The Dreaded Synopsis

So, it's been a couple of weeks since my last post. As it has a tendency to, life got a bit crazy over the past few weeks. Between hectic schedules, car maintenance gone awry, and the close of the tax season; I've been a little drawn and quartered. But, I am still here and I am still chasing my dream; full publication of my book. 

I know that I've not said much about it here, apart from it being finally complete and chronicling the process of getting it into the right hands. In part that is because I am still looking for those right hands and I do not wish to compromise my options in publication. However, I will share something that I have learned along the way: If you want an Agent to read the full manuscript of your book, you need a synopsis. I know, I know, the dreaded synopsis. But, I will tell you, I have queried over a dozen agents and not one to date has requested to read the full book. I get that the premise might not be for everyone and certainly an agent's tastes are largely subjective. But not one even asked to read the whole thing before turning it down? That tells me there is something lacking in my approach. 

Now, as they are all busy business people, no one has the time to sit down and spell out what that thing might be. So, time to think like an agent. When someone sends their query letter and first few pages, this is like a sales person making a cold call. It is all in the approach, and if that approach is lacking, then the person on the other end is not going to stay on the line any longer than necessary. 

Knowing that my approach is clearly lacking, I have come to realize that what is missing is the intermediary blurb. No one wants to take the time to read the full version of every book that crosses their desk. That would amount to hundreds of pages worth of reading with every query to find that there is nothing of interest there for them. Also, you can't get a real feel for the story, or the players involved, from the first few pages either. All you are really left with then is a paragraph or two in a query letter to hook the agent's interest and this is just, clearly, not enough. 

What they need is the cliff notes, the boiled down version, a quick hit that tells them what the book contains. Enter, the synopsis. More than just a checklist of events, this brief document needs to convey the complexity of the characters; who they are, what they want, how they set out to achieve their goals. Beyond that, it also needs to encapsulate the emotion of the story; the depths of pain, the heights of joy, and the whole range in between. All within in a page or two. Impossible? I would tend to agree. 

Having completed my first novel of 140k+ words, I can honestly say that I have found the prospect of writing two pages or less about that book almost more daunting than writing the book itself. How does one go about boiling down the substance, the subtexts, the nuance, the broad strokes, etc. in such a minute blurb? Well, having no idea of my own, I searched online and found some helpful articles on just what makes the synopsis tick. None were as helpful to me as Jane Friedman's article on How to Write a Novel Synopsis.

Having the blueprints or recipe, of course, does not a synopsis make. That takes time, effort, and more than a little hair pulling. You already know your characters; their ins and outs, their wants and desires. You know your setting and the conflicts that arise. Now all that is left is to do it justice in 500-1000 words. This is still no easy task; balancing the story, the characters, the emotion, the highlights, and the nuance. It has to be an accurate representation of your book, paint it too much one way or another and the prospective agent may get the wrong impression. Finding that balance can be an immeasurable challenge to some, like myself.

When it is all said an done, however, giving yourself every tool, every advantage, in the struggle to be noticed and chosen in a sea of publication-seeking candidates is worth it. When all the prospective agents have to go on is the quick hit hello and a moment's glance, give them all you can. Remember, your story is worth it. You are worth it.