Exciting times. Or taxing? <LOL> Because of the move to New Chapter, Creativia requested its authors submit new synopses for their books. The result: a community chat about the appropriate length and requirements of a synopsis. Ta-da! Topic for today: synopsis refresher pointers.
What do you add? What do you remove when all the adding’s been done? Is the synopsis dynamic? Does it capture all the important components?
You’ve completed your manuscript; now you have to sum up the story. Ugh. No fun, you’re thinking. It’s not that bad, really. Just commit some time, roll up those sleeves, and grab a cup (or three) of joe.
Start by determining the key/pivotal actions—feats, accomplishments, battles, trials—that your main protagonist embraces and endures. You may want to write a short paragraph for each chapter. And, yes, it’s quite all right to include the ending in a synopsis; you are, in essence, “selling” your book, be it to a publisher or agent.
Ensure that you provide enough backdrop in the beginning to paint a visual picture. Where does the story take place? Who is the protagonist? What is the major trial he or she is facing?
Once you have all those paragraphs written, flesh out the synopsis so it flows like a serene stream and not a torrential flood (you can delete later). Write it in third-person present tense (regardless of how the book itself is written—such as first person, present tense).
What’s important for the reader to know? Have you provided critical components? What’s the plot about? Who is the main character? What makes him or her tick? What event(s) play a crucial part in developing and challenging him or her? How are major issues resolved?
Once it’s all on paper/screen, start editing. Keep the nitty-gritty and delete the redundant. Publishers and agents vary on the length of the synopses they want. Have a one- or two-pager at the ready, but keep a multi-page one handy too (you truly never know).
Here’s a revamped synopsis for the first book featuring the Triple Threat Investigation Agency gals, before they were official P.I.s.
The Connecticut Corpse Caper chronicles the antics of several inheritance recipients, as witnessed by weather announcer Jill Jocasta Fonne. The madcap mystery begins when she arrives one November afternoon at her deceased aunt’s eerie (reputedly haunted) Connecticut mansion, primed for a week-long stay. Two-hundred thousand dollars will be awarded to each person upon staying the course. Should someone leave, regardless of reason, his or her share will be divided among those remaining.
Each friend and relative of the deceased and eccentric Mathilda Reine Moone (Aunt Mat) seems as odd as the next to Jill, save for her pastry-chef boyfriend, Adwin Byron Timmins, and her high-strung cousin, Reynalda (Rey) Fonne-Werde. Simple and wholesome Linda Royale, a screenwriting assistant and B-movie actress Rey’s best friend, seems equally innocuous.
London barrister Jensen Q. Moone and Manhattan lawyer Thomas Saturne are somber middle-aged gents. While the former resembles Dr. Abraham Van Helsing (sucking on prunes), the latter bears a resemblance to Tinky Winky, the purple Teletubby. Neither cares much for the other. Sophisticated May-Lee Sonit is owner of an antique shop called The Pied Piper and Aunt Mat’s good friend; the two women shared a love of wine and theater, opera and classical concerts. There is a wacky brother-sister team: Percival Sayers is a writer of obscure poetry and landscaping and gardening articles, Prunella an avid bird lover and adventurer. Unconventional servants—a portly chef, spindly maid, and grave butler—have been part of the household for years.
All have a secret, as the three women (Jill, Rey and Linda) discover when they step out of their everyday professions and take on roles as amateur sleuths. Others soon join in the sleuthing and the bumbling, stumbling—and mayhem—not long after the family lawyer passes in the drawing room. Perhaps Saturne was heavy and out-of-shape, but he never appeared that unhealthy.
Enter Sheriff Lewis and Deputy Gwynne; exit same, with body, into a misty and frigid night. Enter and exit Lewis and Gwynne several more times as the body count mounts . . . until there is no option but to remain.
The trio’s Internet detecting reveals much: the history of the antebellum property and previous misfortunate (cursed?) owners, a liaison between Prunella and Thomas, and a sketchy bio of Fred the Ghost (as opposed to Fred the Cat, Aunt Mat’s fat feline).
When eccentric and not-so-deceased Aunt Mat dramatically announces a return from the dead, everyone is thrown into a tizzy. The dither intensifies when the grande dame explains that the demise had been faked in hopes of ensnaring the person(s) responsible for monetary and in-house thefts.
As an ice storm approaches, legal sorts fall mysteriously ill. Tensions mount, fingers point accusingly, and tongues flap crossly. The determined, investigative threesome discover that not only hidden rooms and passageways conceal deep, dark secrets. 
The Connecticut Corpse Caper is the perfect escape for those who love old B&W whodunit mysteries set in creepy oversize mansions filled with quirky guests, secreted passageways, and disappearing and reappearing corpses.
More on Saturday . . . .
The Writer's Grab-Bag 