Fallon Friday: Jennifer on Writing a Synopsis

The first question I am asked in almost every writing workshop is: do I need a synopsis?
Yes. You do. Deal with it.
A synopsis is like a road map that tells not only you, but your potential agent and editor that you have thought the story through and actually have some idea how it is going to end. Many new authors are afraid of writing a synopsis for fear of giving away the fantastic twist at the end, or fear that if the reader knows the ending in advance the impact of the story will be lost. Others fear they can’t convey the complexity of their story in one page. The bottom line is, synopses are the lifeblood of publishing and you’d better get used to them. They are unavoidable.

Why the Synopsis is so important

Imagine this:

You have the nod from the editor of Great Big Books R Us Publishing, telling you he loves your work. He has read your full MS and thinks you’re fabulous. All that has to happen now, is the proposal has to go to the “Acquisitions Meeting” a mere formality, he assures you, before an offer is made.
Now, at this meeting, in addition to the Fantasy/SF Editor who loves your book, is the Cooking Editor, the Non-Fiction editor, the Travel Editor, the Teen Horror Editor, the Pre-Teen Fashion Editor, the Post-Apocalytic Romance Editor and so on, all of whom have said exactly the same thing to the author whose work they are also bringing to the meeting.
They have a budget and have to make judgements based on the commercial viability of each work. Not all the books will get through the meeting. They will be judged by the person who knows the work and the rest who will judge it… based solely on a synopsis.
The Cooking Editor is not going to read your fantasy book, anymore than the fantasy editor is going to try every recipe in the cookbook up for consideration. Your synopsis has to be good enough for the Cooking Editor to say “Oh well, you can have your fantasy novel and I’ll pass on my cookbook, because this really is a cracker,” (no pun intended).
OK… so this might be an extreme example, but the point is, without a synopsis, you’re not even going to get to the Acquisitions Meeting, let alone have a chance to impress the cooking editor of Great Big Books R Us Publishing.

Getting to the nitty gritty…

So how do you condense your 200,000 word epic down to half a page? Well, here’s a start – do it like they do it in the movies.
There is a saying in the movie industry: “pitch it to me in 25 words or less”.
This is one of the hardest things you will ever do and yet entire movies can make or break on this 25-word pitch. You should try this with your novel.

Example:
What is Medalon about?
It’s about a girl who discovers she’s destined to kill a god. (12 Words)

Example:
What is the Seconds Sons Trilogy about?
It’s about a boy who discovers his religion is based on a lie so he sets out to bring it down. (21 Words)

Example:
What is Tide Lords about?
It’s about an immortal who wants to die. (8 Words)

Better yet:
“A suicidal immortal” (3 words)

If that doesn’t do it for you, try writing the blurb for the back of your book.
Imagine you’re trying to entice a reader to buy it. Alternatively, imagine you are writing the press release (although this requires the use of lots of adverbs and the words “original”, “groundbreaking” and “in the tradition of” all in one sentence).

The blurb on the back the Australian edition of Wolfblade:

Marla Wolfblade, princess of Hythria, is determined to restore her family to its former power and glory. But Hythria is a fiercely patriarchal society, and Marla knows power may only be gained through a man. Narrowly avoiding an arranged marriage to the King of Fardohnya, she marries Laran, Warlord of Krakandar Province, and gives birth to a son. Damin is named heir to the throne of Hythria by his uncle, the dissolute High Prince.

Settling in to life as the wife of a warlord, Marla believes the future of her family is secured but there are forces in the land that do not want the house of Wolfblade restored. Can Marla protect her son and her family, and stop the conspirators?

121 words.

A good synopsis is about the essence of the story, not the detail. You may have a whole tribe of witty dwarves your hero encounters along the way in his quest, along with a troll, a ghost and an Avon Lady, but the point is, he’s on a quest.

“He meets several interesting characters who aid him in his quest”, is what the publisher wants to know. Anything else should be saved for the book.

Jennifer Fallon’s latest book isThe Palace of Impossible Dreams, book three of the Tide Lords quartet, and it’s out now

You can read more about Jennifer Fallon by going to her blog.