How to Write a One-Page Synopsis

When querying agents or working with an editor, an author is often requested to send a short, 1-page synopsis. We’ve provided some instructions here to act as general guidelines for writing this. When querying, make sure you default to any specific instructions given by the agent or editor you are sending the synopsis to.

What is a synopsis? A synopsis is a clear summary of the plot. Think of it like a Wikipedia summary.

Formatting Instructions

  • Have 1-inch margins, and use Times New Roman, 12-point font.
  • Centered at the top of the page, put the TITLE OF THE BOOK in bold and in ALL CAPS. Below that, put your author name (not in bold or all caps).
  • The body of the synopsis should be single-spaced, with 6-point spacing after each paragraph (Instructions: in Word, go to the “Layout” tab and in the spacing section, select “after” and change to 6 pt.)
  • Make sure to keep this synopsis to one page.

Details

  • Write they synopsis in 3rd person, present tense, regardless of what person or tense the book is written.
  • The first time a character is introduced, put their name in ALL CAPS or bold. Do not do this for locations or other details. Also, include the character’s age in parentheses for your protagonist, your antagonist, and any other character whose age is important (this is dependent on your target audience). If a character’s age is already mentioned in the synopsis, then you don’t need to add the parentheses.
  • Use parentheses for any clarification of worldbuilding details or other necessary information.
  • Limit the characters to only those essential to moving the plot forward rather than listing everyone that appears in the book. This usually includes your main character, the antagonist, the love interest (if there is one), and any significant secondary characters. For secondary characters, it helps to mention them by their role (such as mother, teacher, etc.).
  • Make sure everything is clear in the synopsis. That means you should reveal all plot twists and the end of the story. But don’t go into detail about the setting or minor plot points.

How to write a synopsis

  • 1: Go through the manuscript and list all the important events in the order they happen on the page. Don’t worry about the length right now—you can trim it during a later step.
  • 2: Merge all those events together into a long Wikipedia-like description of your plot. Make sure it makes sense and events seamlessly flow one into the next. See if any important details are missing. One of the biggest mistakes authors make when writing a synopsis is creating confusion, where the agent or editor walks away without a real understanding of the story’s plot.
  • 3: Follow the PLOT FORMULA. This should help you know what should be included in the synopsis. The long summary that you create will help you better answer these questions and fill in any blanks that still remain. (Please note: sometimes authors see something significant is missing from their story after they do the outline, or see their story more clearly when they go through this process, which is one of the reasons we require a synopsis when we work with a manuscript.)
  • 4: Read through the synopsis again. Is there a clear character arc for your main character? Do you mention when the main character has a moment of real struggle? Characters are key when it comes to the story, so make sure they are properly represented on the page.
  • 5: Trim the synopsis down to 1 page. This may be hard, but cut anything that isn’t vital to the main story and the central characters. Focus on the action, combine sentences, and use a few specific words rather than several vague ones.
  • 6: Let the synopsis sit for a day or two, then go back and look at it again with fresh eyes. Is there anything you need to add or remove? Are there better ways to revise those sentences for clarity or stronger writing? Remember, this is also a writing sample for you.
  • 7: Ask friends to review your synopsis and see what questions they had or if they were confused by anything. Revise the synopsis to address those concerns. If you can get feedback from more than one friend, great!
  • 8: Your synopsis is good to go!

Tips

  • It’s often helpful (especially in speculative or historical fiction) to set the scene in the first sentence, or somewhere in the first paragraph.
  • It helps if you give a brief, half-sentence description when you introduce any characters to help define their role in the story or relationship to the main character(s).
  • Make sure you introduce the information in the order it happens within the manuscript to reflect how someone might read through the whole story.
  • It’s important that your characters have wants and needs, and that usually means that there is a central goal that the character is working toward. Is there a clear progression toward this goal? Does the conflict get in the way of the goal?

Extra points: if you have a compelling way to ‘sell’ your story in 2-3 lines maximum (called a short pitch), you could insert it at the top of your synopsis. Make sure this practice isn’t frowned upon by the person you are sending the synopsis to.

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