What is a synopsis? Basically, it's an overview of what happens in your book, and is generally between 1-5 pages long. Plural, synopses.
You'll often have to submit one if you're asked for a partial or a full from an agent or a publisher. If you're going traditional, you're pretty much required to write one (or several, because each agent may request a different number of pages).
Here are a few links I've encountered that may be helpful in writing your synopsis.
QueryTracker's synopses posts: Jane Lebak explains what a synopsis is and gives basic advice for writing one. H.L. Dyer offers a post on "Creating the Dreaded Synopsis" with instructions on one way to write synopses of various lengths, by breaking the book down into chapters. Ash Krafton talks about how to use a synopsis as an outline (the benefits of writing an synopsis before writing the book).
Jane Friedman explains what a synopsis is, who will use it and how, general principles, and 4 things you absolutely must accomplish in writing your synopsis.
Fiction editor Beth Hill at the Editor's Blog shares how to format a synopsis, looks at the major schools of thought about synopses, and explains general rules to always follow, as well as a few specifics.
On the Publishing Crawl blog, detailed advice on how to write a one-page synopsis.
Writers Digest offers 5 Tips for Writing a Synopsis Like a Pro, and also a ton of examples of synopses.
And yes, although even agents hate them, synopses are still required.
You'll often have to submit one if you're asked for a partial or a full from an agent or a publisher. If you're going traditional, you're pretty much required to write one (or several, because each agent may request a different number of pages).
Here are a few links I've encountered that may be helpful in writing your synopsis.
QueryTracker's synopses posts: Jane Lebak explains what a synopsis is and gives basic advice for writing one. H.L. Dyer offers a post on "Creating the Dreaded Synopsis" with instructions on one way to write synopses of various lengths, by breaking the book down into chapters. Ash Krafton talks about how to use a synopsis as an outline (the benefits of writing an synopsis before writing the book).
Jane Friedman explains what a synopsis is, who will use it and how, general principles, and 4 things you absolutely must accomplish in writing your synopsis.
Fiction editor Beth Hill at the Editor's Blog shares how to format a synopsis, looks at the major schools of thought about synopses, and explains general rules to always follow, as well as a few specifics.
Writers Digest offers 5 Tips for Writing a Synopsis Like a Pro, and also a ton of examples of synopses.
And yes, although even agents hate them, synopses are still required.
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