next one. I don't want to read the book I want to have an idea of what I will find inside and that means I want to be surprised by the content not have it thrown at my face before I even start reading the first page.
I might be but one in a billion, but I don't think I am the only one thinking this way.
Hope this helps :P
Some publishers and agents require those as well, and boy, if you thought the query synopsis was like nails on chalkboard!
But I think the query synopsis - two or three paragraphs - is more important since it pitches your book. They won't bother getting to the full synopsis unless they're pulled in by the short summary. I think the purpose is to make sure the author has really written the entire manuscript and maybe it helps as an orientation to the manuscript. Although I've rarely read a plot synopsis that was all that interesting.