Alright, I'm going to be brutally honest with myself. After having read through my synopsis for The Third Prince, I have only one thing to say:
It sucks!
No wonder Tor hasn't spoken to me!
For the past four days I have been trying so hard to write a more enticing, exciting synopsis. You know, the sort of synopsis that adequately reflects my book and my writing style, that covers everything the book is about. I've been failing miserably!
Why is writing a synopsis so bloody difficult?! ARGH!
Editors out there, I promise you that my writing is far better than my synopsis. I swears it! (You'd have to read that last sentence with Gollum in mind for it to make sense.)
I am sooooooooo frustrated right now! I repeat: ARGH!
There are so many sites out there that help with writing a synopsis.... But they all say different things!
Double space it. No, single space it. 1 page for every 35 pages of story. No, that's waaay too long. Put a title. Don't put the title, editors will change it anyway. Add dialogue. Don't add dialogue. Quote. No, don't. ARGH!
I'm so lost and turned around right now, I don't know which way is up any more. Here are some of the links to the sites I read in trying to research this ludicrous synopsis thing:
http://www.writing-world.com/publish/synopsis.shtml
http://www.fictionwriters.com/tips-synopsis.html
http://www.fictionfactor.com/articles/synopsis.html
http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/How+To+Write+A+Novel+Synopsis.aspx
http://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/how-to-write-a-synopsis.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2110081_write-novel-synopsis.html
http://cjdarlington.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-write-synopsis-for-your-novel.html
Kill me now please. Slowly if you want. Just don't make me write this damned synopsis!
I know the story. I know the characters. I know the world. I can write four complete books in under two years. WHY CAN I NOT WRITE A TWO PAGE SUMMARY?
ARRRRRRRRRRGH!
Help me!
4 comments:
ohhhhh! stick to it. get some distance. stop looking at "advice" blogs and websites.
write what your reader wants to read: just keep repeating that phrase to yourself, just like dorothy.
you can do it! good luck!
~jenn
I'm trying... I'm trying. It's just not working!
Ugh! I'll get there eventually, I'm sure.... I hope...
Hey Sonia, first great blog. Second, look at the publisher's website and write according to what they are asking for. Many specify how many page, double spaced or single and some even tell you what to include in it.
Summarize the story using key points but always keep it as simple as possible, present tense and remember, you're enticing them to read it, even though you're telling them how it ends. Use the same rules you'd use when you're writing, no repetition, grammatically correct, don't jump all over the place and keep your writing style the same.
In other words, they are looking for your 'voice' in your synopsis, so write it as though you were writing a short story (personally I avoid dialogue, I don't know if that's a no-no or not though). That probably doesn't help you much. I hope it at least sheds a little light. I hate synopses too, as far as I'm concerned they can shove them you-know-where and I'd be quite happy.
Hi Renee,
Thanks so much, both for your compliment and for the tips! Every little bit helps!
I don't know why we must do a synopsis. Honestly. Editors hate reading them. Writers hater writing them. And yet....
In any case, I really appreciate your input! Thanks again!
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