• Literary Terms
  • Definition & Examples
  • When & How to Write a Synopsis

I. What is a Synopsis?

A synopsis is a brief summary that gives audiences an idea of what a composition is about. It provides an overview of the storyline or main points and other defining factors of the work, which may include style, genre, persons or characters of note, setting, and so on. We write synopses for all kinds of things—any type of fiction or nonfiction book, academic papers, journal and newspaper articles, films, TV shows, and video games, just to name a few!

The amount of detail and information revealed in a synopsis depends on its purpose. For instance, authors often need to provide a lengthy synopsis when proposing a book, article, or work to potential publishers or editors —in that case, a synopsis will include a full plot overview (which includes revealing the ending), signs of character progression, detailed explanation of theme and tone, and so on. This article will mainly focus on the short synopses you see every day on websites and other media outlets.

II. Example of a Synopsis

Here’s an example of a short synopsis of the story of Jack and Jill:

Jack and Jill is the story of a boy and a girl who went up a hill together. They went to fetch a pail of water, but unfortunately, their plan is disrupted when Jack falls and hits his head, and rolls back down the hill. Then, Jill falls too, and comes tumbling down after Jack.

As you can see, the synopsis outlines what happens in the story. It introduces the main characters and the main plot points without being overly detailed or wordy.

III. Importance of Synopses

Synopses are extremely valuable and necessary pieces of writing for authors, film makers, TV producers, academic writers, and many others.

  • On one level, it’s what actually helps a book get published or a film or TV series get made—a successful, well-written synopsis can convince the person in charge of publication or production to bring a work to life
  • On the other hand, synopses grab the attention of potential audiences and can convince them to read, watch, or listen
  • Also, they help researchers find what they are looking for and decide if a piece is relevant to their field

Without them, audiences and readers would never know what something was about before reading or viewing it! Thus, the importance of synopses is twofold: it both helps works get made and then helps them reach the right audiences.

IV. Examples of Synopses in Literature

Example 1: synopsis of a novel.

When we want to choose a novel, it’s a common practice to read a synopsis of what it’s about. A short synopsis will give us just enough details to draw readers in and hopefully convince them to read the book! Here’s a brief synopsis from Cliff’s Notes of The Hunger Games :

In Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, the Capitol forces each of Panem’s 12 districts to choose two teenagers to participate in the Hunger Games, a gruesome, televised fight to the death. In the 12th district, Katniss Everdeen steps in for her little sister and enters the Games, where she is torn between her feelings for her hunting partner, Gale Hawthorne, and the district’s other tribute, Peeta Mellark, even as she fights to stay alive. The Hunger Games will change Katniss’ life forever, but her acts of humanity and defiance might just change the Games, too.

Example 2: Synopsis of an Academic Paper

Sometimes, teachers, professors, publications, or editors want a synopsis of an academic paper, lecture, or article, which is more formally called an abstract (See Related Terms ). Like with a work of fiction, it gives a summary of the main points of the papers or article and provides a snapshot of what issues will be discussed. Synopses of these types of work are particularly important for scholars and anyone doing research, because when searching, they need to be able to know what an article is about and whether it is relevant to their work.

During his career, J.R.R. Tolkien gave a lecture on the classic Beowulf , which became one of the most respected and most-consulted academic sources on the poem to date. Here is a synopsis:

Before Tolkien, general scholarly opinion held…that while the poem might after all be unified, it was nevertheless unfortunate that the poet had chosen to tell stories about a hero, ogres, and a dragon, instead of detailing the wars in the North to which he often provocatively alludes. Tolkien’s lecture strongly and sometimes ironically defends the poet’s decision and the poem itself. The poet had every right to choose fantasy rather than history as his subject; in doing so he universalized his theme; his many allusions to events not recounted gave his work depth; most of all, the poem offered a kind of negotiation between the poet’s own firmly Christian world and the world of his pagan ancestors, on whom he looked back with admiration and pity.

This synopsis shares the main focus of Tolkien’s famous lecture and outlines its purpose for those who may be interested in it and can benefit from his research.

V. Examples of Synopses in Popular Culture

Example 1: synopsis of a tv series.

Giving the audience a written preview of a subject or storyline is a standard practice for TV producers. Before the series Gotham premiered, Warner Brothers released a detailed synopsis of exactly what the show would be about, which was particularly important because the audience would want to know how it would be placed amongst other Batman storylines. Here is a selection from its official synopsis:

Gotham is the origin story of the great DC Comics Super- Villains and vigilantes, revealing an entirely new chapter that has never been told. From executive producer/writer Bruno Heller (The Mentalist, Rome), this one-hour drama follows one cop’s rise through a dangerously corrupt city teetering on the edge of evil and chronicles the genesis of one of the most popular super heroes of our time. Brave, earnest and eager to prove himself, the newly minted detective Gordon (Ben McKenzie) is partnered with the brash, but shrewd police legend Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), as the two stumble upon the city’s highest-profile case ever: the murder of local billionaires Thomas and Martha Wayne.

This is only one piece of the synopsis provided by Warner Brothers, but it’s a good sample of the bigger picture. It introduces the main theme and major characters, giving us a taste of what the series has in store.

Example 2: Synopsis of a Film

The job of a film synopsis is to build excitement and anticipation in the audience. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a long-awaited addition to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter universe and the release of this synopsis and trailer was big news in the world of popular culture. Here’s the synopsis:

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident…were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

When a new film is announced, producers usually release a written synopsis like this, as well as an official trailer. Truly, a movie trailer is just a visual form of a synopses. But, a trailer builds even more anticipation in the audience than a written summary, because it gives a true peek at what will unfold on screen.

VI. Related Terms

An abstract is a brief summary of a scholarly work. It does the same things as a synopsis, but goes by a different term—“synopsis” is the preferred term for creative writing, films, and television, “while abstract” is the preferred term for formal or academic works. Overall, they have the same purpose.

An outline is shorter, less defined plan of what you’re going to include in a piece of writing. It’s usually written in the brainstorming phase, and just “outlines” general things that the work will include, and may change as you get farther in your work. An outline comes before a work is written, and a synopsis is written after a work is complete.

VII. Conclusion

In conclusion, synopses are useful summaries that are written for the benefit of a potential reader or audience. It gives an overview and a “sneak peek” at a work, which lets them choose things that are interesting or useful to them personally and/or professionally.

