BBC: "What Exactly IS A Synopsis?"

Hi, I am new to these lists and don't know if this is the right place but maybe I'll give it a try.

Hey, I am the first submission in this room, anyone out there going to join me?

I have a finished ms. I submitted a query letter and synopsis a few years ago to Desire and it was rejected. I would like to revise the synopsis and submit it and the 3 first chapters to Harlequin Presents. My question is how do I know that the synopsis is any good, even if I feel that the book is?

I think this is the hardest part.

Keren

Is it best to have an agent or just try to find a publisher on your own?

I've submitted stories, quiries, etc to both publishers and agents and have recieved nothing but rejections. Of course, that's normal and I'm just starting out.  

What do you think? Are agents really necassary or can a random person get a book published without that extra person looking over your shoulder?

Thanks...

First off, those aren't quite on the subject we're discussing, but finding an agent is a personal choice. Some folks do well on either side of the discussion. It's all about your personal situation.

As for RWA, it's a great organization, but we can't advocate one way or another.

Hugs,

Dee 

That's great advice about making sure the pitch is made to the right line.  Personally I think there's a big difference between the Desires and the Presents.

Dee, I didn't even realize there is a difference between a short and long synopsis.  I sent a query first.  Then when SSE's Mr. Griemsman requested a partial I sent a short synopsis (correct according to what you posted, thank God) with my partial, and tried to detail it as much as possible.  Let me tell you, doing that synopsis was as hard, if not harder, for me to write than the main story.  In fact, I sweated blood and tears over it, because I realize it's the FIRST thing the editor is going to see from me.  If he/she doesn't like it... well, *phlooey*  for the rest of what I have!  Well, they'd be more polite than that, but you know what I mean....

Thanks for detailing the dreaded synopsis. 

originally titled "BBC: A Beginners Guide to Submission"? I know I saw that elsewhere, because I thought "WHOA!  That'll be interesting!" I, of course, wasn't thinking about submitting my novel. No, my mind went to the OTHER end of the imagination spectrum.  

But seriously, great info! I'm takin' notes.  Thanks, Dee!

I don't think I'm a good synopsis writer.. I struggle with it. It's the hardest part for me.

Something I did recently was let my husband look over a synopsis for me -- he's a technical writer, and let me tell you -- he hadn't read the ms, which was another plus, but his fresh eye plus his technical writing experience had him really analyzing the thing not for creativity or tone or whatever, he just went through and made sure everything made sense, was organized correctly, and that the story points were logical -- it was worth a million bucks. He ripped it apart (in the good way) but what I put back together was wonderful. Literally a different document, and really so much clearer I couldn't believe it.

Sometimes we're way too close to a story to summarize it well, and other writers aren't even the best crits (cps can be helpful to a point, but when they know the story as well as we do, they'll also miss things), because they think the way we do. If you have someone "outside" -- someone who knows writing, deals with it, likes to read, etc but can look at your synopsis objectively, it will help loads. Take a class, ask a teacher, your boss, someone who knows how to write, do what you can to find someone who can tell you if what you've written makes sense to them, and they have to be honest with you. And brace yourself. ;)

Synopsis writing is hard, but you should always try to keep getting better at it -- it's still your best selling tool, and not to get too far ahead, but after you sell, you hit the point of having to "sell on synopsis" -- so you sell a book writing the synopsis first, not last. :) It's then that you realize how important they are. ;)

So, practice practice....

Sam

Well, there's actually two definitions for hooks and you need both of them in your books and your synopses.

Hook #1) Theme Hooks that attract certain readers. Examples are Friends-to-lovers, Mistaken Identity, Secret Pregnancy, etc. Some folks will buy a book just because it has those elements so letting your prospective editor know right off the bat that your book is marketable is a high priority.

Hook #2) Prose hooks that grab the reader's attention and lures them to continue reading. These are especially important in your first line and first pages of each chapter. Also, the End-Of-Chapter hook. Something that will make you stay up just one more hour in the middle of the night to see what happens.

Prose hooks can and should be learned for synopsis as well because a dry synop might get the point across, but a synop with voice leads the editor to become excited that a) you sound like a great read and b) the story itself is compelling.

To illustrate, I'm going to use current HQ/Sil blurbs to show you concise writing and how effective they can be.

Example of using Theme Hooks in your synopsis--themes in bold:

Virgin: Wedded at the Italian's Convenience
by Diana Hamilton

Arrogant Italian Paolo Venini needs to marry. And English rose Lily Frome will make a perfect, convenient wife.

As Lily struggles to adapt to Paolo's glamorous world, Paolo whisks her
off to Italy's beautiful Amalfi coast to spend their wedding night. But Paolo expects more than just a marriage in name only—after their vows have been exchanged, Paolo intends to claim his virgin bride as his own….

Prose Hooks in action:

Spanish Billionaire, Innocent Wife by Kate Walker

The hands on the clock didn't seem to have moved even once in all the time that she had been sitting here. Alannah could have sworn that every time she glanced up at the big white circle that hung on the green-painted wall opposite the big hand and the little hand were in
exactly the same position as they had been the last time she had
looked, making a mockery of the audible sound of the minutes ticking
away.

