Comments on: How not to send in a synopsis http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2009/07/how-not-to-send-in-a-synopsis/ Home of the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:45:51 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Cressida Downing (editorial consultant) http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2009/07/how-not-to-send-in-a-synopsis/comment-page-2/#comment-647 Cressida Downing (editorial consultant) Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:46:26 +0000 http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/?p=3043#comment-647 Hi Clare, Start by trying to explain what happens in your book to a stranger (in your head) and keep the subplots to a minimum. See if you can summarise each chapter in a couple of sentences and work with that. Good luck for the competition! Cressida Hi Clare,

Start by trying to explain what happens in your book to a stranger (in your head) and keep the subplots to a minimum. See if you can summarise each chapter in a couple of sentences and work with that.

Good luck for the competition!

Cressida

]]> By: Clare http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2009/07/how-not-to-send-in-a-synopsis/comment-page-2/#comment-641 Clare Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:53:41 +0000 http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/?p=3043#comment-641 Hi Cressida, What a headache I've got now! Writing my synopsis to send with a competition entry so I don't really want to mess it up because I know it will be good exposure for my book. The problem I have is not a great one but very frustrating. I have written one page single spaced so far and as there are no guidelines as to the length of synopsis I am assuming that a maximum of two would probably be best. Reading your post again i am now worried that I may be doing it wrong. I have written in short but snappy paragraphs and the first page has covered six chapters, (approx 25 in total) and I don't want to make it a chapter by chapter breakdown because that's not what it's supposed to be. Any suggestions for a desperate Insomniac!! Clare (bestseller) Hi Cressida,

What a headache I’ve got now! Writing my synopsis to send with a competition entry so I don’t really want to mess it up because I know it will be good exposure for my book. The problem I have is not a great one but very frustrating. I have written one page single spaced so far and as there are no guidelines as to the length of synopsis I am assuming that a maximum of two would probably be best.

Reading your post again i am now worried that I may be doing it wrong. I have written in short but snappy paragraphs and the first page has covered six chapters, (approx 25 in total) and I don’t want to make it a chapter by chapter breakdown because that’s not what it’s supposed to be.

Any suggestions for a desperate Insomniac!!

Clare (bestseller)

]]> By: Cressida Downing (editorial consultant) http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2009/07/how-not-to-send-in-a-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-639 Cressida Downing (editorial consultant) Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:00:06 +0000 http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/?p=3043#comment-639 Hi Ron, Congratulations on finishing your novel! A great achievement. All the suggestions you will find on this blog are to some extent subjective, but I do think a concise synopsis is important. I would aim for a maximum of two sides single-spaced if one side really isn't containing the story. If you are plotting your novel, then the length Carole Blake suggests sounds about right. Good luck! Cressida Hi Ron,

Congratulations on finishing your novel! A great achievement. All the suggestions you will find on this blog are to some extent subjective, but I do think a concise synopsis is important.

I would aim for a maximum of two sides single-spaced if one side really isn’t containing the story.

If you are plotting your novel, then the length Carole Blake suggests sounds about right.

Good luck!

Cressida

]]> By: Ron Gee http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2009/07/how-not-to-send-in-a-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-589 Ron Gee Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:50:54 +0000 http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/?p=3043#comment-589 Hi Cressida, I read your article with interest. I have just finished a novel (87000 words) and am about to begin the process of sending it off but I am slightly confused. I have just read Carole Blake's book From Pitch To Publication and she is quite specific in her requirements ie: Synopsis should be four to ten pages long and double spaced. Is this a subjective matter to different agents? As you state that one A4 page is all you should aim for and can be single spaced. My synopsis is five page A4 double spaced after many hours of paring. Am I doomed before I start? Regards Ron Hi Cressida,
I read your article with interest. I have just finished a novel (87000 words) and am about to begin the process of sending it off but I am slightly confused. I have just read Carole Blake’s book From Pitch To Publication and she is quite specific in her requirements ie: Synopsis should be four to ten pages long and double spaced. Is this a subjective matter to different agents? As you state that one A4 page is all you should aim for and can be single spaced. My synopsis is five page A4 double spaced after many hours of paring. Am I doomed before I start?
Regards Ron

]]> By: Cressida Downing (editorial consultant) http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2009/07/how-not-to-send-in-a-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-575 Cressida Downing (editorial consultant) Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:34:38 +0000 http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/?p=3043#comment-575 sam - good point - writing your synopsis can definitely clear up a few plot niggles as you're going along. Having said one side of A4, I wouldn't throw away a submission for having two pages of synopsis. I am less keen on a synopsis that is the length of a small chapter though, as that is more in the nature of a breakdown of the plot, event by event. sam – good point – writing your synopsis can definitely clear up a few plot niggles as you’re going along.

