Writing the Synopsis
I just wrote my very first synopsis, and good lord it was tough, despite the advice in a recent PNWA lecture. I’d rather pull out my toe nails!
Presentation: Writing the Synopsis
Presenter: Robert Dugoni
Date: January 24, 2008, 7 pm
Organization: Pacific Northwest Writers Association
Thriller author Robert Dugoni presented to a full room of PNWA members on how to approach agents and editors to get your book published. Basing his talk on Elizabeth Lyon’s Sell Your Novel Toolkit: Everything You Need to Know about Queries, Synopses, Marketing and Breaking-In, Dugoni focused on the holy trinity of publishing applications: the Query Letter (the Business Card), the Synopsis (the Resume), and Sample Chapters (the Interview).
I. The Query Letter
The first paragraph should be about your novel and should wet the reader’s appetite to find out more…in the form of the synopsis. The second paragraph should tell about the author and include professional organizations (related to writing) and publishing history. It should demonstrate the author’s dedication to the craft.
II. The Synopsis
Dugoni recommended following Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey story structure as outlined in Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey. These are: Ordinary World, Call to Adventure, Refusal of the Call, Meeting with the Mentor, Crossing the First Threshold, Road of Trials, Approach to the Inner most Cave, The Inner most Cave, Seizing the Reward, Return with the Reward, The Resurrection, The Reward. I suggest following Blake Snyder’s 15 plot points instead, unless you don’t mind identifying the gate guardians and goddesses in your story.
For each beat of story structure write one to two sentences about your story, you’ll end up with a synopsis. Yay! Most contests I have looked at ask for a synopsis that is no more than 5 pages. Dugoni said 2 is fine
III. The Sample Chapters
The sample chapters are almost always your first three chapters. You should have strong opening and closing sentences to hook your reader.
Anyways, I got the first and third parts down, but the synopsis is killing me. How can I condense my story into a few pretty sentences. That’s the problem – making it pretty. And exciting. And attractive. Oy vey.
I also found this helpful website with sample synopses and tips on writing a good one.
Tags: Pacific Northwest Writers' Association, query letter, Robert Dugoni, synopsis, writing
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