What is a synopsis, and why is it important?

In short, a synopsis is a summary of your book. It should capture the key plot points and characters or questions and arguments of the entire book, from start to finish.

Crafting a well-developed synopsis that explains the contents of your book and creates interest in it is a vital step in getting your manuscript selected for publication. A requirement in any query letter or submissions process, the synopsis allows agents and publishers to determine whether there is a viable market and sales potential for your book, so it’s important that you are prepared to present a well-crafted synopsis that accurately communicates what your book offers. (For guidance in crafting your full query letter, see “Query Letter Resources” on Greenleaf Book Group’s Learning Center.)

The quality of your synopsis can go a long way in determining whether your book is picked up by a publisher.

What makes a good synopsis?

A good synopsis should explain the key points of your book and should have an intriguing hook that will capture agents’ and publishers’ interests. Depending on what the genre of the book is, there are some differences as to what content the synopsis should include:

Fiction/Literary Nonfiction

For manuscripts that follow a clear narrative, a good synopsis will capture the full arc of the story—yes, this even includes the twist ending! Agents and publishers want to know what to expect from the story and don’t want any of the plot to be obscured in mystery like the summaries on the back cover of books often do. Your synopsis should include a rundown of the main plot, characters, conflicts, and major themes.

Persuasive Nonfiction

A good nonfiction synopsis will address the following questions:

· What problem is your book seeking to solve?

· What solutions for this problem do you present in your book?

· Why should readers care about this problem and about finding a solution?

· How is your book different from others on this topic?

· What qualifications do you have to speak on this topic?

Regardless of your genre, synopses are typically written in the third person and in present tense, and well-written ones are stylistically clear and concise. They get to the point quickly. While you could write:

When the clock strikes twelve, Cinderella suddenly draws away from the prince and, reminded of the impermanence of the fairy godmother’s magic, flies down the palace steps, stumbling as one of her glass slippers falls from her foot before she breathlessly reaches her awaiting carriage.

Here is a more effective alternative for a strong synopsis:

When the clock strikes twelve, Cinderella flees from the palace, leaving one of her glass slippers in her haste.

Although you do want to be direct and succinct, you also want to be careful that your synopsis does not become tedious a laundry list of events and arguments (“This happened. And then this happened. And then . . .”). Synopses need to catch the reader’s interest, so they should employ varying sentence length and structure all while highlighting the aspects that make the book different. Agents and publishers want to know who you are as a writer, so the most memorable synopses will also convey the unique voice of their writers.

How do you write a good synopsis?

The key to crafting a good synopsis is a good outline. You’ll want to start with the most important points of your book and fill in your summary with details from there.

For fiction and literary nonfiction, start by identifying the key plot points and characters, then tie those together with sub plots and themes.

For persuasive nonfiction, start with the problem you are looking to solve and your proposed solution(s), then fill it in with discussions of your methods and unique perspective—the table of contents or chapter topics makes for a great starting point. If creating this distilled outline proves difficult, it might be an indication that your manuscript needs more organizational work.

When you finish a draft and are comfortable sharing it, allow others to read your synopsis. Make sure to give it to those who have read your manuscript and those who haven’t. Get their feedback on whether they think any important information is missing or whether they found it to be interesting.

Once you have finished editing and incorporating any feedback, and you feel that you are almost ready to start the submission process, take a moment to consider who your audience is—agents and publishers—and what you hope to achieve by sending them this synopsis—to convince them to accept you as a client. Also ask yourself if you fully explained the contents of your book. Did you make a compelling case as to why your book is unique and interesting? Would you be convinced to choose this manuscript out of the hundreds of others that are submitted?

Remember that you only get one chance at a first impression, and your synopsis can prove instrumental in starting you off on the right foot as you begin your publishing journey.

Are you ready to submit your manuscript and perfected synopsis? Greenleaf is now taking submissions! Visit our Submissions Page to get started. If you have any questions about your submission, email us at contact@greenleafbookgroup.com.