My lovely writing tutor Esther, recommended a brilliant phenomenal book: Write a Great Synopsis – An Expert Guide
If you don’t have time to read 54 pages to to learn how to write a synopsis then give up now.
Besides, you should know, these are not 54 normal pages. They are 54 pages littered with the purest gold dynamite I have ever experienced.
Why are you still reading this post? Go immediately to amazon and purchase this book. I promise you it won’t disappoint.
I can’t help but share what I learn, and these nuggets blew my mind:
I’m not going to share all the wisdom from the book for obvious reasons… but I thought I would share some of the highlights that blew my mind:
Let me start by asking you a question.
What is your book about?
No, I don’t mean the plot, I mean the heart of it? What lies underneath all the words? (other than your blood, sweat and tears.) Is it about love? Loss? Choices? What drives your story? Because that’s what you need to show in your synopsis.
What is an outline?
An outline is detailed and probably quite long. It’s a breakdown of everything in your novel, including major and minor characters, subplot, chapters and twists. It helps you determine that your timeline, plot and story work.
It’s a super useful tool… for yourself. It is not useful for a prospective agent or publisher.
Outlines are long and detailed.
What is a blurb/synopsis?
Synopses are short and sweet your book’s sales pitch.
It can be anything from 150-350 words of highly crafted sales gold. It doesn’t cover minor plots or characters. It summarises the heart of the story in an enticing and eyecatching way.
How do you write a synopsis?
Because this is a paid for book, and its so short, I won’t include much detail – and instead suggest you pay for it, read it, and take your own notes. But:
- Write a 1 sentence 25 word pitch*
- Expand till you have a hook paragraph
- Expand again – add the ending including how the protagonists journey is completed.
- Ensure that climaxes and plot stages and major obstacles are noted
Other tips – Write in the third person, EVEN if your story is written in the first. Write in the present tense and always, always include the ending. Don’t be cryptic – if it’s important to the plot, it goes in, if it isn’t, get rid.
That’s it, I won’t divulge any more of Morgan’s gold dust, read it yourself.
But if I haven’t enticed you enough then there’s a plethora of other information like:
- How to organise a non linear book into a synopsis or,
- How to write a synopsis of a book from multiple view points
- Some excellent analogies that visually depict a synopsis and gave me some epiphanies
- The level of detail you should, or should not include
- Three examples of synopsis, critiqued and then rewritten to their full potential (I love a worked example)
- Crappy Memory Tool
- How to do it for Non-Fiction novels
- *An explanation for how to create an AWESOME 1 sentence 25 word pitch
I’ve read the book, and subsequently followed the instructions and written a synopsis. I cannot tell you how invaluable this process was. Here’s why:
1. I’d forgotten what my book was about and was consequently got caught up wanting to know all the details of all the chapters BEFORE I could write the blurb. This book made me realise I didn’t need to know any of it, what’s important is knowing the heart of your story. The themes, the arcs and the development.
2. Writing the blurb without looking at the manuscript, helped me uncover plot holes and also showed me what was important to story rather than focusing on the subplots and details I focused on the bigger picture – something I prefer anyway.
3. Finally, it helped me see what my story ACTUALLY is, rather than what I thought it was.
But, and here’s the clincher for me, it’s shown me how and what to edit: specifically the timeline. Because, instead of worrying about the subplots I focused on the important bits and characters which I can now work into the right timeline.
I HIGHLY recommend you trot along to Amazon or Kobo or any other provide and read the entire book, cover to cover, repeatedly. Oh, and take notes!
I’ll leave you with one of my fave quotes from the book:
“When you edit your work, use a red pen; when you edit your synopsis, use a scythe.” Nicola Morgan – Write A Great Synopsis
***
Please note, I have not been paid, or asked to read or review this book by anyone (other than my tutor who said it would help me) I am recommending this book purely because I read it and loved it and think in my humble opinion it will help others.
Writing a novel seems hard until you have to write a synopsis. Here's how you craft the perfect blurb #amwriting #indieauthor #IARTG #writingcommunity Share on X
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I have this on my Kindle – great recommendation!
You should absolutely read it – or have you?
It was recommended by Barbara Henderson (Bea Davenport) and was a godsend when I was writing the synopsis for Joe and Nelly – still no joy with that but I’m waiting for the results of the Times Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition.
Well, let me know when you find out – got everything crossed for you <3
I just bought it, and look forward to reading it. Thanks so much for your tips! PJ
No worries – I hope you find it as useful as I did 😀
Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie and commented:
sounds like a ‘must have’ so I will…
hehe thank you Anita, I hope you find it useful – I LOVE it.
I don’t do the whole synopsis thing myself, but this sounds like a useful tome for those that do.
Thanks Colin – I guess even if I didn’t need a synopsis – it was still super useful for organising my thoughts. Happy New Year by the way.
