Why, oh why...do I hate writing synopses so much?

Okay, folks...here's your opportunity to give me a swift kick---with my permission.

This happens every time. I complete a novel, make it through a couple of proofs, then dread, dread, dread writing the synopsis.

I'm pulling my hair out.

Any suggestions on how to make this process less painful?

mad

Hey Rhett--
How about putting the manuscript in a drawer for a week, then come back to it fresh and daisy like and re-interested.

Or...pass it over to a friend (hopefully one who likes to read your stuff) and tell them that in exhange for their pre-lim read through, you need a synopsis of the 15 main points. Once you get it back from them, you can tweak instead of trying to start it from scratch.

For the pain part, try the rub on stuff with the terrible commercials...

Oh and btw...CONGRATULATIONS on getting it done!! Woohoo! Time to call out the band!

Rhett,

Here's the plan. Go on line where hundreds of authors are talking about query letters and synopses. Note which synopses were instrumental in selling a book. Copy out random phrases such as:

It was a dark and stormy night
He ripped her blouse off
The Klingon War Bird went into hyperspace
Kroger is selling Del Monte wax beans for $1 a can
Shakespeare would have given his right eyebrow to write half as well as I can
It's too late to buy Polaroid at a penny a share

Assemble these with a few transitional words and suck up comments about the agent you're sending it to, and drop it in the mail.

Problem solved.

Malcolm

I hate synopses too. I much prefer just giving the URL of a website where they can sort of see for themselves.

Yes Rhett, synopses are a pain. Trying to pare it down while giving a fair idea of the story is a challenge - a painful challenge. Everything you think of cutting out you feel should stay in.

I don't know how others do it, but just as in writing a story, I start my synopsis without regard to brevity. After that is done, I then start cutting. I usually wind up with more than one synopsis to suit the request of the agent/publisher. Some want 4 pages, some 2, and in some cases - just one page. In the step by step process, I can get the four pages easily. Then comes the challenge for the two page and finally, ready to pull my hair out, I do the one page. In that one page, what I'd like to say to the agent/publisher is "Once upon a time.... .....and they lived happily ever after." If you are serious about the content of the story, request the manuscript.

If I should do that, can I sign it "Madhatter?"

Synopsis are harder than writing the actual book!

I go through each chapter, write a couple of lines about what's happening in it. ( the important stuff)
But I hate having to give away all the secrets of the novel. It makes it sound so boring.

The four page synopsis is easier but having to cut it down to 1or two pages is a nightmare.

All is not lost Rhett. There is help out there -- and lots of it!

You'll find 47 links to sites telling you how to write a synopsis here:

http://www.charlottedillon.com/synopsis.html

Thanks Shelagh--I put the link in my 'favorites' to peruse later. Hope it helps Rhett.

Thank you, to all of you! I am doing the second read-through now. Then, I MUST hunker down to writing the synopsis.

Even my 91-year-old mom had a suggestion: "Just hit the high points, honey. If they want details, they can read it for themselves."

Go, Mom.

Just took a look at the link, Shelagh. Wow. A treasure of information!

I love your Mom Rhett! What a riot!

Rhett,
your Mom is full of wisdom. She cuts through the crap quickly.

Now you can start your Synopsis with:

Here are the high points:
1
2
3

According to my mother, if you want more details, you can read the book for yourself.

PS. Don't mess with my mother!

So you don't advise starting with the low points and working our way up?

Nice one Abe! Lol!

Funny, Abe!

Actually, wouldn't that be a different way to accomplish this?

Editors are always looking for "a fresh approach".

Perhaps, you've hit on something!

Okay Rhett, now we're all waiting with baited breath. Let us know how it works

Will do...

I have always wondered...what IS baited breath, exactly? Sounds a little like something that might justify mouthwash...

Sounds fishy? I hooked this explantion form the web:

Quote :

Which is it - bated or baited? We have baited hooks and baited traps, but bated - what's that? Bated doesn't even seem to be a real word, where else do you hear it? Having said that 'baited breath' makes little sense either. How can breath be baited? With worms?

There seems little guidance in contemporary texts. Search in Google and you'll find about the same number of hits for 'baited breath' as 'bated breath' - around 100,000 each. In one of the best selling books of all time - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, (whose publisher could surely afford the services of a proof-reader), we have:

"The whole common room listened with baited breath."

As so often, help is found in the writings of the bard. The earliest citation of the phrase is from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, 1596:

"With bated breath, and whispering humbleness."

Bated is just a shortened form of abated (meaning - to bring down, lower or depress). So, 'abated breath' makes sense and that's where the phrase comes from.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/56550.html

It's good to know that J.K. and/or her army of editors can make mistakes like the rest of us!

Rhett, your mother said it all.

Rhett, your mother said it all.

If it's worth saying, repeat it.

Just as well there's no one around to moderate multiple posts!

And so now, as with many other days, I have learned something new. It appears that baited breath should really be written as 'bated breath to account for the dropped "a". For example, I suppose you are all waiting with 'bated breath for me to wrap this line up. Yeah, right! :pirat:

Pam,
I think you got a handle on that bated/baited breath stuff. Would that happen to come in mint form or is a simple gargle sufficient?

Give us a synopsis of your answer so we can stay on topic.

Mint-no-gargle-okay.

That the synoptic version for you Abe!!

Personally, I think "Baited" breath is more colorful, though bated makes perfect sense--now that Shelagh has supplied the meaning.

So, I took all of my time today finishing the second proof read-through, printing the manuscript, and packing it up. I can find a MILLION things to do to put off this summary thing.

Tomorrow. I will do it tomorrow....