What should a book synopsis look like

This helps us better understand the characters and their motivations once introduced. For example, a synopsis of Harry Potter might clarify upfront that the world is divided into Muggles and wizards, and that the Muggles have no idea that a magical world exists.

Or, this fact could be relayed in the synopsis once Harry Potter learns about it himself. Instead, try to get the point across in language that anyone can understand but still gets the point across. In most cases, the synopsis should start and end without any breaks, sections, or other subheadings. Other than that, avoid sectioning out the story in any way, or listing a cast of characters upfront, as if you were writing a play.

Characters should be introduced at the moment they enter the story or when they specifically contribute to the story moving forward. Jane Friedman JaneFriedman has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in digital media strategy for authors and publishers.

She is the publisher of The Hot Sheet , the essential newsletter on the publishing industry for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in Find out more. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. How long should a synopsis be? Why the synopsis is important to agents and editors The synopsis ensures character actions and motivations are realistic and make sense.

Avoid splitting the synopsis into sections In most cases, the synopsis should start and end without any breaks, sections, or other subheadings. Stick to the basics. This can be a particularly persistent problem with memoir. Avoid including dialogue, and if you do, be sparing. A few might even consider the act of doing so demeaning. If this is the case, I would urge you to think not of yourself, but of the reader, and treat the project as a literary exercise which you should try to enjoy: a challenge and opportunity to show your work off in its essential form.

It might help to refer to book blurbs, or plot summaries in reference books such as The Oxford Companion to Literature, or online, for example in Wikipedia. In addition to letting a professional reader know what happens in your manuscript, the synopsis will also let them know at a glance if you have thought about how your work fits in to the market.

This is critical in non-fiction, less so with fiction, although with fiction awareness of what genre you have written in is vital. A fiction synopsis should comprise a brief summary followed by a more detailed synopsis.

But before writing either of these, you must clarify which genre your work fits into. The most important thing to realise about fiction in respect of how you present it to representatives of the publishing industry is that it breaks down into different types, or genres.

Some of these dramatic forms are familiar and others not. There are always more genres being invented or cross-fertilised. It can be difficult to keep up! Classifying your novel within a genre can be a challenge.

This is largely because when most people start to write a novel they do so without having studied the genre they are writing for. Although, when you start to write, you feel free to explore, practise and experiment without thinking in terms of the defining limits of a genre, by the time you come to submitting your work to be published, it is very important to know which genre your work fits into.

A good starting point is to read books you consider similar to the one you are writing that are already published, and note how they are classified on the back cover. By reading, and sometimes studying literature and writing through other routes, you will also learn the possibilities and limits offered by your chosen genre. Having made it your top priority to identify what type of novel you have written, you can make a start on your all-important synopsis.

For example, had you written Pride and Prejudice today:. Pride and Prejudice is a contemporary, literary romance about a woman who falls in love with a man she thinks she hates. Pride and Prejudice, a contemporary, literary novel, tells the story of Elizabeth Bennett, a proud, intelligent woman, one of five sisters, whose mother is committed to marrying her children off as a matter of urgency.

Elizabeth meets Darcy, owner of a grand estate, but considers him over proud, arrogant and undesirable. In time, she learns that he is not all that he appears to be, and revises her prejudice, before they fall deeply in love. Both these examples, one short, one longer, serve to whet the appetite for more detail to follow.

An example of an ostensibly weak synopsis, which rambles and fails to emphasise the most important points quickly enough, might be:.

Set at some point in the nineteenth century, five sisters are looking for husbands. Or is Mary, really? Anyway, their mother is a real fuss pot and annoys everybody. Outside their house there are lots of fields and it is sometimes raining. Mr Bingley is an important character who is very handsome, but is he as handsome as Mr Darcy? It is hard to tell! Following the brief summary should be a more detailed synopsis of — words. The main aim of the longer synopsis is to give a detailed overview which clearly and concisely conveys how the story flows and unfolds, and very importantly what is interesting about it.

The longer synopsis should also reconfirm when the story is set i. The longer synopsis should also highlight the dramatic turning points and tell the reader of any other salient information which will help convey what kind of work it is, how well imagined are the characters involved and how well thought through and alluring is the plot.

Alongside the synopsis should also be an excellent, economically written and confident sounding cover letter. It does not matter if this is repeated on the synopsis page. You may also wish to refer to writers you feel you are similar to, although do be careful not to have misplaced arrogance in this. In the end, taught by adversity, Pip returns to Joe Gargery and honest labor.

He and Estella, who has also learnt her lesson, are finally reunited. Your synopsis is one of the biggest deciding factors in whether an agent wants to see more from you or not. No matter how chipper your query letter , the bottom line is that this summary tells agents and later publishers what they really need to know: what your book is about, what makes it unique, and most importantly, if they can sell it.

Many thanks to Reedsy editors and former agents Sam Brody and Rachel Stout for consulting on this piece! Do you have any tips for writing an irresistible synopsis?

Leave them in the comments below! This looks interesting, and I will read every word, but this would be different for a picture book. You only get one page to query for many children's books. Which authors more known to English language readers might relate to this author they've never heard of before? If you're a self-published author looking to sell hardcover copies of your book on Amazon, check out our guide to hardcover printing with Kindle Direct Publishing.

Find the book printing service that best suits your needs with Reedsy's guide to offset, volume, and on demand printing. So how is Kindle Vella different? If you're an eco-conscious author looking to publish responsibly, we've got you covered with our guide to sustainable book publishing. Do you want to work with a traditional publisher? Then you'll likely need a literary agent. Learn how to get a literary agent in five simple steps! Two types of editors, both alike in dignity. Find out the differences between a copy editor and a proofreader.

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book. Posted on Sep 12, How to write a masterful synopsis in just 4 steps itslit Click to tweet!