Reblogged this on Alison Williams Writing and commented:
Sounds like a great read 🙂
Hi Alison – thank you so much for the kind share 🙂 You have also reminded me of your competition which is ending soon. eek.
You’re welcome – great post. And you have until the 30th 🙂
I know – best get my skates on!
oh wow i need this book as synopsis`s scare me as much as A Nightmare on Elm Street did. thank you for posting this.
HAHA – well hopefully the fear will disappear after you read this book – it definitely got rid of mine 🙂
I hope so thanks Sacha.
I wrote my synopsis using Nicola’s great book – now for the wait!
Well I will keep my fingers crossed for you Wendy – good luck 😀
A great post. I’ m so pleased you’re sharing this so it can help others 🙂
All thanks to you Esther <3
Aww, shucks! 🙂
Sounds great – thanks for sharing. Probably helpful advice (with a little tweaking) for blurbs as well…
What good thinking Christina – Yes I suspect it is – she has written a number of other books too actually – some of which I am certain will have advice on that too. 🙂
That is an awesome support for all author’s, Sacha! Great review and summary!
Thanks Erika – I appreciate your comments
You are very welcome, Sacha 🙂
Sounds great. I have a lot of respect for Nicola Morgan. She came to speak to a writers’ gathering I organised and was brilliant on how to use social media effectively. I think she’s written on that topic, too.
No way? thats seriously awesome. I would have loved to have listened to her.
Are you UK based? I organise a bloggers bash every year – would love to meet you – this years is on the 11th June
She was good.
Yes, I’m UK based. At least, I live in Scotland which is, for now, still part of the UK. I’d love to be at the bloggers bash. I read all about last year’s on the various blogs with a degree of envy as everyone seemed to have a whale of a time. Is it in London again?
It is in London – 11th June this year – announcing the venue next week. Scotland is a bit of a kiss ion for you to come – but I’d love to meet you. I’ll keep everything crossed u can make it.
What part of Scotland? I have family in Edinburg and Perthshire
Reblogged this on Insomnia, Nightmares and General Madness and commented:
This sounds like something I desperately require; thanks for the heads up!
Hey Kaine – Happy New Year to you. Hope its a cracker. Thank you so much for the reblog 😀
De nada; thank you for the great posts!
This sounds like a great tool! I will be sure to look into it. Thanks!
Awesome, hope it comes in handy ?
Reblogged this on Windlight Magazine.
Thanks so much for the kind reblog John
Thanks, Sacha. I’ve bookmarked this and will get hold of a copy.
Awesome – I hope it helps you as much as it did me Mick 😀
The book sounds great, Sacha. I’m going to purchase it – not because I’m planning on writing any synopses in the near future – but because I like how you say it was useful in distilling your work to the major theme, events, plot points, etc. Thanks for the recommendation.
AHH yes – seriously I could not believe how helpful it was. I was TERRIFIED about starting to edit – believe me I honestly thought for a while there I’d never publish because I couldn’t pick up that first draft – but having written the synopsis I have sort of half edited it – ok, not, because theres still 90K to edit, but I mean its all ordered in my head – plot holes figured out, all sorts. I hope you find it helpful. let me know 😀
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:
In case you missed this great post by Sacha ??
I get all starstruck every time you reblog a post of mine – it never fails to make my day – thank you, you lovely furry ape <3 did you have a good birthday?
You do great posts Sacha ??
oh stop! My head won’t fit through the door! :p <3
Thanks Graeme – really do appreciate the share, and I hope it does help everyone.
Sounds great. My tutor at uni took us through synopsis writing and the points you made are all there. So helpful isn’t it to have someone short circuit the learning this way. And great it’s helping with the editing. That’s fab.
Glad u like it – and yeah – I went through a spell of trying to read everything I could on how to write – less so now – too tarnished from contradictory shit. I think that’s why I just quietly go about my own learning and share what I find – people can take it or leave it. But they are my lessons – and I love nothing better than having it broken down for me – she is amazing and I suspect I will read more of her books.
Fantastic share Sach! I’m off to get another new book!!! <3
Pah! I hope it works for u. I’m still raving about it!
Great tool and reason #1 was compelling (ha, ha). I’m not giving so I’ll give these 54 pages a read!
Haha! I wondered if it was too harsh a statement! But figured it was probably true! Hope u like the book ?
It’s what sold me on the book!
I’ve put 11th June in my diary and will try to come to the Bash.
I’m in the south west of Scotland, Galloway, so about 100 miles south of your Edinburgh relatives.
Amazing – I am announcing the venue on the 15th – and we are busy organising in the background. Ooh, I shall hop skip to google maps to see where that is – the only places I have been in the west of Scotland is Machrihanish, actually and Glasgow.
Google Castle Douglas – that’s where I am. South of Glasgow.
Gotcha – quite near the border. 🙂 <3 I am excited for you to come. This year is going to be fab 🙂
This article speaks to me… nah! It sings to me… literally. I had to write a synopsis for my book, which happens to be written in 3 POVs along with snippets of journal-entry of the protagonist.