List of Terms

  • Alliteration
  • Amplification
  • Anachronism
  • Anthropomorphism
  • Antonomasia
  • APA Citation
  • Aposiopesis
  • Autobiography
  • Bildungsroman
  • Characterization
  • Circumlocution
  • Cliffhanger
  • Comic Relief
  • Connotation
  • Deus ex machina
  • Deuteragonist
  • Doppelganger
  • Double Entendre
  • Dramatic irony
  • Equivocation
  • Extended Metaphor
  • Figures of Speech
  • Flash-forward
  • Foreshadowing
  • Intertextuality
  • Juxtaposition
  • Literary Device
  • Malapropism
  • Onomatopoeia
  • Parallelism
  • Pathetic Fallacy
  • Personification
  • Point of View
  • Polysyndeton
  • Protagonist
  • Red Herring
  • Rhetorical Device
  • Rhetorical Question
  • Science Fiction
  • Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
  • Synesthesia
  • Turning Point
  • Understatement
  • Urban Legend
  • Verisimilitude
  • Essay Guide
  • Cite This Website

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Blog • Understanding Publishing

Posted on Sep 12, 2018

How to Write an Incredible Synopsis in 4 Simple Steps

Your novel is fully written, edited, and polished to perfection — you’re ready to pitch it to agents! But you’re missing a critical piece of persuasion: the synopsis. Even after putting together your entire book, you may have no idea how to write one, or even how to approach it.

Luckily, we’ve got answers for you. Read on for our best tips on writing a synopsis that’s clear, concise, captivating… and may even lead to an all-out agent battle over your novel!

What is a synopsis?

A synopsis is a summary of a book that familiarizes the reader with the plot and how it unfolds. Although these kinds of summaries also appear on the pages of school book reports and Wikipedia, this guide will focus on constructing one that you can send out to agents (and eventually publishers).

Your novel synopsis should achieve two things: firstly, it should convey the contents of your book, and secondly, it should be intriguing!

While you don’t need to pull out all the marketing stops at this stage, you should have a brief hook at the beginning and a sense of urgency underlying the text that will keep your reader going. It should make potential agents want to devour your whole manuscript — even though they’ll already know what happens.

While writing your synopsis, make sure that it includes:

  • A complete narrative arc
  • Your own voice and unique elements of your story
  • The ending or resolution ( unlike in a blurb )

As for the ideal length for this piece, it varies from project to project. Some authors recommend keeping it to 500 words, while others might write thousands. However, the standard range is about one to two single-spaced pages (or two to five double-spaced pages). And if you're interested in knowing how to format the whole of your manuscript for submission, we recommend downloading this manuscript format template. 

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You may also want to have an additional “brief” summary prepared for agents who specifically request a single page or less. Remember: as hard as it will be to distill all your hard work into that minimal space, it’s crucial to keep your synopsis digestible and agent-friendly.

How to write a novel synopsis in 4 steps

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1. Get the basics down first

When it comes to writing a synopsis, substance is the name of the game. No matter how nicely you dress it up, an agent will disregard any piece that doesn’t demonstrate a fully fleshed out plot and strong narrative arc. So it stands to reason that as you begin writing, you should focus on the fundamentals.

Start with major plot points

Naturally, you want agents to be aware of your story's  major plot points . So the best way to start summarizing your story is to create a list of those plot points, including:

  • The inciting incident — what sparks the central conflict of your story?
  • The events of the rising action — what happens in the interlude between the inciting incident and the climax, and how does this build tension?
  • The height of the action, or climax , of your story — this one is the most important, as it should be the most exciting part of your book!
  • The resolution or ending — again, unlike a blurb, a synopsis doesn’t need to dangle the carrot of an unknown ending to the reader; you can and should reveal your story’s ending here, as this brings the plot and narrative arc to a close.

Listing these points effectively maps out the action and arc of your story, which will enable the reader to easily follow it from beginning to end.

Include character motivations

The key here is not to get too deep into characterization, since you don’t have much room to elaborate. Instead, simply emphasize character motivations at the beginning and end of your synopsis — first as justification for the inciting incident, then again to bring home the resolution. For example:

Beginning: “Sally has spent the past twenty years wondering who her birth parents are [motivation]. When a mysterious man offers her the chance to find them, she spontaneously buys a ticket to Florence to begin her journey [inciting action].”

Ending: “She returns to the US with the man who was her father all along [resolution], safe in the knowledge that she’ll never have to wonder about him again [restated motivation].”

Also note how the text here is written in third person, present tense, as it should be regardless of the tense or POV of your actual book. Writing a synopsis in first or second person doesn’t really work because it’s not meant to be narrated — just summarized. Basically, the present tense works to engage the reader while the third person allows the story to be told smoothly.

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2. Highlight what’s unique

Now it’s time to spice up your synopsis by highlighting the elements that make it unique. Agents need to know what’s so special about your book in particular — and moreover, is it special enough to get readers to pick it up? Below are some features you might employ to grab an agent’s attention and assure them of your book’s appeal.

Your writing voice is an essential tool here: it conveys your novel’s tone and is one of the most important factors in making your work stand out. However, it’s also one of the most difficult elements to evoke in such a small amount of space.

The best way to capture voice in a synopsis is through extremely deliberate word choice and sentence structure. So if you were Jane Austen, you’d use clever words to magnify your wit: “When Darcy proposes to her apropos of nothing, Elizabeth has the quite understandable reaction of rejecting him.” You may not be able to use all the elaborate prose of your novel, but your synopsis should still reflect its overall feeling.

Plot twists

Even though they’re one of the oldest tricks in the book, readers will never tire of juicy plot twists. If your novel contains one or more of these twists, especially at the climax, make sure your synopsis accentuates it. But don’t hint too much at the twist, as this will make it seem more dramatic when it comes; a couple of words in the intro will suffice as foreshadowing.

For instance, if you were writing a summary of Gone Girl , you might open with “Nick Dunne wakes up one morning to find that his wife, Amy, has apparently disappeared. ” This implies that she may not be as “gone” as we think she is, setting the stage for the later reveal.

how to write a synopsis

Point of view

Another aspect that might set your book apart is a distinctive point of view . Since you’ll be giving your synopsis in third person, you can limit this inclusion to an introductory sentence: “This book is narrated from the point of view of a mouse.”

Although this strategy works best for books with a highly unusual point of view (such as The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, in which the story is told by Death), it can also be very helpful to remember for seemingly bog-standard narrators. If one of your characters narrates in first person, make sure to address their individual narrative quirks as well as any biases or limitations; highlighting an unreliable narrator can really add to your novel’s intrigue!

3. Edit for clarity and excess

Don’t shroud your synopsis in mystery; this is very frustrating to agents who just want to know what happens in your book! With that in mind, after you’ve written the bulk of your summary, it’s time to edit for clarity. You also may have to delete some text, so you can get it right in that couple-page sweet spot.

Editing for clarity

The paramount rule of synopses is a real doozy: tell, don’t show. It’s the opposite of that classic adage that writers have heard their whole lives, and it’s exactly what you need to write a successful synopsis. 

As you return to what you’ve written, scan for sentences that are vague or unclear, especially toward the beginning. Many writers fall into the trap of trying to hook agents by opening with a sentence akin to the first murky line of a literary novel. Again, though you do want your intro to be intriguing, it has to cut to the chase pretty quickly.

When it comes to opening a synopsis, you need to think like Tolkien, not Tolstoy. “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” Crisp, clear, and to the point: one of the very few times you should tell, rather than show .

Editing excess words

If your synopsis is longer than a couple of pages at this point, you need make some serious cutbacks. Read through what you have, scrutinizing every sentence and word, even if you think you’ve chosen them carefully. Reduce any run-on sentences or subordinate clauses that unnecessarily lengthen your piece.

