South Flatland Fiction

Panic-stricken, you sit in your chair, the bright white computer screen glaring at you. That compelling query letter you sent to an agent has come back to haunt you. Can you really condense that 75,000-word novel into the one page synopsis the agent requested?

Calm down. Take a deep breath. Now, set your margins at one inch and remember to double-space. By the way, only the left side is justified. Feeling better now? Good!

Remember, it's easier to move the mountain a rock at a time. Break it down into small bites. The ability to compress your novel into a one-page synopsis is a great opportunity to show off your writing skills.

Your synopsis should not read like an outline. Write in present tense and tell the entire story, including the ending. Start with a hook about the main character and the main conflict of the story. Include the lead characters age, career, marital status, and describe how she/he is drawn into the primary conflict. Capitalize each character's whole name the first time she/he is introduced. Be sure to establish the motivation of all the characters.

Above all, be concise. After all, it has to fit on one page, unless the agent grants you two pages to accomplish the task. Avoid the use of dialogue or passive voice. Active voice, consistently used, keeps clarity and punch in the synopsis. Remember, use strong action verbs to maintain the agent's interest and to keep the synopsis lively.

Finally, always be sure to include a SASE with sufficient postage for the return of your materials. Double check to be sure you have spelled the agent's name correctly and used his/her current title.

Two good books that refer to synopsis are How To Write A Book Proposal, by Michael Larson (Writer's Digest Books) and The Marshall Plan For Novel Writing, by Evan Marshall (Writer's Digest Books). However, my favorite reference book, complete with worksheets and exercises, is a step by step approach to Writing The Fiction Synopsis, by Pam McCutcheon. I paid $18.95 and ordered the book online from Gryphon Books For Writers.