How to Write a Book Synopsis

Introduction

Hello, writers! If you’re anything like me, you’ve always wondered how to write your novel synopsis when the time comes. You found agents to query and you’ve written an amazing cover letter, but…you don’t know how to summarize your book.

Creating a strong synopsis is harder than it looks, right? As the author, you know everything about your story—and therein lies the problem. When you try to funnel all that glorious writing into a few paragraphs, you can miss the mark concerning which details are most important and why. So, how does it work? What is the difference between a synopsis and a blurb? Who are you writing the synopsis for, anyway?

In this blog post, I’m going to guide you through the ins and outs of writing an effective book synopsis. We’ll discuss tried-and-true advice from industry experts about its structure, tone, and purpose. Got it? Let’s jump in!

“A synopsis isn’t a query letter and it isn’t your back cover copy. Tell us how things resolve. Being able to resolve your manuscript is a big writerly skill and we want to see you can do it well.” —Carly Watters

Prerequisites – Things You Should Know 

First, it’s important to understand that your book’s synopsis is not the same as your book’s blurb. A blurb is more akin to an elevator pitch, something quick and snappy that will sell your novel to any potential readers, editors, or agents. Think of your blurb as the cold email to your synopsis’s job interview warm-up.

The synopsis, on the other hand, is there to summarize every major event in the book. Around one to three pages in length, it’s meant to provide a complete overview for any agents and editors that come across your manuscript. The synopsis will be useful for creating the blurb, but they serve very different purposes.

However, a good synopsis can’t—and probably shouldn’t—include every detail of your book. The most important characters, plot twists, and settings are the things that agents will be looking out for in your summary. It’s representative of how well your book is working overall and whether the ending will follow through on the promises your narrative made in its beginning.

“A synopsis is simply a tool for the agent or editor to see where the story goes and how it ends. It is not on its own going to sell your book, so for me it doesn't have to be beautifully written. It is the ‘who, what, where and when’ of your novel.” —Jenny Savill

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/macbook-pro-near-white-open-book-FHnnjk1Yj7Y

Warm-Up

Before diving headfirst into writing a full-length book synopsis, sit down at your computer or with your notebook and create a visual map of your novel. This will help you clarify what plot beats and character relationships are most important to your novel, as well as how the pacing of your novel might play out on the pages of your synopsis. When you’ve cut out any extraneous details, that’s a sign that you’re on your way to a killer synopsis!

If you think better in lists, write out ten bullet points, one for each major story event. If you find that you want to make the list longer, don’t sweat it—this is just the most minimal outline of what will become your synopsis. Focusing on just ten events helps you understand what should be taking up the most page space in your summary.

“Always think about what makes your book unique. Is it the setting? The circumstances? The concept? The narrator? Don’t include too much detail, just make sure your synopsis includes the most intriguing, crucial parts of the story.”—Susan Armstrong

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-woman-sitting-at-a-table-with-a-laptop-YzLMmxDTrvI

Writing a Great Book Synopsis

When Does an Agent Read Your Synopsis? 

The key to writing a good synopsis? Understanding timing. It’s more likely than not that agents will be reading your book synopsis after they’ve already taken a look at your manuscript. You are not writing your synopsis for someone who has no familiarity with your book at all. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Treat the summary like you might treat a recap, and make sure to spoil the ending in case the agent hasn’t made it all the way through your manuscript.

Language and Format

When drafting your cover letter, be sure to make your writing as clear and concise as possible. This is not necessarily the place for your writerly voice to emerge. That's your manuscript’s job! Simple language is best for a document like the synopsis. Think of it as a business document, not a work of artistic expression. Use standard fonts, margins, and line spacing for ease of access.

Another key component to the language and tone of your synopsis is to make sure that it’s in third-person present tense. Third person ensures that the synopsis reads as objectively and neutrally as possible, while putting it in present tense keeps the reader engaged and in the moment.

Who, when, where? 

When new characters are introduced, it’s a great idea to put their names in bold font or caps to make navigation easier for the reader. Many agents agree that limiting character inclusion to the five or so most important players in the novel can help streamline the synopsis—unless you’re writing a multi-POV doorstopper like A Game of Thrones.

An overlooked aspect of the book synopsis is clarity about what settings appear in the novel and when. If the first half of your novel takes place in 1980s Arkansas and the second half jumps to post-9/11 New York City, that’s a big leap that should be accounted for in your synopsis.

What makes your book unique? 

Though I advocate for showing rather than telling this, keep in mind what makes your book unique while writing your synopsis. If you believe one of the standout elements of your book is your main character’s struggle with their gender identity, make sure to include it in the outline. If your novel is a twisted hybrid between horror and romance, try to highlight both genre elements equally throughout your synopsis.

Keeping Momentum 

Arguably the most important thing an agent takes away from your book’s synopsis is your capacity for payoff. Let’s say your novel is a murder mystery; you want to make sure the agent can’t guess who the killer is from the very first paragraph of your synopsis. Likewise, if you’re writing a fluffy romance, the agent likely knows that the couple will end up together, but they need to be invested in all of the couple’s ups and downs throughout the whole synopsis.

“Cover all the main action and talk about the characters’ development throughout the piece. Do include spoilers, because the judges need to see how you will carry the narrative right through to the end. Then show it to a few people who have read your book, ask if there is anything they’d change.” —Juliet Mushens

Conclusion 

There you have it: a handy guide to the ins and outs of writing an excellent book synopsis. I hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about the process of effectively summarizing your book. Above all, though, don’t stress about it! The synopsis is a means to an end, a tool that will serve your writing rather than an assignment you’re being graded on.

Have any burning questions? Feel free to shoot us an email.

Resources 

The Novel Synopsis: Ten Literary Agents Offer Their Advice – Ten agents who judged the Bath Novel Awards describe what they look for in a synopsis. 

How to Write a Good Synopsis – Writer William Ryan discusses the components of a good synopsis for Writers & Artists.

How to Write a Novel Synopsis (With an Example) – Harry Bingham provides examples of a great book synopsis for the Jericho Writers Site. 

MJ Brown is currently an editorial intern at A.E. Williams Editorial. They have a degree in creative writing from Emory University, and their short fiction has been featured in Five on the Fifth, Mulberry Literary, and Vagabond City. They hope to work in publishing to help put great books out into the world.