HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL SYNOPSIS FOR PUBLISHERS

It’s a topic that brings everyone to the brink of giving up on their manuscript submission.

But we’re rooting for you, talented writer! As a publisher, we’re going to tell you exactly what to send us in your synopsis.

A.      WHAT IS A NOVEL SYNOPSIS

Some single-line definitions would be:

·         A summary of your book, including the beginning, middle, end, and all the plot twists in between.

·         A succinct, tell-all narration of the PLOT.

With that being said, here is what a synopsis is definitely NOT: It is by no means a blurb to entice your publisher into reading the book. No cliff-hangers, no rhetorical questions, no teasers.

While the definition stays consistent, each publisher has their own requirements for word count, length, and format.

B.      WHY DO PUBLISHERS NEED A SYNOPSIS

The greatest tip of all when it comes to synopsis writing is this: Write your synopsis with an understanding of why your publisher needs it. They will thank you for it.

So why exactly does your publisher need it?

Believe it or not, the vetting process for assessing manuscripts does not actually involve anyone reading much of your novel.

Here’s how it really works:

·         Very few publishers ask for your entire manuscript. Most ask for the first 3 chapters only, and a full synopsis.

·         An editor reads those 3 chapters to assess your eloquence with words, and for a taste of your writing style. If they pick up on good ‘wordsmanship’ they will move to the next step.

·         The next step is to read the full synopsis of your story. A synopsis helps the editor gauge your ability to create a story with no plot holes, has sufficient momentum, and has a satisfying ending.

·         Should the editor feel you’ve got that combination of story and style, you’ve got yourself an acceptance letter!

We can’t stress this one enough: Write your synopsis with the understanding that the reader is looking at your plot, not your creative ability – this will come through in the sample chapters you send.

C.      SYNOPSIS DOs

·         Length: Be mindful of the number of pages or word count asked for. At KREST we ask for 1 page, to give you a bit of space. A different publisher might ask for 500 words. Make sure you know this information before submitting.

·         Presentation: It goes without saying that nothing professional should ever contain a typo. Also make certain you know what line spacing the publisher wants – the standard being 1.5, but here at KREST we don’t mind as long as it sticks to 1 page.

·         Language: Tell the publisher what happens in the plot, don’t show it to them with too much creative description. Quite arguably, KREST veers away from the rules a fair bit. We actually quite like an interesting sentence or two. As tedious as a synopsis is to write, it’s also not the most entertaining document in the world to read either. We can certainly appreciate any effort you make to create an enjoyable synopsis.

·         Character names: As per publishing industry standard, the main characters should be bolded and capitalized the first time they’re mentioned.

·         Tense: Irrespective of the novel’s point of view, a synopsis should be done in the 3^rd person present tense.

·         Title: Name your document with your manuscript title, not ‘synopsis’ – how will the publisher know it’s yours, otherwise?

D.      SYNOPSIS DON’Ts

·         Don’t ignore the word count or length guidelines. Publishers and writers work well together when both parties can stick to all kinds of constraints, from words counts to deadlines.

·         Don’t waste space on detail that won’t affect the outcome of the plot e.g. setting descriptions, subplots, minor characters.

·         The biggest one – no cliff-hangers or teasers! The aim is to give away plot twists so we know you can aptly construct one.

·         Again, don’t title it ‘synopsis’ lest it gets lost. Rather, title it with your manuscript name.

·         While a synopsis is not what editors use to assess style, it shouldn’t be haphazard writing either.

·         Don’t talk about themes or symbols in the novel. Talk plot!

·         Don’t use dialogue, as far as possible. Apart from hogging word count, publishers want to be told not shown in the synopsis.

E.       STEP-BY-STEP HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL SYNOPSIS

Admittedly, it’s only 2 steps but this is the best way to write a synopsis that will both inform us and capture our bibliophilic need for good words.

1.       Step 1: 300 words on plot

As writers ourselves at KREST, we know it’s an impossible task to shave a novel down to only 500 words. Rather, give us the following information in sequence:

·         What is going on at the beginning?

·         What sparks the conflict?

·         What events develop the story?

·         What happens at the climax?

·         What happens at the end?

Cover the above plot structure in 300 words.

2.       Step 2: 200 words on creative language

Use the remaining word count to throw in some emotion to an otherwise forthright retelling of your story.

There we have it! A novel synopsis made simple. It will satisfy an editor’s concern with both plot information and writing capability.

Our manuscript submissions open in April 2020. We do hope to be hearing from you!

As always, we are open to further questions.

Our personal best

KREST Publishers

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