And end of chapter hooks:

The Greek Tycoon's Baby Bargain

by Sharon Kendrick

'Shouldn't we go into the bedroom?'

He gave a short laugh, but he was so hard and so hot for her that he doubted he would be able to make it to the door and this sensual power which she always seemed to exert over him made him want to wrest back
control. 'Isn't it a little soon in our acquaintance for convention to rear its ugly head?'

Rebecca froze. Acquaintance. What kind of a word was that?
_________________________________

So what do you all think? Thoughts? Questions? Add-ons? All are welcome!

I see those all the time and they're big faves in my own writing. Dialogue is a great way because lord knows I walk into TONS of interesting sounding discussions!

Lol,

Dee 

Too funny!

I'm still waiting to see what kind of comments next week's "A beginner's guide to submission" draws. I don't know, maybe it's just ME with my mind in the gutter!!! Er, bedroom? Er, playroom? (I don't want to offend anyone, LOL!)

As if I've ever been able to be serious in my life.

And Jodie...how do you know I don't have a day dedicated to lacing your leather....?

This is a great thread. I love learning about things I am very bad at!

Amanda, just to clarify, I think the first example that Dee posted was an example of a synopsis using theme hooks, and the other two examples were of actual books, using chapter beginning and ending hooks.  I wouldn't normally use dialogue in the body of a synopsis, because the whole point of a synopsis (unlike novel writing) is to TELL rather than SHOW.  If you look at the first one, you can see how the story is being summarised, whereas in the second two, it's being shown to the reader as if watching real life.

 (I have, twice, used a killer line of dialogue as a little teaser on top, to show the voice of the story, but that was more of a blurb than the synopsis itself, if that makes sense.  And I've only done that since knowing my editor.)

I love your advice about having an objective yet qualified second person look over a syn, Sam.  

When this finally came clear for me, I was so darn grateful to the MANY authors who had to drum it into my head. So here goes (aside: to those pubs who might have a better or just another take, feel free to add!)

Points: You'll want to cover all the pertinent points of your story in your synopsis, no matter the size. But there are two different types and yes, both need addressing.

Plot Points: These are the changes in your general plot or the external events that shape the actions of your characters. Such as, hero getting fired, Heroine discovering she's pregnant, Father blackmailing hero into finding someone to marry, Mother stumbling drunk at heroine's bridal shower to the guy she thinks is the right one. Be sure to include those important events and how they change the direction of the character's plot.

Turning Points: These are the changes in the romantic plot or the internal changes that shape how your characters interact with each other. Examples would be First meeting, first kiss, heroine lies to hero to push him away, hero nobly stands aside so heroine can marry the guy she thinks is the right one. Be sure to not only include these key changes to the romance plot, but also how they change the individual character and the relationship.

Examples in film:

50 First Dates:

Plot Points: 

• Hero meets heroine within weeks of his planned trip to the arctic for two years to study sea animals.
• Hero learns that heroine has only a 24 hour memory and decides to persue her in various different ways each day.
• Hero helps heroine and her family find a better way to cope with her medical condition.
• Hero and heroine move north together to complete his study.

Turning Points:

• Selfish hero meets his dream come true, heroine who will never expect more of him than a day of romance, and ironically falls in love with her.
• When heroine realizes that her condition has caused the hero to put his dreams aside, she sacrifices her feelings for him to set him free by "forgetting" him.
• Hero recognizes how important it is to heroine that she find a way to live her life on her own terms and lets her go. His choice to do his study is his way of doing something for her rather than himself--hero has been changed by love and has grown past his own selfishness.
• Despite all medical expectations, the heroine is lost and longing for a memory she can't explain and she is overjoyed when hero returns to her--heroine is healed by love and can now trust they can have a real life together.

Tomorrow, more definitions and next week, we'll talk about incorporating these things into your synops!

Any questions, thoughts or discussions are more than welcome!

Dee 

Not lame. I'd say the fifty is a good number for learning your best way to show what you can or should do. First you learn what goes in. Then you learn what to take out. Then you weed out what makes your best format. THEN you learn to stylize. I have no idea how many synops I've written in the ten years I've been submitting. But five a year would easily give me fifty.

Don't get scared, though. I'm a firm believer that we can all learn from other people's mistakes and lessons. What took me 30 to figure out might only take you 5.

Dee

PS--I outline and write the same way. You just need an idea of where you're going. If the characters veer, just be sure to alter your synop accordingly! 

WOW!
A lot of GREAT help in here. I'm excited to see what the next bit of info is. I'm shaking in my boots about putting together my Synopsis. Yeeeesh!

Oh..and BTW...50 First Dates is a favorite of mine. ;) 

Well, nuns are a little harder to corrupt, even for me.

But I do try!

Hi.  I'm an aspiring romance writer, and the help in this thread is invaluable!  Thank you so much, Dee. 

 I'm looking forward to learning so much more before I do anything like submitting anything!

Lisa