I’m talking about the authors of the Novel Synopsis Project which I found through a link on Lynn Viehl’s Paperback Writer blog. The Novel Synopsis Project links to 25 author blogs on synopsis writing–with actual synopses from books I’ve enjoyed and admired as the examples.
As it happens, my current source of stress–other than STAT 50–is the synopsis I’m working on for Vapor Trail, my full-length first-person sci-fi romance. One thing this synopsis has in common with STAT 50? It is kicking my ass.
In fact, it may be kicking my ass a little more than statistics. Statistics has formulas I can memorize which, if implemented correctly, make all the numbers come out just right. The synopsis isn’t nearly so easy.
Fortunately, reviewing the diverse synopses listed on the Novel Synopsis Project has convinced me that while there’s no formula–magic or mathematic–to writing a great synopsis, a few words of advice with real-life examples can be pretty damn helpful.
Thanks to all the generous authors who participated in this informative and enormously helpful excercise. You’re angels, each and every one.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve a synopsis to finish…
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Good luck to you!!
Is this the a book meant for NYC? If so, query my agent, Kristin Nelson. She requires NO synopsis at any point!!!
That was the one last bit that made her my dream agent, cuz I hate synopsis writing like most men would hate a back, sack, crack wax.
Thanks Heather, I think I’ll need it! At this point my synopsis is 13 pages, and I’m writing a synopsis of the synopsis in the hopes of paring it down a bit.
Sherry,
No Synopsis!??! That’s so shocking, it has caused me to grievously abuse punctuation. Also: how lovely. This whole synopsis thing–taking a story that you find fun, fascinating, and fabulous enough to devote months of your life to the task imagining and writing it, and whittling it down to a few measly pages–it feels like filicide.