Writing Tips

Synopsis - Part One

Tip: My personal writing process follows these steps, and they are in this order: Pitch, Query, Outline, Synopsis, Book.

If you learn to write those things in that order, you will save yourself one hell of a headache--especially if you are creating a series as interwoven and meticulous as my Leviathans series, which is 17 years of failure and determined rewrites. Twice over ten thousand handwritten pages, front and back--all of which had miniscule serial-killer sized writing, and all of which has been scrapped.  I mean a literal 10,000 pages.  Twice.  Over fifty large spiral bound notebooks and 12 reams of computer paper.

Trust me when I say that following the aforementioned pattern could save you time and sanity.  Especially if you are like me and love to be thorough, and can't bring yourself to officially publish until it is just right.  Or if you are easily lost.  :P

If you find yourself more prone to write as a pantser, and you find plotting difficult, that's okay, and that's normal. It's a skill that doesn't come natural to many, but which can be hugely beneficial once learned. It takes practice and determination, and then your workflow goes sooooo much more quickly. It becomes far less likely you'll write yourself into a corner that requires throwing out 500 pages or more. Or 20,000 pages from seventeen years of writing.

Did I mention already that some friends of mine started calling me Extra?  I like it, heheh.

That being said, don't let shortcuts or rules take away from your creativity!  Freewrite whenever you can if you prefer that method.  Just remember that it is more messy and difficult to write commercially published books in any way other than with some kind of order to the madness. You can always do it, but the works you complete will never be as close to perfect on a first pass-through as with this technique (or your preferred variation).

This technique truly saves time, and it's a skill you can build and become familiar with, just like any other.  You're crap at first, then you're less crap.  Then you become good, then you're expert: The Shit, as I mentioned before.  Being The Shit takes a lot of talent, skill, experience--you have the ability.  You have the technology.  You have the awesome...You're one of the shades-wearing cool people, pal.

Anyway, the subject of writing a synopsis has been broken into three chapters in this book, and for good reason.  First, I explain the formatting and some important things NOT to do.  Second, I cover the synopsis-writing process itself, what should be included on it.  Third, I give an example synopsis, and then I break it down piece by piece. 

The synopsis should be very concise, telling the agent / publisher exactly what happens in the book--the main plot.  (As mentioned before, if you're an Indie or Indie-to-be, this may not appear to be a helpful tool, but it can truly help you to spot holes, lacking character development, and more issues.  It's a powerful tool.  That's why editors and agents want it so bad.  That's why it's part of the package writers have to put together to send to them. Hell, it even gives them some idea how long your book is and where they can cut it to focus it.

The process of creating the synopsis is very particular, and it must be learned properly for the benefit of agents and editors, although minor infractions are okay if you're Indie.

Many writers get rejections because their synopses are imperfect.

If you have already completed your pitch, query, and outline, that means you have figured out what your book will be out.  (Sa-weet!  Now go treat yourself to something tasty.)  However, remember that you have not yet finished focusing your story.  My chapters on writing a synopsis will help you with the next stages of story development.  They will also help you to get ready to try finding an agent or a publisher.