Finally, eliminate irrelevant details — anything that doesn’t lead to the next plot point or directly contribute to your voice or other distinctive elements. It’s unlikely you’ll have included any of these in the first place, but just in case they’ve slipped through, cut them. Save the frills for your book; remember, your synopsis is all about substance .

4. Make sure it flows

By the time it’s finished, your synopsis should read like a summary from an excellent book review — or at the very least SparkNotes or Shmoop. This means not only clearly and concisely hitting every important point, but also reading in a smooth manner, placing just the right amount of emphasis on the critical moments and unique aspects we’ve discussed.

Get test readers

A great way to ensure that your synopsis is paced precisely and flows well is to give it to test readers, either someone you know or a professional editor . You’ve spent way too much time with these words to be objective about them, so pay attention to what other people suggest: possible word substitutions, transitions, and which details to emphasize versus delete.

Use professional synopses as models

You don’t want to look at examples of other synopses too soon, otherwise yours will come out sounding formulaic and stale. That said, professional synopses can be a very valuable tool for refining toward the end of the process! Compare and contrast them to the synopsis you’ve written, and adapt any techniques or turns of phrase you feel would enhance it.

Here’s an example of a strong (albeit brief) synopsis of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens , courtesy of the Oxford Companion to English Literature:

Phillip Pirrip, more commonly known as “Pip,” has been brought up by his tyrannical sister, wife of the gentle Joe Gargery. He is introduced to the house of Miss Havisham who, half-crazed by the desertion of her lover on her bridal night, has brought up the girl Estella to use her beauty as a means of torturing men. Pip falls in love with Estella and aspires to become a gentleman.

Money and expectations of more wealth come to him from a mysterious source, which he believes to be Miss Havisham. He goes to London, and in his new mode of life meanly abandons the devoted Joe Gargery, a humble connection of whom he is now ashamed.

Misfortunes come upon him. His benefactor proves to be an escaped convict, Abel Magwich, whom he as a boy had helped. Pip’s great expectations fade away and he is penniless. Estella meanwhile marries his sulky enemy Bentley Drummle, by whom she is cruelly ill treated.

In the end, taught by adversity, Pip returns to Joe Gargery and honest labor. He and Estella, who has also learnt her lesson, are finally reunited.

how to write a synopsis

This synopsis works well because it includes:

  • The inciting incident (Pip moving in with Miss Havisham), the rising action (him being in London), the climax (returning to Joe Gargery), and the resolution (reuniting with Estella)
  • Character motivations (Miss Havisham wants to punish all men because her fiancé betrayed her; Pip wants to become a gentleman so Estella will fall in love with him)
  • A plot twist (Pip’s benefactor being a criminal — whom he knows from his childhood!)
  • Distinctive voice (formal yet engaging, doesn’t detract from the plot) and smoothly written style (events are chronological and progress quickly)

Your synopsis is one of the biggest deciding factors in whether an agent wants to see more from you or not. No matter how chipper your query letter , the bottom line is that this summary tells agents (and later publishers) what they really need to know: what your book is about, what makes it unique, and most importantly, if they can sell it. 

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That’s why it’s vital that you make your synopsis airtight. Fortunately, if you’ve followed these steps, yours will be chock full of plot details with a touch of your own special writing sauce: a synopsis that any agent (hopefully) won’t be able to resist. 

Many thanks to Reedsy editors (and former agents) Sam Brody and Rachel Stout  for consulting on this piece!

Do you have any tips for writing an irresistible synopsis? Leave them in the comments below!

2 responses

Elizabeth Westra says:

12/09/2018 – 22:10

This looks interesting, and I will read every word, but this would be different for a picture book. You only get one page to query for many children's books.

Dorothy Potter Snyder says:

14/10/2018 – 20:11

I am curious if anyone has ideas on how translators can write a synopsis for agents / publishers of works in translation? Might there be something about why this author is important in his/her country of origin and literary tradition? Which authors more known to English language readers might relate to this author (they've never heard of before)?

Comments are currently closed.

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Synopsis Examples and Writing Tips

synopsis example showing the word summary

  • DESCRIPTION synopsis example showing the word summary
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  • PERMISSION Used under Getty Images license

The term synopsis refers to a piece of work that is a summarization of a larger piece of work. A synopsis can be written in the form of tables and charts, as prose, as an abridgment, or even as a consolidated re-write of the original work. Explore what a synopsis is in more depth and several synopsis examples.

By definition, a synopsis is a summary of a composition like a book, movie, TV show, or academic paper. A synopsis is often written but can also take verbal or visual form. An individual can give a shortened verbal account of an event or written work, which would be a synopsis. Additionally, the production of a video synopsis exists as well, in which a longer piece of work is summarized in a shorter video.

A synopsis typically includes information about the story's main events and style along with information about the characters . Depending on the purpose of the synopsis, it might provide more or less detail.

Synopsis Examples of Literature

Typically, when you look at the back of a book, you can find a short synopsis. Publishers generally use this type of synopsis to entice the reader into reading the entire novel . A literary synopsis might also be used by academic institutions to provide a student with a clear overview of a story or by a writer to provide an overview to publishers. Dive into a variety of short literature synopsis examples.

Synopsis Example of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

In her second installment of the Harry Potter saga, J.K. Rowling takes readers through the adventures of Harry Potter at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A mysterious warning from an elf keeps Harry on his toes as he begins to unlock the secrets of Tom Riddle, talking spiders and a unique journal.

Synopsis Example of Les Miserables

In Victor Hugo’s 1860s novel, a man is arrested for stealing a loaf of bread. He spends 20 years in jail, gets out and remakes himself as a new man and a town mayor. He rescues the child of a poor woman and raises her. A police detective cannot see that he is changed and haunts the man, but when they encounter each other during the French Revolution, the former thief lets the detective go with his life.

Fairy Tale Story Synopsis Examples

While generally under the heading of literature, fairy tales are unique because they have so many adaptations. However, the general synopsis for this type of literature is still the same.

Synopsis Example of Cinderella

The well-known fairy tale of Cinderella explores her servant-like relationship with her cruel stepsisters and a cruel stepmother. When a prince invites the whole family to a ball, Cinderella tries to join them only to be knocked down by her family. A fairy godmother visits her and dresses her up to go to the ball, and the prince falls in love with her. Losing her shoe at midnight, it becomes a hunt for the prince to find his true love at the odds of her stepfamily.

Synopsis Example of The Little Mermaid

In this classic fairy tale, a mermaid, Ariel, falls in love with a man and tries desperately to become human so that the man will fall in love with her as well. After giving her voice to a sea witch, she can eventually triumph and become human, so she can live happily ever after with the man she loves. However, the witch has a few tricks up her sleeve to keep Ariel from getting her heart’s desire.

Synopsis Example of Plays

Another common area you might see a synopsis is of a play. Much like a literature synopsis, a play synopsis is meant to entice you to watch a live performance, or it could just be used to provide an overview for students. Read through a few examples of famous play synopsis examples.

