This won't make much sense if you weren't there but it's the visuals for my presentation on writing a synopsis.

1. A totally gratuitous pic of shoes or
something to do with a SYNOPSIS?

2. Boring Basics
• Length: convention is 1-3 pages,
ideally <2
• May be single-line-spaced
• Present tense
• 3rd person

3. Why the boring
rules/conventions?
• Because publishers/agents are sadists

4. Why the boring
rules/conventions?
• Because publishers/agents are sadists
• Not designed to be inspirational/wacky
• A synopsis is a functional, mundane tool
• Not the most exciting part of a publisher’s
day so rather 2 pages than 8
• Meaning is clearer if not disguised in arty
wackiness
• JUST DO IT, OK?

5. But don’t over-stress about the
rules

6. 2 Synopsis Situations
1. After you’ve written the book – in order
to sell it
2. Before you’ve written the (whole) book
– in order to sell it or in order to help
you write it

7. LEAST important bit
of your outfit/submission
• Pitch/letter = eye-catching coat +
silk scarf
• Sample chapters = stunning outfit
beneath coat
• The synopsis = the footwear

8. OMG – SHE JUST SAID
WOT???

9. Why Ss are Like Shoes
• Not everyone cares about footwear
• Outfit still great with plainer footwear
• Might be better with plainer footwear –
don’t want footwear to be better than
outfit
• No shoe is the only perfect one
• Footwear should fit/match reasonably
• If footwear is pants, outfit wrecked

10. Causes of Synopsophobia
• You think synopsis is too important
• Or must be perfect to get deal
• You think there is one perfect synopsis
for your book
• You don’t realise that it just needs NOT
TO BE PANTS

11. Some Ss ARE Pants
• Very confusing – no idea of structure,
pace etc of book
• Extraordinary detail
• Introduces element totally not in keeping
with the pitch/genre
• Crappy story blatantly doesn’t work

12. I know what you’re worried
about:
• My book is wonderful / going to win the Man
Booker Prize and no way can my synopsis do
justice to it

13. Remember: it doesn’t matter.
Just has to be “good enough”

14. What is a good enough
synopsis?
• Synopsis = “together seeing”
• Shows that story works
• A sense of beginning,
middle and ending
• Sees story as journey and uses
Crappy Memory Tool

15. Interesting things
about the journey:
1. Who and why?
2. Intended destination and why?
3. Price of failure
4. What/who knocks travellers off
course?
5. How do they get back on course?
6. What is actual end and how did the
journey change them?

16. We do not need to know:
1. Every little detour
2. Weather
3. Conversations
4. Scenery
5. Picnic in Ch5 even if it’s your favourite
bit
6. Who they met, unless we need them to
understand the book

17. Suggested Method
• Switch on Crappy Memory Tool
• Building up not cutting down
– 25 words -> paragraph
– Paragraph -> page
– Page -> 2 pages if required
– Polish (not the E European sort – the sort you
do to furniture)
– Show a stranger

18. Remaining Questions
One answer:
“What does the publisher
need to know
in order to know
that you have written
a book that works?”

19. A Great Synopsis:
• Obeys instructions if they exist
• Shows that your book works
• Is a mere tool, not necessarily beautiful
• Like gorgeous boots: supportive but
neither necessary nor sufficient
• Is appropriate for the book
• Is nothing to fear or loathe

20. Ooh, the naughty woman
has undercut Amazon!
Only £2.60 on her website?
Presentation Copyright ©
Nicola Morgan 2014