A synopsis might sound like just another item on your never-ending to-do list, but it’s actually one of the most powerful tools in your storytelling arsenal. Whether you’re hoping to land a literary agent, impress a film producer, or simply clarify your own narrative, a well-crafted synopsis can make the difference between getting noticed or getting passed over.
For many writers, the thought of distilling an entire story into one or two pages can feel daunting. In this article, I will walk you through exactly what a synopsis is, why it matters, and give you a Story Weapon that will help you distill your story to a well-rounded synopsis.
A synopsis is a concise summary of your story that outlines the full plot. It differs from blurbs and outlines by being both comprehensive and succinct. Writing a strong synopsis involves focusing on main characters and plot points, using present tense and third person, and tailoring the format depending on your audience and medium.
What is a synopsis?
Basically, a synopsis is a brief summary of your story that describes it quickly and succinctly to a particular audience. These include editors, producers, publishers, and others who can be part of the process to get your work out in the world. This applies to novelists, memoirists, and screenwriters, and more!
Difference between synopsis, outline, blurb, and elevator pitch
At first, they might all seem one and the same. After all, they just summarize your story, right? Well, here’s how they differ from one another.
- As stated above, a synopsis generally provides a complete but summarized overview of the plot.
- An outline is a tool that helps the writer organize their thoughts in a simplified breakdown of the story’s key stages. Usually, outlines are written in bullet point form or a numbered list tracking the different acts.
- A blurb is like a short sales pitch intended for your potential audience. This is what you would put on the back of your book, or as the description of your movie on streaming platforms. It doesn’t give away the ending, but entices the audience you’re trying to reach.
- An elevator pitch is even shorter than the blurb. This is the 10-20 second quick view of your story that you might tell an agent to hook their interest, and get them to read your synopsis in the first place. For example: When a small-town nurse discovers that bodies are going missing from the hospital morgue and that the mayor is at the heart of a major cover-up, she must decide to risk everything to uncover the truth. Even her son.
The purpose of a synopsis
A good synopsis provides a concise, yet informative overview of your work. Whether you’re writing a book, a movie, or a TV show, a synopsis would be beneficial to make it easy to understand. Reading a whole novel or screenplay all the way through can be time-consuming, so a synopsis is the next best thing to grab the interest of an agent, producer, publisher, etc.
You can also use a synopsis in your writing process. Like an outline, it can help you get a quick overview to clarify the story structure and revise if needed. It can help you identify weaknesses in the plot, such as plot holes, giving you the opportunity to correct them in your final manuscript.
What makes a strong synopsis?
To write a strong and effective synopsis, you should first understand the following key qualities.
The Five W’s
- Who (the protagonist, antagonist, and central characters)
- What (establishing the genre of the story)
- Where (establishing the setting and location of the narrative)
- When (establishing the time period of the story)
- Why (detailing character motivations that drive the plot)
Concise yet complete
A synopsis should be short, but provide a complete overview of the narrative. Book synopses are typically one to two pages long, but some agents or editors might request more. No matter the length, it should provide a summary of the entire story, from the beginning to the end, complete with important details.
Present tense, Third person point of view
Regardless of whether your story is written in the past tense, the synopsis should be in the present tense to create a sense of immediacy and excitement. It’s more engaging this way for your potential agent, as if the events are happening right now. Similarly, use a third-person point of view for the synopsis to make it more easily understandable.
Focus on main plot points and Characters’ arcs
Sometimes stories have multiple subplots to flesh out the world and characters, but in your synopsis, it is important to be focused. Prioritize main points such as your protagonist’s Dilemma, the Inciting Incident, their Decision at the end of Act One, the rising stakes leading to your Midpoint, the Dark Night of the Soul, and finally, the Climax and Resolution. Be sure to represent your characters’ transformation, and detail how they changed and why.
Spoilers
Your synopsis should contain the ending of the story and how it comes about. You are not writing for your potential readers here. Remember, the main purpose of a synopsis is to summarize your story for an agent, editor, or publisher so they can evaluate it. A finished story with a satisfying conclusion is more likely to get a publishing deal.
Book synopsis vs Film treatment
Not all synopses are the same. We briefly touched on it before, but now let’s examine these in more detail.
Synopsis for book publishing
For a book, you would write a short synopsis that’s just one to two pages long. Remember, the goal is to summarize the entire story, including all the key plot points and the ending.
For example, if you are writing a mystery novel, then your synopsis should show who the sleuth is, what case they are working on, the suspects involved, and finally, how the mystery is solved.
Treatment for screenwriting and the film industry
In the film industry, writers tend to put together longer synopses called treatments. Treatments are essentially a detailed blueprint of the screenplay or film concept designed to pitch the script to producers, studios, and financiers.
They range from five to twenty pages depending on the level of detail requested, and are written in prose format, rather than a script. A treatment helps producers understand the emotional themes of the story as well as evaluate its commercial potential.
Example of a synopsis
We’ve talked a lot about synopsis, but now, let’s look at an example of The Lion King. It is shorter than what you would normally find, but should serve as good inspiration.
Set on the African Savanna, The Lion King is a coming-of-age story of Simba, the lion. Simba is the son and heir of the King of Pride Rock, Mufasa. Mufasa rules with wisdom and strength, emphasizing the great “Circle of Life” that all animals must adhere to as it holds the delicate balance connecting all living things. However, Scar, Mufasa’s brother, is jealous of his brother’s status and conspires for the throne. He lures them to an ambush, and Simba watches his father plunge to his death in a wildebeest stampede. Blaming himself, Simba flees his home and finds friendship with two carefree creatures called Timon and Pumba, a meerkat and warthog, respectively.
He grows up with them, living a life free of worries, or as Timon and Pumba say, “Hakuna Matata,” while Scar and his army of Hyenas rule over Pride Rock. Over the years, the kingdom has become barren and desolate. Nala, Simba’s childhood friend, ventures beyond her home to seek help when she unexpectedly reunites with Simba and urges him to return to his rightful place. Torn by guilt and inspired by a vision of his father, Simba goes back to confront Scar.
Simba battles Scar and realizes that his uncle actually murdered his father all those years ago. After battling and defeating him, Simba takes his position as King and restores the Circle of Life to the Pride Lands. Simba and Nala also welcome the birth of their new cub, symbolizing renewal, rebirth, and newfound responsibilities.
Your story weapon: How to write an effective synopsis
Tips to follow:
- Identify the main arc and focus on the central characters. This will keep your writing clear and help you make the most of your limited word count.
- Keep the tone reflective of the story’s genre and mood to better represent the full reading experience.
- Clearly articulate what’s at stake and the central conflict.
- A synopsis is meant to be a snapshot, so aim for conciseness and clarity.
Avoid these common mistakes:
- Don’t make your synopsis too vague. It needs to present the story and characters accurately.
- Don’t overload it with unnecessary or excessive details.
- Hold the attention of your audience with engaging language. Don’t make the story sound too dry.
- Don’t use too many technical terms. Keep your synopsis simple and easy to read.
As Einstein said, “If you can’t say it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” Hit the key beats in broad strokes to form your synopsis, and don’t get lost in the weeds of the minor details.
Are you preparing your manuscript for publishing? Consider joining the Rewrite Master Class. The rewrite process is not a science, but an art, where the goal is to shed everything that doesn’t belong in order for the truth to emerge.
