Deja Vu-Over

Whether you're attempting your first manuscript or a seasoned novelist, the creative life we chose is definitely not an easy one.  We work really hard to get our stories right, writing, then rewriting, continuously cultivating our craft and project.  You think you're almost finished and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.  Then the unthinkable happens.  You read about an existing series, the synopsis sounds exactly like yours - it's even located in the same city!  Paralysis takes over and instead of continuing to write, you're rummaging through the liquor cabinet for that 100+ proof bottle of scotch.  

That was how I began my week.  Wondering if I should throw in the towel and start all over.  Luckily, I have an incredible support group that consists of very smart people who know way more about the industry than I do.  Indie Editor Lorin Oberweger came to the rescue and offered some great insight into the "other" series, assuring me that the stories were very different (whew!).  

Writer/conference organizer extraordinaire Jackie Garlick also provided me with some sage advice and a great quote.  

"Write away from what you know the other story to be....make sure you make your book unique and your own...there are a million sci-fi novels...and many brush very close to one another...but they are all uniquely different because of who writes them and the angle the writers take.  Short elevator pitches can be misleading.  Don't doubt yourself.  Just write your book."

While you may not be writing a sci-fi novel, there will come a time when you hear of another project that sounds very similar (if not identical) to yours.  Just remember, an idea is a dime a dozen and at the end of the day, it really is all about (your) execution.  I for one am back to banging away on the keyboard (with my fingers, not my head).

Writer's Resource: Synopsis Help and Links

According to Writer's Digest, a synopsis "supplies key information about your novel (plot, theme, characterization, setting), while also showing how these coalesce to form the big picture. Quickly tell what your novel is about without making the editor or agent read the novel in its entirety."

It sounds so easy when they say it.

If you think summarizing a 300-page novel while maintaining voice, keeping the writing engaging, and putting in enough information (but not too much!) to see how all the pieces of the plot go together sounds like about as much fun as a root canal, you're not alone.

Oh, and did I mention agents and editors often want the synopsis to be no more than 1-2 pages?

If you start looking like the dude in the picture at the very thought, read on for a few handy tips and sites that might help make the synopsis-writing process more bearable.

First of all, it's very smart to have two versions of your synopsis, a long one (4-7 pages is safe) and a short one (1-2 pages). In my experience, most agents are busy these days and want the short one, but I have had a few ask for the one with the most detail.

Most advice will tell you to write the long synopsis first and then condense that to get your short one, but I found exactly the opposite worked for me. Once I had the short one together, it was a snap to add details, characters, and plot points to flesh out the long one.

Here is the absolute best site I've ever found for writing a short synopsis: http://www.publishingcrawl.com/2012/04/17/how-to-write-a-1-page-synopsis/. Susan Dennard gives you a worksheet with specific questions and uses Star Wars as an example as she walks you through each step. I cannot recommend this method highly enough. I've now sent this link to a half-dozen writers, and each person has commented on the simplicity and effectiveness of this method.

A few other sites you might find useful:

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2007/08/how-to-write-synopsis.html

http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/get-published-sell-my-work/your-guide-to-an-effective-novel-synopsis

http://writerunboxed.com/2008/01/15/writing-the-synopsis/

Here's a good resource for trimming a synopsis that's too long (a common problem!):

http://storysensei.blogspot.com/2009/05/tips-to-trim-synopsis.html

Good luck with your synopsis, and feel free to ask questions in the comments!