posted
Perhaps this has been covered before, but I could not find a lot of information on it so I decided to write a post. I have a friend who recently sent me his synopsis for a book he wrote that he's trying to get published. I've read the book so I know what information to expect in the synopsis, but as I'm reading through the ten pages at size ten font (double spaced), I find that he is telling me so much of exactly what happens (minus dialogue, although he does mention what topics are discussed in each scene). I find his synopsis to be boring and long winded but I don't really know if that is how they are supposed to be. I know you're supposed to let a publisher know the ending, but does this publisher need to know everything else too? Anyone with any insight on the matter would be greatly appreciated.
posted
No, I think that a long winded synopsis is a bad idea. The shorter the better. Synopsis' should emphasize plot, not characters or themes. It should be a display of the author's talent. If an agent/editor grows bored as they read the synopsis, it doesn't seem likely that they would want to read the novel.
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posted
If it's 10-pages, he's strayed into outline territory. A synopsis for an agent should be able to fit on one page, maybe two.
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posted
Does anyone have a good source for writing a synopsis or outline? I'll need a synopsis for my WiP soon.
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posted
It sounds to me this isn't a synopsis targeted to agents but to slush-piles of publishers, and I have read they often take them up to ten pages. So, assuming this is what he's doing, how should said synopsis look? Anyone? I'd like to know as well...Can an example be produced?
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posted
The seminar I went to had a great format for synopsis writing. Essentially by following traditional story telling structure you can highlight what you need for the synopsis.
Borrowing heavily from The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler, Robert Dugoni came up with this outline for the Seak - Advanced Legal Fiction Writing seminar:
1)Beginning:
Ordinary World
Call to Adventure
Refusal of the call/ hesitation to accept the task
Meeting with mentor
crossing over the threshold - hero is committed to the adventure
2) Middle
Friends, tests and allies
approaching the innermost cave - the challenge the hero must face to suceed
the inner most cave (Story Climax)
3) The end
Seizing the reward
Return with the reward
the Resurrection
the reward - denouement
If you can find and identify those elements in your story, than you've done your synopsis.
I really highly recommend the seminar for all genre writers. It was excellent.
posted
I'll spend part of the weekend putting Falcon into this format and post for comments on Monday-ish.
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posted
I like your format, and I am excited to see your implementation of it. As this is a topic I've been wondering about for some time. However, it seems that this format might not apply to every possible story.
* Ordinary World * Call to Adventure * Refusal of the call/ hesitation to accept the task * Meeting with mentor * crossing over the threshold - hero is committed to the adventure
This fits an awful lot of fantasies, but not all of them. Most particularly mine. Take my friend's story for example, imagine a character in an abnormal world with memory problems trying to figure things out faster than people keep trying to kill him, that doesn't seem to fit the bill here. For example there is no mentor. Is there more of a generic formula that fits every story, more universally--I mean?
posted
That outline is the classic hero's journey plot. There are many plots, and that is a very common one. It goes back thousands of years, but I don't feel it is every story. There are other plots.
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posted
Normally a synopsis is between two and five pages. If it is longer, it needs to be cut.
Normally it should cover:
1. Characters – identities, goals, motivations and conflicts of the characters central to the plot.
2. Setting – a brief description
3. Plot – the main of your story -- usually not the subplots
4. Sequence of events – how the story progresses
5. Theme – what's the point of this novel?
What most experts seem to advise is to select the most important elements of each chapter and present them in the order that they make sense. Give your reader directions to make their way through your story.
You don't have to present things in the order they are in the novel itself. You want the synopsis to flow well.
It has to be written in present tense, whatever the tense of the novel.
I'd rather have my fingernails ripped out than write one, but it's one of those chores all novel authors have to learn to do.
posted
Wow, that's a huge list, KDW. Thank you so much!
quote:2. Setting – a brief description
I usually describe the setting of my WiP as, "a fantasy version of Early Modern (Renaissance) Italy." Would that be acceptable in a synopsis? Or would I want to describe it in terms that didn't refer to our real world?
posted
Actually it works for, the most part, with any story. Not every story is going to have all the elements and that, in part, is going to be genre driven. Thrillers are generally missing the "refusal." The mentor can be a person or thing that gives the MC the information or stuff the MC needs to face the coming challenges. It doesn't literally have to be Obi Wan Kenobi.
Bob Dugoni used two of his books as examples:
(1) Jury Master - a legal thriller (2) The Cyanide Canary - a true story.
The advice to start a story just before the MC's life changes follows this outline - it shows the ordinary world.
In Denzel Washington's movie, Crimson Tide, the ordinary world is shown as the credits roll - he walks into the house, there is a birthday party going, he kisses his daugther on the top of her head.
The call to action -the phone rings and he's needed back on the boat.
Because this is action adventure movie - there is no hesitation.
Crossing the threshhold - when he choses to defy Gene Hackman.
