Complete Guide to Writing a Synopsis for a Novel
A synopsis is an essential tool for novelists, serving as a brief summary of your story. you'll likely need a synopsis, whether you're looking for an agent or submitting your manuscript to a publisher. Typically, this document is about two pages long (roughly 1,000 words), summarizing the main events of your plot in a concise and engaging manner.
Writing a novel may be a labor of love, however, writing its synopsis can feel daunting. Many writers struggle with this task because it demands compressing the intricacies of their story into a much smaller format. This guide will walk you through the process and help you create a clear, compelling synopsis without the stress.
A synopsis is not a scene-by-scene breakdown of your novel. Rather, it’s a high-level overview that conveys the key points of your plot, introduces your main characters, and showcases the stakes of your story. Here are some important guidelines:
Write in third person. Even if your novel is written in first person, the synopsis should use third person.
Write in present tense. Regardless of the tense used in your novel, the synopsis is typically written in present tense to create a sense of immediacy.
Keep it concise. Aim for about 1,000 words (two single-spaced pages). This forces you to focus on what really matters in your story.
A well-crafted synopsis answers key questions about your novel: Who are the main characters? What do they want? What stands in their way? How does the story resolve?
Here’s what to include:
Main characters and their motivations: Introduce your protagonist(s) and their main goal(s). What drives them? Why are their goals important?
The central conflict: Outline the main obstacles or challenges the protagonist faces. This is often a mix of external and internal conflicts.
Major plot points: Include significant turning points in the story, such as key events that push the protagonist towards or away from their goal.
The climax and resolution: Explain how the story builds toward a climax and how the central conflict is ultimately resolved.
There are two primary methods for constructing a synopsis: Top-down (starting with your overall structure) and Bottom-up (working from your scene list).
Top-down Approach: Using the Three-Act Structure
Start by outlining your novel's three acts: Setup, Conflict, and Resolution. In this approach, you break your story into broad sections and then add detail until you reach about two pages.
Act 1 (Setup): Introduce the main characters, the setting, and the inciting incident—the event that kicks off the story.
Act 2 (Conflict): Detail the rising tension, challenges, and major obstacles the characters face as they pursue their goals.
Act 3 (Resolution): Describe the climax of the story and how the main conflict is resolved. End with a sense of closure.
Bottom-up Approach: Slimming Down a Scene List
If you’ve already created a detailed scene list or outline, you can start by grouping related scenes into broader story segments.
For each sequence of scenes (typically three to seven scenes per paragraph), summarize only the most important details and skip the rest.
Focus on scenes that push the plot forward or reveal something crucial about the character arc. Avoid unnecessary subplots and minor scenes that don’t contribute directly to the main story.
Too much detail: A synopsis isn’t a summary of every single scene or subplot. Focus on the core of the story and what matters most to the reader.
Vagueness: On the other hand, avoid being too vague. Don’t gloss over the details that give your story its uniqueness. Be specific about the main conflict and how it unfolds.
Dry or dull writing: A synopsis might be more technical than your novel, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Maintain a clear, engaging tone, and make sure the essence of your voice still comes through.
Read examples of successful synopses. Familiarizing yourself with how other authors have structured their synopses will give you a clearer sense of what's expected.
Edit for clarity and brevity. Once you’ve written your first draft, take time to revise. Cut unnecessary words and focus on keeping the language concise and clear.
Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. Many writers feel frustrated because the synopsis never seems to fully capture the magic of their novel. That's okay—its main goal is to convey the basic plot and show agents or editors that you have a solid story.
Writing a synopsis can be challenging, but it’s an important skill every novelist needs. By focusing on the essentials and following a clear structure, you can produce a strong, effective synopsis that presents your story in the best light.