Synopsis Example of Romeo and Juliet

One of William Shakespeare's greatest plays, Romeo and Juliet , follows two people from warring families as they meet and fall in love despite their family’s disapproval. Through several missed chances and miscommunications, they end up killing themselves for love.

Synopsis of Death of a Salesman

Arthur Miller’s famous play Death of a Salesman follows the last 24 hours of a Willy Loman’s life. Unable to accept change, Willy starts to lose his identity due to his self-centered nature. Through an array of memories and arguments with family members, viewers start to understand what leads to Willy’s suicide.

Film Synopsis Examples

A synopsis is commonly found on movie posters or digital streaming sites. Studios often release a synopsis for watchers that outlines the show. See a few film synopsis examples in action.

Synopsis Example of The Sound of Music

This classic musical follows as the nun, Maria, leaves the convent to be a nanny for the Von Trapp family, including a widowed naval captain and seven children. She falls in love with the father and leaves the country with them to escape the Nazis.

The Lion King Synopsis Example

A Disney animated classic, The Lion King , follows the turbulent growth of Simba. A baby lion is born to be King, but his cruel uncle, Scar, kills his father, Mufasa, and sends the baby away. The baby lion returns to fight his uncle and take his rightful place.

Synopsis Examples of TV Shows

If producers didn’t give you a clue what a TV show might be about, would you be as interested in it? Probably not. Therefore, TV stations and producers use engaging synopsis for their shows to get viewers to watch.

The Sopranos Synopsis Example

Featuring several seasons, The Sopranos follows Tony Soprano and his mob boss family. A New-Jersey based Italian-American, he sees a psychiatrist and discusses work and family problems.

Synopsis Example of Seinfeld

A staple TV show of the 90s, Seinfeld showed four friends who lived their lives in New York City. It follows the antics of Jerry Seinfield, a stand-up comedian. His friends, George, Elaine and Kosmo, help him get through several hilarious situations found in everyday life.

Research Synopsis Example

When it comes to academic research, the papers can get long. Therefore, these typically have a synopsis, formally called an abstract, at the beginning of the article. This abstract provides readers information on what is included in the research study and other pertinent information they might need to decide if this paper will be helpful to them. Research paper abstract examples can help show you how these synopses are composed. Explore an abstract example from Med Hypotheses .

"As the current COVID-19 pandemic develops and epidemiological data reveals differences in geographical spread and risk factors for developing a severe course of illness, hypotheses regarding possible underlying mechanisms need to be developed and tested. In our hypothesis, we explore the rational for a role of MTHFR polymorphism C677T as a possible explanation for differences in geographical and gender distribution in disease severity."

How to Write a Synopsis

Now that you’ve seen some synopsis examples in action, you can start writing a synopsis for yourself. Explore the different steps in writing a synopsis.

Map Out Characters and Plot Points

In a fiction work, like a novel or TV show, this includes the inciting incident, rising action, climax, and resolution. You also give the readers a quick overview of your characters, personality traits or motivations. In a non-fiction work, you provide an overview of what the paper or work is about.

Highlight Unique Points

It’s important to highlight the unique parts of the non-fiction or fiction work. Provide the readers with something to entice them into reading the document or work, along with why they should. For example, you can point out the voice, unique plot twists or points of view of a novel.

Write Clearly

A synopsis isn’t very long, so it’s important to get your points across fast. Therefore, after writing your synopsis, read it over to see if there is any way you can tweak it to make it more clear. Explore areas that you might have gotten a bit too wordy on.

Using Synopsis Examples

Now that you have seen lots of different synopsis examples, try making one of your own. You can also explore how to write a shorter synopsis, known as a logline . Need more examples in your life? Give plot of story examples a look through.

What Is a Synopsis? Definition & 15+ Examples

A synopsis, your literary passport, is the secret to whisking readers into the vibrant world you’ve crafted. As a condensed yet captivating summary, it teases the intriguing twists and turns of your story, inviting readers to embark on a journey filled with compelling characters, tantalizing plotlines, and unforgettable moments.

In the vast ocean of literature, a well-crafted synopsis is a beacon that guides readers to the shores of your imaginative landscape, promising an adventure they won’t want to miss.

So, make yourself comfortable and get ready to set sail on an enchanting literary voyage!

Table of Contents

Definition of Synopsis

A synopsis serves as a vital tool in the realm of storytelling, offering a condensed yet captivating glimpse into the heart of a work. This concise summary provides an overview of the main points , plot , or arguments , effectively piquing the curiosity of potential readers or viewers.

The power of a well-crafted synopsis lies in its ability to convey the essence of a story while preserving the allure of its hidden depths. Spanning various forms of writing — from novels to academic research — synopses bridge the gap between creators and their audience, acting as an enticing invitation to explore the full content.

Synopsis vs. Abstract

Although often used interchangeably, synopsis and abstract are distinct concepts with different purposes. A synopsis is a brief summary or condensed version of a piece of work, typically presenting the main points in a clear and concise manner. It is commonly used to outline a story , research paper , or report , providing potential readers with insight into the content.

An abstract , on the other hand, is a short and coherent overview of a research paper or scientific article, highlighting the objectives , methods , results , and conclusions . Abstracts help readers quickly determine whether the study is relevant to their interests and decide whether to read the entire paper.

Understanding the differences between a synopsis and an abstract is essential for effectively summarizing different forms of work and communicating their contents to appropriate audiences.

Purpose of Synopsis

A synopsis serves several vital functions in the writing process, regardless of whether the work is a novel , screenplay , or academic paper . Its primary objective is to convey the main points, key elements, or salient features of a written work in a clear, concise manner.

There are multiple reasons for creating a synopsis:

  • Clarity and focus: A synopsis helps the writer to gain a clearer understanding of their story’s structure and main elements. This allows them to streamline the narrative, identify weaknesses, and sharpen their work’s focus.
  • Assessment tool: For editors, agents, and publishers, a synopsis is a valuable tool to determine a work’s potential marketability and merit. A clear, engaging synopsis demonstrates the author’s storytelling abilities and allows the reader to quickly grasp the story’s key themes and plot points.
  • Submission material: A well-written synopsis is often required when submitting a manuscript or screenplay to a publisher, agent, or film producer. As part of the submission package, the synopsis helps to pique the interest of the decision-maker, showcasing the story’s viability and the writer’s skill.
  • Planning and organization: Writing a synopsis can facilitate the planning and organization of a written work, acting as a roadmap that helps guide the writer throughout the creative process. It can be particularly helpful for writers working on complex or intricate plots, assisting them in maintaining focus and preventing plot inconsistencies.

Elements of a Synopsis

A synopsis is a condensed summary of a work’s main points, plot, or argument. When writing one, it’s important to include several key elements in order to accurately convey the essence of the work.