In all stories the MC has to cross the threshold or there is no story.
Zero - your MC's ordinary world seems to be the "abnormal world" and his memory problems.
His call to action is when someone tries to kill him. There probably is no "refusal" because you are an action type story.
He probably does meet with someone/thing (in Pelican Briefs, it's the Library of Congress) who help him obtain the tools he needs to figure out what is happening.
The MC crosses the threshold when he decides to investigate why people want him dead.
Next batter, please.
I can also use another one of the examples we talked about in the seminar or of your choosing up as another example and I'll post Falcon's on Monday.
Do you want: Jaws, Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, BraveHeart, Jury Master, Cyanide Canary, Moby Dick, or somthing completely different?
lehollis the setting description you have probably does work but you might want to indicate what makes it "a fantasy version."
posted
That's interesting. I'm still not completely convinced the model works for this case, because the first half or 2/3 of the book is based on false information, and neither the reader nor the character have any decent sense of what is actually going on for a very long time. What compels the reader to continue is the desire to explain frequent strange events, (and discover the identity of the MC--though we think he succeeds at this very early on only to find we were incorrect later) and to solve a mystery that was created during chapter 1, which takes place 5 years previously.
It's a very complicated story, but I won't say it doesn't fit the model for sure. You'll have to read it if/when it's ever published. And then you can show me what I'm not seeing clearly.
Also, I'm still interested in seeing your example, when you finish it.
posted
kings_falcon, I'm with Zero in wondering how a mystery-style fantasy book fits all those points. In my novel, Rica doesn't really have an information-dumping mentor. She learns information from various sources throughout half of the novel and sometimes doesn't even realize the significance of what she learns until later. Also, several characters might be called mentors (as in, people she learns skills from), but they are essentially minor characters and are subservant to her.
Also, I don't understand your "The End" points. What do you mean by "the Resurrection" and such? Maybe it'll make more sense when you show how Falcon fits these points.
[This message has been edited by DebbieKW (edited October 12, 2007).]
posted
I had another post but apparently my server at it. Oh, well.
Don't comment on the text here - since I'll put this on F&F Novels too - but here's how the outline works out for Falcon:
Ordinary World
Barred from assuming the throne of Tarishah until she bears an heir, Princess Kauril escapes her power-hungry suitors by taking up residence in Fayette. Preferring to leave her royal life behind Kauril becomes Falcon, the spy for Queen Sabryna of Fayette leaving Tarishah, in effect, a province of Fayette.
Call to Adventure
Years later, Sabryna, now mortally ill, demands that Falcon resume her duties as the Princess.
refusal of the call
Mordent, a sorcerer and heir to a dying kingdom, coerces Fayette's King Jurriaan to delegate Tarishah’s governance to him in Kauril’s absence. Falcon endeavors to persuade Jurriaan to rule Tarishah rather than allowing Mordent to do so.
Crossing the threshold Her desire to remain Falcon is threatened when Jurriaan requests the Princess’s guidance on a request to allow Mordent’s former kingdom to establish a farming settlement in Tarishah.
Approaching the innermost cave - Where the hero must go to fulfill her quest - must face this challenge to suceed
Using an elaborate ruse to protect the “Falcon” identity, she agrees to a limited encampment.
Story climax - innermost cave - bleakest moment - hero faced with greatest fear/real prospect of death/ forces of darkness/ must appear to have died or lost
Her partial concession is not enough for Mordent. He confronts her about being the Princess and casts a spell to force her to marry him. Falcon’s innate magic prevents his magic from working. They fight and she is wounded.
Seizing the reward - event that brings into conflict all the forces that have been set up - the place where something has to give
Falcon flees Fayette and learns that there is a greater threat to Tarishah. Mordent’s soldiers are looting Tarishah under the guise of authorized taxes.
Road Back - bad guys stage a last stand - think "Don't check to see if he's dead - shoot him AGAIN!
Falcon steals an original edict which implicates Mordent in the conspiracy. She returns to Fayette and charges him with treason. Jurriaan succumbs to Mordent’s spell and acquits him.
Resurrection - moment when the hero's hopes/dreams/goals seems lost but rise again
Falcon realizes that she must be both Falcon and the Princess to bring Mordent to justice. The question is not who she is but the kind of person she will be.
Wrap up - Denouement
Despite her inability to resume the throne, she accepts her responsibility to Tarishah which in return accepts her leadership.
quote:Despite her inability to resume the throne, she accepts her responsibility to Tarishah which in return accepts her leadership.
Sorry, but exactly what does that mean?
I must admit I find your example pretty dry. While writing a synopsis that doesn't read like choking down uncooked oatmeal is difficult, it does help in selling a novel.
[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited October 19, 2007).]
posted
I wanted to bump this back up, because it has been so helpful - especially King's Falcon's contribution, and Kathleen's list of pertinent threads.
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