Let’s talk today about the Synopsis. While your Cover letter and Marketing Plan sells the story concept, the Synopsis sells the story itself. What is the synopsis? This is your story, in a nutshell. It’s a wide angle look, highlighting the big moments, and telling in a way that engages your editor’s imagination. The last thing they want to read is a dry retelling of your story. Let’s start with an overview of a great synopsis: Step One: A good synopsis starts out with outlining the character’s goals, their fears (as a set up for the black moment) and their deepest desires – with a hint at why. You’re trying to show what they are they after, and why? What their conflict is, and what God is […]
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Synopsis of….well, whatever we’re calling our book
Limelight, or Take Another Shot, or Dark Secrets – (Current Working Titles) Synopsis Former Green Beret Luke Alexander just wants to forget his past, and mind his own business in the wood of east Tennessee. And, his park ranger job seems just the solution…until into his world walks a diva movie star looking for someplace to hide. But the Cherokee forest isn’t big enough for the both of them, not if you include the trouble MacKenzie has dragged along behind her. And soon she’s stirring up his own murky past – a past out for revenge. Which trouble will find them first? It’s going to get much darker for Luke and MacKenzie in the hills of Tennesse… [okay, that is what I call the big bang, or one-two punch […]
Read the RestHighlight it! Synopsis writing day 4
It’s Christmas decorating day here at the Warrens – I love it when our house goes from dreary to dazzle! We already have the red wall, and I jazz up the rest of the house with ribbons and ornaments and pine boughs, suddenly the season doesn’t seem so…filled with to-do lists. It seems, well, jolly. Color adds life! Yesterday, we talked about adding color WORDS to your synopsis. Today I want you to add actual color. When I first started writing a synopsis, it felt so…overwhelming. Weaving in all those threads, and helping my editor see the main plot, as well as knowing whether I’d sufficiently explained all the turning points and the black moment…arrgh! For example…through your synopsis, you should have three different story threads […]
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