Writing

Mechanics

1. Preparation.

The synopsis is prepared with the same basic principles as the manuscript. First page: top left--name, address, phone number, and at top right--type of story, and approximate word count. Center the title on one line, your name two spaces below. The text is always double spaced. Use standard 1" margins. Number pages clearly.

2. Control tense.

The synopsis is written in present tense. Only events prior to the story are presented in past tense.

Example: David moves through the corporate world with the ease of a man born to be great. He guards the truth about his past, a past that would destroy his carefully constructed image. The appearance of William Smith, the man who drove the getaway car while David robbed, etc., etc.

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Content

1. Concentrate on essential detail.

Boring clutter confuses the reader. The synopsis is not a working outline, and isn't written as a template for the story. It's an overview, a selling tool, a come-on.

Think of the written synopsis as a pitch. If you haven't seen the movie, The Player, rent it. Watch and listen to professionals trying to sell scripts in Hollywood. The words they use are vibrant, jazzy, chosen for impact. No one talks about the color of a character's hair or eyes, or how well- muscled they may or may not be. They do speak of character, of situation, of motivation, of conflict, and of resolution.

2. Style.

Just as with anything you write, your synopsis should showcase your unique voice, your spin on manipulating words, your individual method of presentation. In this context, presentation means how you organize the material, not how you prepare the pages.

There is no wrong, and no right way to organize a synopsis-- as long as your way works! You may choose to open with a snappy overview of the story, including setting, period, and sense of tone. By sense of tone I mean, humorous, or poignant, or perhaps ominous--or combinations of emotional effects. Then you might continue with a concise, but sequential telling of the story. Individual characters may be introduced in the body of this expanded segment, or in a separate segment. If you choose to bring them on stage in the body of the text, consider doing so in order of appearance. Block capitalize or underline names.

3. Avoid snatches of dialogue.

There are always exceptions to the rule, but splashes of dialogue can distract the reader and interrupt the flow of the piece.

4. A chapter-by-chapter synopsis is (in my opinion) a waste of time--and probably an insult to intelligence!

Fiction is about controlled surprise, not rigid predictability. If a synopsis can be presented in chapter form, and the story doesn't change at all between the synopsis phase and the completion of the book, what chance is there to fan the wonderful spark the writer cannot possibly foresee until characters and plot mature?

5. Organization.

Be prepared for frustration . . . A war takes place between concept and revelation. The concept comes in a rush, and a shower of images, and exciting what-ifs. Revealing the product of this jumbled inspiration in a clear, brief, yet rivetting manner can cripple creativity and, if you're really unlucky, kill the story. But (smile folks) knowing there are potential pitfalls will arm you to conquer the true potential villain--YOU.

Never forget that you create the story, and you can control the story, and you can motivate or change anything in the story. Nothing happens without you, and nothing happens that you haven't decided to allow.

Now, that understood, resolve never to fight yourself, or doubt yourself. You are a storyteller. You are powerful.

Your synopsis starts at the beginning of the story, presents a brief, interesting capsule of the body of the work, and tells how the book will end--based on your best guesses. Above all you set out to offer concept/conflict, character development, motivation, and resolution in a form no editor can resist.

Good luck!