I’ve finished the science fiction novel – not going to advertise that on this blog – and am in the part of writing and publishing that I hate: writing the synopsis.
The synopsis is a one to three page summary of your novel, including any plot twists and your ending.
Here’s how to write that synopsis in 5 fairly simple steps.
- Skim – read through your manuscript, jotting down the important points of each chapter. Try to boil each chapter down to one sentence if you can. What’s the most important part of each chapter? What re the main highlights? And yes, do include the ending.
- Embellish – string your chapter summaries together. Always write your synopsis in third person present (He says, She discovers) even if your novel is in another POV. The first time a character appears, put their name in ALL CAPS.
- Read for plot – read through your synopsis with a focus on plot. Make sure it makes logical sense. Be sure each character action is explained.
- Read for character arc – read through again, making sure you are showing your main character’s growth arc – how he or she grows and changes during the story.
- Trim/Edit – remove anything that isn’t absolutely necessary to tell your story. This is the toughest part of the synopsis. If you have a descriptive word, make certain it is the one absolutely best word to explain that action or character.
Once I get my synopsis finished, I’ll start on the query letter – more about writing that in the next post!