How to Write a Compelling Novel Synopsis

Picture this: You’ve just finished writing a great novel. Now what?

It’s then time to take your manuscript to literary agents and publishers. But how can you wow them with your manuscript? With a compelling novel synopsis, of course!

However, it takes more than just talking about your story to interested parties face-to-face. It’s still important to talk about your book in writing. Don’t know where to start? Then don’t worry!

Throughout this overview, we will discuss what goes into a synopsis and how you can write a compelling one!

Background

“The word ‘synopsis’ is actually a word straight from the Ancient Greek term synopsesthai,” says Jenna Riley, a writer at Revieweal and Studydemic. “Synopsesthai translates to ‘a comprehensive view.’ So, in the case of books, a novel synopsis would be a brief summary of your story. That means that your brief summary would mention the main plot, subplots, and the ending, along with a few character descriptions, and the major themes surrounding the story. Just keep in mind that your novel synopsis should be written in your query letter that you’ll send to potential literary agents and publishers – they’re the ones that will look for marketability in your book.”

Parts of a synopsis

For every novel synopsis, there are three major parts to think about. Here are three parts to remember when writing a synopsis:

·      First, think about your characters:

o   Who is your protagonist (main character)?

o   Who is your antagonist (villain, adversary), or antagonistic force (e.g., bad weather)?

o   Who are some notable side characters?

·      Next, think about your conflict:

o   What does your protagonist have to go against?

o   What is the antagonist planning to do to the protagonist? Or, what type of antagonistic force will the protagonist have to face?

o   Who else is affected by your conflict?

·      Then, structure your narrative arc. Your arc should have a beginning and end. Think of this part as the “skeleton” for your story.

Why you need a synopsis

“Having a synopsis of your novel is important, because it describes the conflict, and how your protagonist will resolve it,” says Arthur Gibson, an editor at Custom Writing Services and UK Writings. “Furthermore, it explains the main character’s actions and motivations, and why they make sense in the story. The synopsis can reveal anything and everything that can make the story more intriguing for people to read. Remember: The synopsis is to introduce your manuscript by telling readers why they should care about the story. Otherwise, the literary agent or publisher won’t want to read your manuscript.”

What makes for a great novel synopsis?

With all that said, what makes for a winning novel synopsis? One that will grab the agent’s or publisher’s attention?

For this big step, you’ll need to refer back to the major parts of a synopsis. Once you refer back to those parts, keep the following objectives in mind:

·      Have a protagonist for your story. Describe their mindset and what motivates them. Without a noteworthy mindset and motivation, your protagonist will fall flat.

·      Have a cause-effect mentality for your synopsis.

·      Note key scenes in your synopsis. In other words, what things should readers keep in mind when looking at your story.

·      Don’t worry about mentioning every single detail in your story. That’s a job for your manuscript.

Now, when drafting your synopsis, start by jotting down ideas. Then, take out certain parts of the story, and focus on major parts of your story. Afterwards, structure your notes from begging to end. As you can see, your rough draft won’t be your only draft. Instead, you’ll be perfecting your synopsis as you go.

Conclusion

So, there you have it!

Your novel synopsis is going to be the heart of your manuscript. It’s important to show it off to literary agents or publishers, so that they can get a feel of your story.

As shown in this brief overview, there are several things to think about when writing a synopsis. Fortunately, this overview has given you the know-how on writing a compelling synopsis that will not only impress readers, but also bring your manuscript into the hands of interested publishers. So, don’t let your manuscript sit around collecting dust. Talk about it to literary agents and publishers! Introduce it via a synopsis in your query letter!

For more writing advice, make sure you’re subscribed to the 48 Hour Books newsletter!

Madeline Miller is a writer and editor at Best essay writing services and Rated Writing. She is also a contributing writer for Via Writing. As a content writer, she writes articles about book publishing.