The following are some essential components of a well-crafted synopsis:

  • Characters: Introduce the main characters, including their names, roles, and key traits. This will provide context for the events and relationships described in the synopsis.
  • Setting: Briefly describe the story’s setting, including the time period, location, and any relevant historical or cultural details. This helps to establish the overarching context of the work.
  • Inciting incident: Identify the event or situation that serves as a catalyst for the story’s central conflict. This is often the moment when the protagonist is presented with a significant challenge or decision.
  • Plot development: Summarize the main events and turning points in the story, giving special attention to any pivotal moments that drive the narrative forward. This may include conflicts, resolutions, and any character growth or development.
  • Climax: Highlight the culmination of the story, where the central conflict reaches its peak, and the outcome becomes clear. This is typically the most intense and exciting part of the story.
  • Resolution: Describe how the story concludes, including the outcomes for the main characters and any lasting implications or lessons. This offers a sense of closure for the reader.

When crafting a synopsis, it’s crucial to maintain a balance between providing enough detail for the reader to understand the work’s key elements without including unnecessary or overly descriptive information. A well-structured, concise synopsis serves as an invaluable tool for both authors and readers alike.

Characteristics of a Good Synopsis

Clarity and conciseness.

When writing a synopsis, it’s important to ensure that your language is clear and concise. This means using simple, easily understood words and phrases while avoiding jargon or overly complex sentence structures.

A synopsis should provide a summary of the work’s main ideas, themes, or events as efficiently as possible to keep the audience engaged.

For example:

  • Use short sentences and simple words.
  • Avoid ambiguous or vague phrases.
  • Be specific about characters, events, and themes.

Focus and Main Themes

A quality synopsis should also focus on the central themes and main points of the work. This means highlighting the key aspects of the storyline, including major characters , conflicts , and turning points . Avoid getting bogged down in minor details that detract from the overall focus of the synopsis.

To maintain focus in your synopsis, consider the following:

  • Summarize the work’s primary message or theme.
  • Mention key characters and their roles.
  • Identify crucial plot developments or conflicts.

Well-Organized Structure

Lastly, a successful synopsis should have a well-organized structure. This means arranging the information in a logical, easy-to-follow order that guides the reader through the critical points of the work. Use paragraphs to divide the synopsis into smaller segments, making it easier for your audience to read and understand.

Consider these tips when organizing your synopsis:

  • Present information in chronological order, if applicable
  • Group similar ideas together into paragraphs
  • Use transitional phrases to connect ideas and maintain a smooth flow

Types of Synopsis

Academic synopsis.

An academic synopsis serves as a concise summary of a scholarly paper or published research. It outlines the objectives , methods , results , and conclusions of the study, providing readers with an overview of the content without delving into extensive detail.

This type of synopsis is crucial in helping other academics and researchers identify relevant literature for their studies.

Book Synopsis

A book synopsis highlights the main plot points , characters , and themes of a book. It is typically used by authors and publishers to market and promote the book to potential readers and appeal to literary agents or editors.

A well-written book synopsis should capture the tone , style , and essence of the book in a brief, compelling manner.

Film or Television Synopsis

Film or television synopses offer a brief overview of a movie or TV show’s plot , setting , and characters . They are often used for promotional purposes, appearing on official websites, DVD covers, or streaming platforms.

This type of synopsis should entice potential viewers by revealing enough information to spark interest without disclosing significant spoilers.

Play or Theater Synopsis

Similar to film and television synopses, a play or theater synopsis provides a succinct overview of a stage production’s story, main characters, and themes. It is used for marketing and promotion of the play or musical, often appearing in playbills, websites, and promotional materials.

An effective play or theater synopsis should engage potential audiences while remaining brief and informative.

Business Synopsis

A business synopsis offers a quick summary of a company’s goals, products or services, organizational structure, and financial performance. This type of synopsis is often found in annual reports, business plans, and investor presentations.

A well-written business synopsis can generate interest in the company and facilitate an understanding of its activities and objectives.

Scientific Synopsis

Scientific synopses typically accompany research articles or other scientific publications, serving as an abbreviated summary of the content. They convey the purpose , methodology , key findings , and implications of the research in a concise format.

This allows readers to quickly determine the relevance and significance of the study within their own fields of inquiry.

Examples of Synopsis

In literature, a synopsis is an essential tool for authors to pitch their stories to agents or publishers. They provide a clear and concise summary of the main events and characters in the story, giving readers the necessary information to understand the core elements.

Here are a few examples of synopses from different genres to help illustrate their structure and style:

  • The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health Among Adolescents “This study investigates the relationship between social media usage and mental health in adolescents aged 13-18. Using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and interviews, the research found that excessive social media use is correlated with increased levels of anxiety and depression in this age group. The findings suggest that implementing educational programs and setting guidelines for healthier social media habits could help mitigate these negative effects.”
  • Exploring the Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Reducing Anxiety and Stress Among College Students “Our study examines the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions, such as meditation and yoga, in alleviating anxiety and stress among college students. Through a randomized controlled trial, we compare the outcomes of students participating in mindfulness programs to those in a control group. The results demonstrate that participants in the mindfulness interventions exhibit significantly lower levels of anxiety and stress, suggesting that such practices can be beneficial for the mental well-being of college students.”
  • Urban Green Spaces and Public Health: An Analysis of Physical and Psychological Benefits in Major Cities “This interdisciplinary research explores the relationship between urban green spaces, such as parks and community gardens, and public health in major cities. By analyzing data from various sources, including epidemiological studies, surveys, and geographic information systems, we uncover a strong association between access to green spaces and improved physical and mental health outcomes. The findings highlight the importance of urban planning and investment in green spaces to promote healthier and more sustainable cities.”
  • George Orwell’s 1984 : “In a dystopian future , the totalitarian regime of Oceania, led by the enigmatic Big Brother, controls every aspect of its citizens’ lives. Winston Smith, a low-ranking member of the ruling Party, becomes disillusioned with the oppressive regime and joins a forbidden love affair. As he secretly rebels against the system, Winston is drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the Thought Police.”
  • Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice : “In early 19th-century England, the spirited Elizabeth Bennet navigates the complexities of love, family, and social expectations. When the wealthy and aloof Mr. Darcy enters her world, Elizabeth’s prejudices and Darcy’s pride must give way to mutual understanding as they discover the true nature of their feelings for one another.”
  • F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby : “Set in the Roaring Twenties, the story follows the mysterious Jay Gatsby as he pursues the elusive Daisy Buchanan, a woman from his past. Through the eyes of the narrator, Nick Carraway, we witness the opulence, decadence, and disillusionment of the Jazz Age, culminating in a tragic tale of love, wealth, and the American Dream.”

Film Synopsis

  • The Godfather : “In this epic crime saga, the Corleone family, led by the powerful patriarch Vito Corleone, navigates the treacherous world of organized crime. When a rival gang threatens their empire, Vito’s youngest son Michael is reluctantly drawn into the family business, setting in motion a series of events that will test their loyalty, resolve, and capacity for violence.”
  • The Shawshank Redemption : “Wrongly convicted for the murder of his wife, banker Andy Dufresne is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary. Over the years, Andy forms an unlikely friendship with fellow inmate Red, using his intelligence and resourcefulness to transform the lives of those around him while secretly plotting his own escape.”
  • Titanic : “In this tragic love story set against the backdrop of the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic, young aristocrat Rose and penniless artist Jack fall deeply in love despite the vast social divide between them. As the ship meets its doomed fate, the couple’s love is tested by disaster, fate, and the unrelenting forces of nature.”