Having said one side of A4, I wouldn’t throw away a submission for having two pages of synopsis. I am less keen on a synopsis that is the length of a small chapter though, as that is more in the nature of a breakdown of the plot, event by event.

]]> By: sam http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2009/07/how-not-to-send-in-a-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-440 sam Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:07:02 +0000 http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/?p=3043#comment-440 am currently editing my first novel, and it is only writing the synopsis did I realise that it would probably benefit every aspiring author to write their synopsis at around the "penultimate edit" stage, as this allows the writer to see the "bare bones" of the story, and see whether or not it makes sense, as a story... of course, you have to do another synopsis, after the final edit, but the story should sing by then (hopefully) ... the synopsis problem I am currently experiencing is... some agents/publishers specify the synopsis should be just one page, and while that is fine for a 90,000 word novel, my novel stands at... 210,000 words... there is too much story for just one page, even if I write a basic version... I think I shall first submit to people who want two pages for their synopsis! am currently editing my first novel, and it is only writing the synopsis did I realise that it would probably benefit every aspiring author to write their synopsis at around the “penultimate edit” stage, as this allows the writer to see the “bare bones” of the story, and see whether or not it makes sense, as a story… of course, you have to do another synopsis, after the final edit, but the story should sing by then (hopefully)

… the synopsis problem I am currently experiencing is… some agents/publishers specify the synopsis should be just one page, and while that is fine for a 90,000 word novel, my novel stands at… 210,000 words… there is too much story for just one page, even if I write a basic version…

I think I shall first submit to people who want two pages for their synopsis!

]]> By: Cressida Downing (editorial consultant) http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2009/07/how-not-to-send-in-a-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-433 Cressida Downing (editorial consultant) Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:50:33 +0000 http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/?p=3043#comment-433 Hi Laura, It's not a problem to submit a partial before completion - it's more common in non-fiction submissions than fiction. It's better to have it finished, but given how long it takes for submissions to get read, why not send in a partial now - while you continue to work on the rest. If an agent does express interest after seeing the first three chapters, then it's good to be able to give them a firm timetable at least as to when they will be able to see the rest. As well as being courteous, this shows them that you are able to write to deadlines, which is a great asset for a client! Best regards, Cressida Hi Laura,

It’s not a problem to submit a partial before completion – it’s more common in non-fiction submissions than fiction. It’s better to have it finished, but given how long it takes for submissions to get read, why not send in a partial now – while you continue to work on the rest.

If an agent does express interest after seeing the first three chapters, then it’s good to be able to give them a firm timetable at least as to when they will be able to see the rest. As well as being courteous, this shows them that you are able to write to deadlines, which is a great asset for a client!

Best regards,

Cressida

]]> By: Laura K http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2009/07/how-not-to-send-in-a-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-427 Laura K Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:17:31 +0000 http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/?p=3043#comment-427 Hi Cressida, Great advice - I'm currently half way through writing my novel and am just wondering whether it's ever a good idea to submit the first three chapters and synopsis of book before the entire manuscript is finished? I've heard of authors doing as such successfully but would a prospective agent / publisher be prepared to wait for the finished manuscript? Hi Cressida,
Great advice – I’m currently half way through writing my novel and am just wondering whether it’s ever a good idea to submit the first three chapters and synopsis of book before the entire manuscript is finished? I’ve heard of authors doing as such successfully but would a prospective agent / publisher be prepared to wait for the finished manuscript?

]]> By: Cressida Downing (editorial consultant) http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2009/07/how-not-to-send-in-a-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-387 Cressida Downing (editorial consultant) Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:24:33 +0000 http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/?p=3043#comment-387 Purnamasi - are you writing a fiction or non-fiction book? If it's a fictional book, I would just put the rough outline of times in the synopsis. If you are writing a factual book, you will need to be more precise. Have a look at my post on sending in non-fiction submissions if that's relevant to you. Normy - see how much you can leave out to fit it on one page, the key events should bring themselves forward and you should get a sense of how the plot is shaped. As for your next four titles, mention them in your covering letter, but let the editor or agent concentrate on what you are sending in. Best regards, Cressida Purnamasi – are you writing a fiction or non-fiction book? If it’s a fictional book, I would just put the rough outline of times in the synopsis. If you are writing a factual book, you will need to be more precise. Have a look at my post on sending in non-fiction submissions if that’s relevant to you.

Normy – see how much you can leave out to fit it on one page, the key events should bring themselves forward and you should get a sense of how the plot is shaped. As for your next four titles, mention them in your covering letter, but let the editor or agent concentrate on what you are sending in.

Best regards,

Cressida

]]> By: Purnamasi http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2009/07/how-not-to-send-in-a-synopsis/comment-page-1/#comment-386 Purnamasi Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:43:01 +0000 http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/?p=3043#comment-386 I would be ever grateful to you if you will respond to my first part of my comment on august 27. I would be ever grateful to you if you will respond to my first part of my comment on august 27.

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