And trust me, I went CRAZY trying to figure out how to do it. Thankfully my beta reader helped me out, and it all turned out to be great. But as I’m approaching the 2nd draft of my second novel, I’m dreading what’s waiting for me at the end of this all…. another synopsis…
But now I think this is just what I need! I’m going to get this book ASAP. Thanks a lot, Sacha for such an amazing post!!!
XoXo!
I am so glad you like it Heena. I really hope it helps too. Interesting about the 3POVs. I wrote a piece about multiple points of view just a couple of weeks ago. Are you writing it in the 1st person?
I think this book is really going to help you :). Lovely to meet you and thanks for stopping in.
Yes, and no. There are multiple narratives. Two, the female and male MC’s POV is in first person and the third one is in 3rd person. And as I said the fourth one is in the for of journal entries.
I’ll definitely check out your post on POVs. Thanks.
It’s great to meet you too.
Have a great day!
Well it sounds fascinating, and really hard to do! I wish you all the luck doing it 😀 have a fab week.
Thanks! You too 🙂
I’ve bought myself a copy, Sacha! Synopses are hard to write. Now if I could only find a book about writing an author bio…
Yay I REALLY hope you like it. Let me know what u think. Hmm author bio – I’ll ask around! It’s on of those 64 million dollar questions!
Will do 🙂 And I think author bios are just about the hardest thing of all to write!
agreed – I still don’t have mine right!
Oh god, mine makes me curl up like a prawn. It’s on my To Do List for this year.
Mine too! Especially if I publish
Are you aiming to do so this year?
Good question. I guess I want two books finalised ready for publication, whether I publish this year depends on whether I bother to try going the trad route. Really undecided as it stands. :s
Well, looking forward to hearing more about it xx
I chanced on this as I am writing synopses for my next books. Thanks for this wonderful example of divine timing and inspiration! 😉
Ha! What can I say, I like to please! ?? hope it helps you ?
It already has. Thank you! xx 🙂
Sounds like a very useful book, Sacha. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for reading ??
Screaming right now – I must buy this! OMG – what a blog moment for me reading this! It sounds amaze balls and it makes a subject which makes me hide under the bed sound easy. Bless Esther!
Lucy – believe me when I tell you, I feel you. It was an epiphany moment for me too. Its a f***ing awesome book and has basically changed my life!! no joke. Let me know what u think of it. 😀
It’s on the Mitchell kindle, just grabbing a cup of tea, my reading glasses and telling my loved one I am off upstairs…to iron!
What did you think?
Made a lot of sense. She writes in a way where I think she’s sat next to me. I am NO LONGER scared of them – huge sigh!
Awesome. I’m SO glad. That crappy memory tool was the clincher for me. Blew my mind! I’d been caught up trying to hold the entire novel in my head and u don’t need too!
So pleased to find you, your awesome…
Well that’s just a LOVELY thing to say – lovely to meet you too, and what should I call you? ?
People call me Fonz ?
Aloha Fonz nice to meet you. ? hope to meet you at the bash. What part of the U.K. Are you from?
From the north Southport, I am really keen to meet other bloggers over here… How do you find out where someone’s from though. I am a new blogger really… And yea Aloha. Where are you?
I’ll have to google southport.
I’m just north of London.
How do I find out? Usually I ask!! Or I know because of talking to them for a while. I’ve been around the bloggisphere a looooong time!!
Southport is on the coast same height as Manchester…
Thanks for following me by the way.. Cool to have such a good blogger follow me.. Makes me feel good. ?
Aww you know flattery will get you everywhere!
You don’t know me so I will forgive you? but you have nearly 1000 followers so you have to be doing something right? Right? – Fonz ?
Haha yes I do! I forget you can see that in the followers – kind of excited to tip over the 1000 mark!
I would be to… You have done really well….
Thanks, like everything it goes in peaks and troughs though!
It sure does, I was happy to help one person when I started blogging. But I think it’s going to affect so many more or has. I just aim to encourage the world. Not much really to ask is it. U know someone struggling with their health send them my way, I have beaten cancer twice… ?
Wow, now THAT is one hell of an achievement. Well done, you’re a hero ?
Well I don’t know about that ☺️ it’s been one hell of a 5 year fight.. I would not recommend it. But I write to help others believe. I run a support group to.. It’s rewarding stuff. I will be at the next one, may even see what you think to doing one in the north? We see. And thank you x
A couple of people have mentioned having one in the north it’s a possibility but with so many people coming from abroad at the moment I think we will keep it to London because of the transport links and the committee are all based in the south of the country. But hey this is only our second year so maybe one day
Wow thanks for recommending this Sacha, looks like I’ve got a new book to add to my reading list. Except I think this one should perhaps go to the top of my pile! #SundayBlogShare
Hey Carol, no problems. 🙂 I hope you find it as useful as I did. It REALLY helped me 😀