Play Synopsis

  • William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet : “In the feuding city of Verona, young lovers Romeo and Juliet find themselves caught in a web of family strife and ancient grudges. Their desperate quest for happiness ultimately leads to a tragic climax, forcing the warring families to confront the senseless cycle of violence and revenge that has consumed them.”
  • Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman : “Willy Loman, an aging salesman, struggles with the harsh reality of his failed dreams and the ever-changing world around him. As he clings to the American Dream, his relationships with his wife, Linda, and their two sons, Biff and Happy, unravel, revealing the painful truth about ambition, success, and the human condition.”
  • Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House : “In 19th-century Norway, Nora Helmer lives a seemingly idyllic life as a devoted wife and mother. When a secret from her past threatens to destroy her carefully constructed facade, Nora must confront societal expectations, gender roles, and her own awakening sense of self.”
  • “Our company’s mission is to revolutionize the e-commerce industry by providing an innovative, user-friendly platform that connects buyers and sellers globally. Through advanced technology, seamless payment systems, and exceptional customer service, we aim to become the go-to online marketplace for a diverse range of products and services.”
  • “This business plan outlines our strategy for launching a sustainable, eco-friendly clothing line that combines style, quality, and environmental responsibility. By using ethically sourced materials and partnering with fair trade suppliers, we aim to create a brand that resonates with environmentally conscious consumers and promotes a more sustainable fashion industry.”
  • “Our startup aims to disrupt the food delivery market by offering a unique subscription service focused on providing healthy, gourmet meals prepared by local chefs. With a commitment to using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and customizable meal options, we seek to revolutionize the way people experience home dining while supporting local businesses and promoting healthy lifestyles.”
  • “In this groundbreaking study, we investigate the potential of CRISPR gene-editing technology to treat genetic disorders, focusing on the specific case of cystic fibrosis. Our research demonstrates the successful use of CRISPR in correcting the underlying genetic mutation, paving the way for future clinical trials and potential therapies.”
  • “Our team explores the effects of climate change on polar ice caps, using satellite data and advanced modeling techniques to predict future sea level rise. Our findings highlight the urgent need for global action to mitigate the impacts of climate change on coastal communities and the world at large.”
  • “This study examines the complex relationship between gut microbiota and human health, revealing how the balance of microorganisms in our digestive systems influences various aspects of our well-being, from immune function to mental health. Our research contributes to the growing body of knowledge in this field and underscores the importance of further exploration into the potential of probiotics and other targeted interventions.”

Importance of Synopsis

A synopsis serves as an essential tool for various individuals involved in the creative process.

To better understand its significance, consider the roles it plays in different contexts:

  • For authors: A well-written synopsis can help authors showcase the key elements of their story in a concise and compelling manner. It allows them to demonstrate the structure, plot, and character development without sharing the entire work.
  • For agents and publishers: A synopsis makes it easier for agents and publishers to evaluate a manuscript’s potential. By summarizing the story, they can quickly decide if it aligns with their market or genre preferences, saving time and effort.
  • For readers: Synopses aid readers in selecting books that align with their interests. By providing a snapshot of the story, readers can make informed decisions without relying solely on cover art or book blurbs.
  • For screenwriters and filmmakers: In the world of cinema, a synopsis is often the first step in pitching a story to producers or directors. It enables them to decide if the plot engages their attention and if it has the potential to be translated well to the screen.

Additionally, crafting a synopsis challenges creators to think critically about their work — practicing brevity , clarity , and refinement in storytelling. It encourages them to distill complex ideas into concise, engaging summaries, a vital skill in today’s information-driven society.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to write a compelling synopsis.

To write a compelling synopsis, start by identifying the most crucial elements of your work , such as the main characters , central conflicts , key events , or overarching themes . Focus on conveying these aspects in a clear, concise manner while avoiding excessive detail or spoilers.

Use engaging language and a narrative style that captures the tone and atmosphere of your work, drawing the reader or viewer into the world you’ve created.

Organize the information in a logical order , ensuring that the synopsis flows smoothly and coherently. Remember to tailor the content to your target audience, adapting the tone, style, and level of detail to suit their needs and expectations.

Lastly, infuse your synopsis with a sense of intrigue and curiosity that leaves the audience eager to explore the full content, creating a tantalizing invitation that they can’t resist.

What are the common mistakes to avoid in writing a synopsis?

When writing a synopsis, there are several common mistakes to avoid in order to create an engaging and effective summary.

One mistake is providing too much detail or revealing major spoilers, which can rob the reader or viewer of the excitement of discovering the twists and turns themselves.

Another pitfall is being overly vague or generic , which can make it difficult for the audience to grasp the essence of the work or understand what makes it unique.

Additionally, neglecting to mention key characters, main points, or central conflicts can leave the audience with an incomplete understanding of the material.

Finally, failing to tailor the tone and style to suit the intended audience may result in a synopsis that feels disconnected from their needs and expectations.

How long should a synopsis be?

The ideal length of a synopsis depends on the work being summarized and the context in which it will be used. Generally, a synopsis should be concise and focused, providing a clear overview of the material without delving into excessive detail.

For novels and plays, synopses typically span a few paragraphs, giving enough information to pique the interest of agents, publishers, or potential readers.

In the case of academic articles or research papers, synopses — often called abstracts — usually range between 150 to 300 words, adhering to guidelines set by the journal or field of study.

Ultimately, the goal is to craft a synopsis that effectively conveys the essence of the work in a succinct and engaging manner tailored to the intended audience and purpose.

In summary, a synopsis is a concise, simplified description of a piece of work, whether it’s a novel, film, or research study. They are beneficial for various purposes, such as helping readers decide if a work is worth their time and attention or providing a quick understanding of the key points.

Examples of synopses include book summaries, movie plot summaries, and abstracts for scholarly articles. When writing a synopsis, remember to focus on the main ideas and events while avoiding excessive detail or opinion. It is essential to maintain a neutral tone and convey accurate information regarding the work being summarized.

Utilizing various formatting tools, such as bullet points or tables, adds clarity and structure to the synopsis, enhancing its readability and effectiveness. By following these guidelines, one can successfully provide a useful, informative synopsis that serves its intended purpose.

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Aerielle Ezra

What Is a Synopsis and How Do You Write One?

What to Put In and What to Leave Out

  • An Introduction to Punctuation
  • Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
  • M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
  • B.A., English, State University of New York

In the 19th century, a synopsis was a classroom exercise used for teaching traditional grammar but today, the accepted definition of a synopsis is a general overview of an article, essay, story, book, or other written work. In the field of publishing, a synopsis may serve as a proposal for an article or book. In feature writing and other forms of nonfiction, a synopsis may also refer to a concise summary of a polemic argument or event. You might also find a synopsis included in a review or report.

