Established authors who have published before may be able to get away with submitting an incomplete book proposal, but most new authors will need a full manuscript. You will need to know how the story ends to write the synopsis, as a synopsis will include the resolution of the story. Re-read the first sentence of every chapter or scene to refresh your memory on the plot points. [2] X Expert Source Richard PerkinsWriting Coach & Academic English Coordinator Expert Interview. 1 September 2021.

Make sure each of your characters is dynamic, rather than flat. They all need to be well-rounded and capable of change. Additionally, each character should impact the story in a significant way.

If you wrote a novel or memoir, you may want to write down a one sentence summary of each chapter. For example, you might write, “Rory looks for his father and meets an old friend. ”[6] X Expert Source Richard PerkinsWriting Coach & Academic English Coordinator Expert Interview. 1 September 2021. If you wrote a screenplay or play, make a list of what happens in each act. You can write, “Rory enters the warehouse, and a shootout ensues. " If you have a collection of short stories or poetry, identify the main themes of each work. For example, you might state, “This collection explores memory, childhood, and innocence. "

Does your story have an interesting point of view? If so, be sure to mention it. You can say, “This story centers around the last dwarf in the underground kingdom. ” Does your story have a unique twist? You can mention the twist while still leaving some mystery. For example, you might say, “Jean Paul soon realizes that the murderer may be closer to him than he thinks. ” Does your story fulfill a certain niche in the market? You might want to demonstrate who might be interested in this story. For example, you can write, “This memoir explores what it means to be a member of the lost generation. ”

Novel synopses are usually between two and twelve pages long. Screenplay synopses are usually one page long. Most are no more than 400 words long.

Most film production companies and some book publishers may ask you to capitalize every letter of a character’s name. For example, you would write “JENNA” instead of “Jenna. "

Don’t go into too much detail about subplots and minor actions. You don’t want your synopsis to be confusing, so focus on the main story line. For example, you might write, “After James beats the river monster, he continues on to find the magic crystal. When he locates the cave, he finds it blocked. He agrees to trade his sword to a goblin in exchange for help. "

You might say, “Jun discovers that Ginny had stolen the diamond. The movie concludes with the police arresting Ginny. "

Don’t include dialogue in your synopsis. Instead, just summarize what the characters said. Refer to minor characters by their role, not by their name. Instead of saying, “Lewis, a saxophonist who Joe encounters one night” you might write, “Joe meets a saxophonist. ”

For example, you might write, “Invigorated by her new discovery, Cecilia rushes to contact Horatio, only to be shocked when she learns that he is already dead. ”

Do not use phrases like “in one tear jerking scene” or “in a stunning flashback. ” Simply describe the scenes as they happen. If you want to describe emotions you’re hoping to convey in your work, focus on how your characters react to certain events, not how you expect the reader to react. For example, “When Claire realizes the truth, she becomes disillusioned. " Don’t assume what readers will feel. For example, don’t say “Readers will gasp as they discover what Lord Melvin has in store for Lady Betty. ” Instead, you might write, “As Lady Betty travels through the castle, she slowly realizes Lord Melvin’s intentions. ”

If you don’t have guidelines, you should include your name and the title of your work at the top of every page. Always use one-inch margins when submitting work for publication.

Try reading your entire synopsis out loud to catch any mistakes. You can hire a copyeditor to proofread it for you.

For example, one publishing house may require you to cut down your synopsis to one page. In this case, focus on just the main conflict. Another may ask for four pages. In this one, you can go into more detail. If you do not tailor your synopsis to a publisher, they may not read your submission.

A query letter should contain a short summary of your work, a brief paragraph explaining your credentials, and a reason why the agent should accept your submission. A sample may include one or two chapters, one act of a screenplay, or one short story out of a collection. In most cases, it will be the first scene or chapter.