Month: June 2020

What Is a Synopsis?

Few words strike dread in the heart of a writer like the word synopsis. It’s the Dreaded Nightmare of most writers. (There’s probably a few out there who don’t mind writing them, but I’ve never met them).

So what exactly is a synopsis?

It’s a one-to-two page document, usually either two pages, double-spaced or one page, single-spaced. (Check the editor/publisher/agent guidelines. If it doesn’t specify, don’t sweat it. Just pick one.) The publisher or agent uses the synopsis to see if there are plotting issues or weird tropes (i.e., it was all a dream!). They aren’t expecting advertising copy; save your gorgeous, flowery prose for the manuscript. Otherwise, write it in the same tone and style the book is written in. One caveat: if your book is written in first person, don’t write your synopsis that way. Typically, write it in active voice, third person, present tense.

Briefly introduce your main character(s) and put their names IN CAPS the first time they’re introduced for ease of identification. This document is where you spill the beans regarding your story — the interesting setup, the plot twists, emotions and reactions of characters, setbacks, climax, and resolution. Keep the details pertinent, and don’t give tons of backstory. I’ve found this to be extremely difficult. After all, every single scene feels important to me. I want to include them all.

A few important points:

  1. Yes—you have to tell how the story ends. Aside from the length, this is one of the main differences between the synopsis and the blurb. Don’t try to pass the blurb off as a synopsis.
  2. Show, don’t tell doesn’t work for the synopsis. Because this is an entirely different kind of writing compared to a book, you’ll have to do a lot of telling, not showing.
  3. If you’re a pantser and you haven’t finished the manuscript (and therefore can’t finish the synopsis), go finish your book. Agents and publishers won’t consider books that are “mostly” finished.
  4. For more information, check out Reedsy’s article on writing a synopsis.

I’ve found the easiest way to create a synopsis (or as easy as synopsis creation can be) is to take my manuscript and go through it chapter by chapter. What are the key plot points that occur? List them in order. Be brief. When I’m done,  I’m halfway to a working synopsis.  Then edit, edit, edit.

Taglines vs. Loglines

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Are you planning for a writers’ conference this summer? Or perhaps you’re planning to start querying? (Good for you!!) Either way, words like tagline or synopsis or blurb can strike fear in your heart. For the next several weeks, my blog posts will help you identify what agents and publishers want. I’ll cover some of the major items in an author’s arsenal: synopsis, blurb, one sheet, and this week’s focus, Taglines and Loglines.

 

Tagline. Logline. They sound similar, but they’re not. What are the differences?

While not every book has a tagline, a proposal may require one. (Each publisher’s requirements may be a little different.) It can also be called a sales handle. A tagline’s main purpose is to hook the reader. It should be catchy, intriguing, and give a hint of what the book is about. One-liners work best and generally no longer than ten words. Some examples: “Remember it’s only a game.” (Caraval), “Let them fear her.” (Wicked Saints), “Let the magic begin.” (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) One of the best examples I ever read was for Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. “Half boy. Half god. All hero.”

A logline is different. It’s one sentence (and one sentence only) about 35-45 words that shares what your story is about in an entertaining manner. You’ll need this when you sit down at a table to have lunch, and the acquisitions editor across from you says, “So what’s your story about?” This really happened to me. Since I was a total noob at the time, I stumbled over my words. She was interested anyway and invited me to pitch to her later. Hopefully, your logline will be better than mine and the other person will beg for more.

If this sounds like an elevator pitch, it’s not — it’s shorter. Some guidelines also call this a promo sentence. (Don’t you just love how there are several different labels for the same thing?) Anyway, the logline should establish setting, protagonist, problem, an antagonist, conflict/action, and goal.

Sounds difficult, right? But you can do this! Remember–practice makes perfect. Pick a few of your favorite television shows and work up a logline for them. (Bonus hint: Don’t use a rhetorical question in your logline—it has to be a sentence.) If you’d like more information on how to craft this magical unicorn, check out the article at https://blog.celtx.com/learning-series-lesson-1-creating-a-logline/. It goes a little deeper on how to begin setting one up.

One final note: while taglines display your knowledge of how to sell your book, an agent will probably never ask for one in a pitch. She or he will ask for your logline (“What’s your book about?”), so if you only have time to work on one of these things, make it your logline.