Fast Facts: Synopsis

Pronunciation: si-NOP-sis

Etymology From the Greek, "general view"

Plural : synopses

Adjective : synoptic

Synopsis vs. Outline

Some people use the terms outline and synopsis synonymously and they really are very similar. When it comes to fiction, however, the distinction is more clearcut. While each may contain similar information, a synopsis is an overview that summarizes the main plot points of the work, whereas an outline functions as a structural tool that breaks the plot down into its component parts.

If you think of it in terms of a novel, the synopsis would be similar to the book jacket copy that tells you who the characters are and what happens to them. It usually also gives readers a feeling for the tone, genre, and theme of the work. An outline would be more akin to a page of chapter listings (provided the author has titled the chapters rather than just numbering them) which functions as a map that leads the reader from the beginning of a literary journey to its final destination or denouement.

In addition to crucial information, a synopsis often includes a thematic statement. Again, thinking in terms of fiction, it would identify the genre and even subgenre, for example, a romance Western, a murder mystery, or a dystopic fantasy and would also reveal something of the tone of the work—whether dark or humorous, erotic or terrifying.

What to Include and What to Leave Out

Since a synopsis is a condensation of the original material, a writer must be sure to include the most important details so that the reader will be able to fully comprehend what the work is about. Sometimes, it's hard to know what to put in and what to leave out. Writing a summary requires critical thinking . You're going to have to analyze the original material and decide what the most important information is.

A synopsis isn't about style or details, it's about supplying enough information for your audience to easily understand and categorize the work. A few brief examples might be permissible, but numerous examples, dialogues, or extensive quotations have no place in a synopsis. Do, however, keep your synopsis true to the plot and timeline of the original story.

Synopses for Non-Fiction Stories

The purpose of a synopsis for a work of nonfiction is to serve as a condensed version of an event, a controversy, a point of view, or background report. Your job as a writer is to include enough basic information so that a reader can easily identify what the story is about and understand its tone. While detailed information is important when telling the larger story, only the information crucial to comprehending the "who, what, when, where, and why" of an event, proposal, or argument is necessary for the synopsis.

Again, as with fiction, the tone and the eventual outcome of your story will also likely come into play in your summary. Choose your phrasing judiciously. Your goal is to use as a few words as possible to achieve maximum impact without leaving out so much information that your reader ends up confused.

  • Fernando, Jovita N., Habana, Pacita I., and Cinco, Alicia L. "New Perspectives in English One." Rex, 2006
  • Kennedy, X.J., Kennedy, Dorothy M., and Muth, Marcia F. "The Bedford Guide for College Writers." Ninth Edition. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2011
  • Brooks, Terri. " Words' Worth: A Handbook on Writing and Selling Nonfiction ." St. Martin's Press, 1989
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Definition of Synopsis

Synopsis is a brief summary of a literary work. Its roots trace back to ancient Greece, where “syn” meant together and “opsis” meant seeing. The word made its way into Latin, becoming “synopsis” in the 17th century. Over time, its spelling remained unchanged.

Grammatically, “synopsis” is a noun and can be pluralized as “synopses.” It’s commonly used to provide a concise overview of scientific research, presenting the main points to readers. Other terms that can be used interchangeably with “synopsis” include “precis,” “abstract,” “outlines,” and “summarization.” In the context of literature, a synopsis is a brief explanation of books, movies, or poems , offering readers an outline to help them grasp the content.

Examples of Synopsis in Literature

Synopsis of All Quiet On The Western Front by Eric Maria Remarque

The novel tells the tale of young German soldiers who become disillusioned with the war because they believe they’re sent to die without reason. The protagonist , Paul Baumer, a 20-year-old soldier, not only quickly grasps military terms but also feels estranged in both society and his own home. He struggles to have meaningful conversations with his father and sister. The trauma of war makes him realize the senselessness of it all, and he eventually believes that life is no longer worth living. Tragically, he meets his end in an allied attack.

Synopsis of Paradise Lost by John Milton

“Paradise Lost” is a famous English epic , consisting of 12 books, inspired by “Aeneid” and “Odyssey.” It narrates the tale of Adam’s fall from Paradise, Satan’s rebellion, and his schemes against God, followed by the redemption of Adam and Eve. It also depicts the rebel angels plotting to seek revenge on God. In essence, the book aims to illustrate God’s ways to humanity and justify His actions, highlighting that humans are prone to error and that it’s God’s divine mercy to forgive them.

Synopsis of Hamlet by William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare ’s masterpiece, “Hamlet,” has been popular since the Elizabethan era and remains so today. It has seen countless performances worldwide and multiple film adaptations, reflecting the universal nature of its themes . The play revolves around Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, who mourns the suspicious death of his father, King Hamlet, and condemns his mother’s hasty marriage to King Claudius, his uncle. Hamlet is determined to uncover the truth, while Claudius is equally committed to concealing his crime, as he is the one responsible for King Hamlet’s death. This power struggle leads to a series of royal intrigues that spiral out of control. The arrival of a Norwegian prince further complicates matters, and in the final confrontation, Hamlet, Fortinbras, Claudius, and Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, meet their demise.

Synopsis of A Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

Penned by a New York Times Best Seller, this novel centers around Eva Traube Abrams, a librarian in Florida, who stumbles upon “The Book of Lost Names.” This book holds the names of Jewish children lost during the chaos of World War II in France, where Eva worked in 1942. To rescue these orphans from the clutches of the Nazis, Eva devised a daring plan and sought refuge in the Free Zone, all while nurturing her love for Remy. In this gripping and seamlessly written fiction , Harmel sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of the Holocaust that remained concealed for years. The narrative unfolds like a captivating flashback , eventually leading all the characters to a journey to Switzerland.

Synopsis of Curfewed Night by Basharat Peer

In this memoir penned by Kashmiri journalist Basharat Peer, he shares his personal journey through a first-person account. Basharat Peer is a renowned journalist based in New York, contributing to publications like The New York Times and other global media outlets. His narrative delves into the challenges of living in a heavily militarized region, marked by daily crackdowns and shootouts. The story also traces his return to his village, where he endured severe mental anguish due to army crackdowns. Within the memoir, he recounts instances of sexual assaults, looting, and killings of local Kashmiris during military operations against those striving for independence. This account paints a vivid picture of his emotions, observations, and experiences in his homeland.

Synopsis of The Last Metaphor by Usman Ali

This short English play is the creation of the first Pakistani English writer, and it delves into his culture, the rural class system, and the resilience of the underprivileged. The story revolves around two characters, Banka and Jugnoo. Banka recounts the tale of two boys who suffer abuse at the hands of the police. The play also touches upon a family tragedy and the mourning customs in Punjabi culture. The final act centers around the burial of a body, which metaphorically symbolizes death. The play offers a glimpse into the Pakistani culture, highlighting lawlessness and the brutality of the police, drawing parallels with the tragic death of George Floyd.

