Synopsis – Lorraine Ambers

Hello fellow creatives,

I don’t know about you, but the thought of writing a synopsis is daunting. After months of plotting, writing and revising our novel, we’re finally faced with crafting the Perfect Pitch and whittling the bare-bones of our story down to a one page overview – the synopsis!

But fear not, I have the experience of no less than three synopsis under my belt and I shall share my tips and tricks with you. I’ll be breaking down the elements needed for synopsis writing. Hopefully, I’ll arm you enough knowledge to craft your own. It’s not hard… honest. It’s simply a different process.

Tip one: literary agents and publishers want the complete story. The synopsis isn’t focused solely on conflict and stakes, it must set out the plot, the character’s journey arc, and most importantly… reveal the climax and ending. Yes, they want to know the ending, they need to know that the story is complete and that its structure works.

Tip two: Tell the story, but keep it simple. I like to skim through my novel jotting down notes of plot points: Action & Emotion. If you’ve done a Reverse Outline during your edits, then use them. From the notes, I begin to shape my synopsis. The notes highlight the important story elements. Always write your synopsis in 3rd person, even if the novel is 1st person and write in present tense.

Tip three: Think of this as more of a technical paper, it’s a factual explanation of the events that drive your story. Don’t evoke your writing style and voice.

Tip 4: Set the stage by providing the setting and introduce your main characters (Protagonist and antagonist). Always introduce each characters NAME in full capitals, the first time they’re mentioned. Then include where the story starts and identify the inciting moment. But keep it simple. Use a few well-chosen words to evoke meaning.

From there we begin to flesh out the details by revealing what the protagonist and antagonist are planning to do. Showing the plot points through how, why and what the characters are doing – their goals! Don’t include side quests, additional characters or plot twists – unless they’re vital in explaining the story arc. There should be practically no backstory or description, it will clutter the synopsis.

Tip five: Finally, it’s time to reveal how the story ends and how it was achieved and remember to link it back to the inciting moment.

So there you have it, a guide to writing your own synopsis. And remember the hardest part is conquering your doubt and beginning anyway. After all, you can and probably will edit your synopsis many times.

Good luck and happy writing!