How long synopsis novel

We need to see how the story conflict plays out, who or what is driving that conflict, and how the protagonist succeeds or fails in dealing with it. You may have to exclude some subplots, and you definitely have to stay out of the plotting weeds.

To decide what characters deserve space in the synopsis, you need to look at their role in influencing the protagonist or changing the direction of the story.

We need to see how they enter the story, the quality of their relationship to the protagonist, and how their story resolves. Any character that merits placement in a synopsis should have at least two to three mentions. Very Wordy : At work, Elizabeth searches for Peter all over the office and finally finds him in the supply room, where she tells him she resents the remarks he made about her in the staff meeting. Tight : At work, Elizabeth confronts Peter about his remarks at the staff meeting.

Consider what it would sound like if you summarized a football game by saying. And then the Giants scored. Then the Patriots scored twice in a row. The crowd went wild. Include both story advancement plot stuff and color character stuff. This helps us better understand the characters and their motivations once introduced. For example, a synopsis of Harry Potter might clarify upfront that the world is divided into Muggles and wizards, and that the Muggles have no idea that a magical world exists.

Historical Books. Travel Books. Business Books. Humor in Nonfiction. Creative Nonfiction. Write Better Poetry. Poetry Prompts. Poetic Forms. Interviews With Poets. Why I Write Poetry. Poetry FAQs. Get Published. Build My Platform. Find a Fiction Agent. Find a Nonfiction Agent. Write My Query. Sell My Work. Business of Writing. Breaking In. Be Inspired. Writing Prompts. The Writer's Life. Writing Quotes. Following the brief summary should be a more detailed synopsis of — words.

The main aim of the longer synopsis is to give a detailed overview which clearly and concisely conveys how the story flows and unfolds, and very importantly what is interesting about it.

The longer synopsis should also reconfirm when the story is set i. The longer synopsis should also highlight the dramatic turning points and tell the reader of any other salient information which will help convey what kind of work it is, how well imagined are the characters involved and how well thought through and alluring is the plot.

Alongside the synopsis should also be an excellent, economically written and confident sounding cover letter. It does not matter if this is repeated on the synopsis page. You may also wish to refer to writers you feel you are similar to, although do be careful not to have misplaced arrogance in this. Otherwise, let the agent decide and they will help market you to the publisher, and the publisher then help market you to the public.

If you admire an agent for a particular reason, such as they publish a hero or heroine of yours, let them know. If you have something interesting to say about yourself, such as that you have won a writing competition or published before in relevant publications, do include this briefly in the cover letter. It is for you to judge what is of particular interest about you, and how much to say, but you should also provide a fuller biographical note which sits well at the bottom of the synopsis page.

This should be between 50 and words as a guide. If you have been published provide a summarised list of publications here. If you have not, or are trying to hide a career you think has gone off track and want to appear fresh, keep it brief and mention what you do, your age and anything that makes you sound interesting.

If your career is related to your subject matter, then do say this. Do avoid listing technical publications as evidence of writing ability if you are submitting fiction. This is different for non-fiction. As a rule, err on the side of brevity if necessary.

If the reader loves your work they will be in touch to find out more about you. NB: If the work is literary, there may be less emphasis on plot and more on the quality of the prose.

Due to current climates and publishing trends, this is a difficult time to publish literary fiction without strong plots, although things undoubtedly will change. A synopsis for a work of non-fiction performs a different function. The consideration of whether a non-fiction book has a potential market is generally more straightforward than for new fiction. In the case of non-fiction you should certainly have carefully researched your market before submission and ideally list the competitors in the field, outlining why your project is different and why you are the writer best positioned to write the book you have.

Also, you should be able to list any marketing opportunities you believe your book may have, such as identifiable, or even guaranteed readers such as students if you teach a course, anniversary tie-ins and so on. A literary agent is often prepared to sell a non-fiction work on synopsis and chapters only. This is an extreme rarity in the case of fiction. This is because it is easier for people to see if there is a market gap that can be filled by the project, before the work is finished.

This is usually the key question, dilemma or driving force of the novel — or the heart of the novel, to put it another way. And if you know you have a great hook or a high concept, that should be your pitch line. Some people like to include a quote from the novel: quotes can offer a glimpse of the tone of your novel as well as teasing and enticing the reader. The synopsis of your novel should then go on to cover your plot in its broad strokes: Set out your story in the simplest terms.

This can make your synopsis confusing and difficult to understand.