Lesson 2
The Fiction Query Letter & Synopsis
Week 3 Lesson 2 Let's Tackle a Synopsis
Now we have a chance to really let our agent/editor see our story.
Regardless of whether you choose to send the synopsis with the query
letter or not, you will sooner or later be asked for a synopsis. You
might as well do it now.
If our query letter has accomplished its goal, this is our chance to go
in for the kill, or I should say 'sale.' We now need to chronicle every
chapter of our book. This is not the time to be cute. This is the time
to give it all you have; it's critical. Don't try to hint at the ending
or the surprise twists and turns; you must reveal everything and bring
your story to its conclusion. You want to write this in narrative, not
outline, however breaking it into chapters may be easier for your target
to read.
Feel free to select quotes from your characters, important scenes,
descriptive phrases. But, keep it to a minimum. Weave character
descriptions into your synopsis; be colorful. Avoid monotonous
descriptions such as: Jim is a twenty-three-year-old carpenter,
handsome, egotistical and has dangerous blue eyes.
Instead try: . . .a young man to whom is only slightly interested in
the intellect of the women he dates, who craves the attention of all
when entering a room. Who seems to have all the charm in the world even
when on the construction site. Sure to be a success if it weren't for .
. . Well, you get the idea.
Be aware that you can't show everything; the agent or editor knows this.
Show the big picture, the intrigue, the realism of the characters and
how it all comes together in the end. John Wood harps on making sure you
reveal the ending. Show the major elements, most common problems. Most
editors can tell a good writing style just by reading one page just as
well as she can from reading twenty.
So, now that you are rightly panicked, just do your best and describe
your book as "accurately, completely, and dramatically as you
can."
Suggested length of synopsis, according to Wood: ten to twenty-five
pages (each chapter one to three pages).
Week 3 Assignment 1: Write one to three chapters of your synopsis
for the board. Be sure to make it descriptive. You may use first person
here, but also present tense. Stay away from -Jim attended a formal
dinner dance and discovered... Instead say, Jim attends a
formal dinner dance and discovers . . .
Week 4 Assignment 2: Perfect your synopsis and post the changes.
Now go get-em tiger. Take the risk, the giant step. And good luck
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