A Necessary Evil: The Synopsis

A synopsis is a 3-5 page summary of a novel. (If you’re writing non-fiction, equivalent material is generated for the book proposal.) It should include the characters, conflicts, main plotline along with a few sub plots, and a satisfying resolution of your work. Like the query letter, your synopsis is a new piece of writing entirely; it is not extrapolated from the text itself. To me, they read more like case studies or event reports: all of the info, less of the drama and suspense.

A synopsis is a tricky thing to write, but will be infinitely clearer for those well-versed in the Book Architecture Method. (insert something like, “don’t worry, book coming soon!” link to CC subscription to “be the first to know” or something…)

SERIES is one of the three major elements in the Book Architecture Method (steps 8-12, for those in the know). What others call theme, we map through the text in a way that allows each iteration to be objectively examined and made to stand on its own, giving you a better sense of what your book is about. When you put your series sentences into the order in which they first appear in the narrative, you not only have a springboard for the synopsis, but you can clearly see where each series begins. A synopsis is a report of your series.

For those of you not yet familiar with the method, try expanding upon the elements of a query letter:

• Your protagonist. Who is the book about? Why should we care about him or her? What makes his or her plight special?
• Your antagonist. What is the force opposing the protagonist? An evil step mother? A mutant rodent uprising? Spend some time setting up the conflict, without bogging the reader down with too much detail.
• The resolution. After discussing the obstacles and exactly what the protagonist was up against, tell us how he or she saved the day. What changed in order for them to succeed? Or if they didn’t succeed, what were the unyielding forces that made her change her mind?

A synopsis could be a place where your beta readers come in handy. Ask them what your book is about. It could be the case that as an author, you are too close to the work to write an effective summary. An outsider’s perspective could be the 10,000 foot view you really need.