Functions of Synopsis

A synopsis serves multiple crucial functions in the world of literature. It acts as a concise beacon, illuminating the essential elements of a literary work. It not only provides authors with a platform to showcase the core ideas of their creations, but also serves as a valuable tool for publishers, offering a glimpse into the major points of a literary piece. A well-crafted synopsis serves as an invitation to readers, piquing their interest as they peruse its contents and discern the significance of the literary work within the context of their culture. In essence, a synopsis serves as a bridge between the creator, the publisher, and the reader, effectively conveying the essence and value of a literary piece in a succinct yet compelling manner.

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BRYN DONOVAN

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How to Write a Synopsis

laptop, coffee, plant, earbuds, and huge piece of blank paper to represent synopsis writing

Updated for 2024.

Hey friends! A lot of people were interested in how to write a book synopsis. I’m not surprised, really—synopsis writing can feel overwhelming.

I read a lot of synopses in my former day job in publishing, and through LuckyAuthor.com , I work with many people to make their synopsis clear and compelling. I’m going to give you my take on how to write a synopsis.

HOW TO WRITE A SYNOPSIS in 4 simple steps | bryndonovan.com | background of keyboard, coffee, notebook, pen

But first, let’s talk about the function of the synopsis! For me, a good synopsis does three things.

A good synopsis convinces me it’s a good story.

It tells me there are engaging characters who have clear motivations for their actions, a well-laid-out plot, enough conflict to keep things interesting, and a satisfying ending.

A word about motivation: the bigger the action, the clearer the motivation needs to be . “On a whim” often doesn’t cut it for big actions, like adopting a tiger for a pet or selling your house and driving an RV across the country.

I should also point out here that I pass on good stories all the time—and I’m not the only one. Our publishing house has a pretty specific vibe. Additionally, editors pass all the time on projects because they just acquired one or two in the same vein. That’s why you should never take a rejection as a sign that you’re a bad writer. There’s an element of luck to this business, and sometimes a rejection has nothing to do with the quality of your writing.

A good synopsis convinces me it’ll be an easy book to sell.

If I think it’s going to be easy to present the book to the salespeople, easy for the salespeople to pitch to retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and Books a Million, and easy to pitch to consumers through a compelling description on the back cover, then naturally, I’m a lot more interested.

A good synopsis is a useful tool for discussing the story with others.

I need approval to acquire a book, and sometimes I’m talking to producers about the possibility of making the book into a movie. All these people can’t read every book (though the producers do read the whole book if they’re interested), so we use the synopsis.

So as you can see, the dreaded synopsis is, unfortunately, vital.

Here’s what a good synopsis is not : an overview of every single thing that happens in the book.

If the agent or editor asks for a synopsis of 2 to 4 pages, don’t send them a synopsis of 10 pages or more. And yes, it’s annoying that different people ask for different lengths. Try to give them what they want, as much as you can, and if you’re going to err, err on the side of brevity.

My top synopsis writing advice is:

If possible , write the synopsis before you write the book.

In my book Blank Page to Final Draft , I explain how getting upfront feedback on a synopsis helps you identify and fix plot holes and weaknesses before you even write the book. Yes, you’ll still have to revise your synopsis later, because writing will lead you to unexpected twists and turns. But you’ll likely avoid a brutal rewrite of your entire manuscript.

If you’re reading this and you’re thinking, “Well, that’s great and everything, Bryn, but I already wrote the book and I’m trying to figure out how to write a synopsis now,” no worries! Here’s my advice.

1. Start with a one- or two-sentence logline.

That’s right—this is basically a synopsis of the synopsis, haha. But it’s really effective. Here are a few made-up examples:

•A history teacher in Massachusetts is transported back to the Revolutionary War era, where she attempts to shorten the war and save thousands of lives by changing the course of a battle.

•A CIA agent is falsely accused of mishandling information and fired. His personal quest to find out who framed him leads to the discovery of a terrorist plot.

•Zoe, a teenager in the Chicago suburbs, is forced to spend the summer with her grandmother on a farm with spotty WiFi. As she gets involved with her grandma’s quirky quilting circle, a romance with a farmhand, and a state fair scandal, it turns out to be her most exciting summer yet.

2. Introduce each main character and their character arc.

A main character is usually a point of view character. A “character arc” means the way a character grows and changes throughout the story. (For a better understanding of this, you can check out my post on “ What Is a Character Arc ,” which includes examples.)

It can feel corny and overly simplistic to write out a character arc, but doing this will help people understand your story. I’ve written a few treatments for books and movies, and I’ve learned to always do this up front.

Here are examples of how to do this.

•ELIZA MCBRAYER, a thirty-two year-old history teacher who struggles with shyness in the classroom, discovers new depths of courage and daring within herself as she becomes involved in Revolutionary War-era tactics and espionage.

•MARCUS STONE, a CIA agent, always followed orders. After being wrongfully fired and discovering a terrorist plot, he learns that he has a real talent for making the strategic decisions himself.

•ZOE BURROWS, a suburban teenager, loves art and making videos, and is quick to dismiss people and places as “boring.” She learns that all people—and all places—are interesting in their own way.

3. Identify the inciting incident, three or four scenes that are major turning points, and the ending.

Your “inciting incident” is the event that kicks everything into motion.

Your “turning points” are your big scenes that move the story forward and show a progression in your character arcs—in other words, a character is learning, changing, or growing. In a mystery, a turning point might be a major clue (or a major red herring.) In a romance, it’s a scene that brings the characters together—or makes one or both of them pull back. In any genre, it might be a triumph, a heartbreaking loss, or a big decision for one of your characters.

Write out a short description of the inciting incident, these major turning point scenes, and the ending.  (Note: actual lines of dialogue generally don’t belong in a synopsis.) Take more time on the beginning and the ending than anything else.

Now, what if you have this one great scene that’s not really a turning point, but you’re very proud of it because it’s hilarious or just plain cool? Go ahead and put that one in there, too.

4. Now add the connective tissue between the big scenes.

By “connective tissue,” I mean summary that is short on the details. For instance:

•Eliza settles into the boardinghouse, and after a couple of failed attempts, finds a position as a maid.

•By hiring someone to hack into the CIA’s files, Marcus discovers the connection between his former boss and the terrorist cell.

•Zoe is entertained by the quilters’ colorful stories and the next time they meet, she tries her hand at quilting herself.

Now you’ve got a draft of a synopsis.

Congratulations!

If writing a synopsis makes you realize you need to do more revision of your novel—to clarify a character’s motivation, increase the conflict, trim a subplot, or so on—you’re not alone. Don’t feel bad about it! Embrace the insight and the opportunity to make the book better before you send it out.

Otherwise, just get some feedback from others on your synopsis—don’t be shy. Tweak it as necessary. Make an English major who loves you proofread it. And then it’s good to go.

the hands of someone writing a synopsis in a journal; a laptop is also on the desk

Do you have your own tips for writing a great synopsis? Please share them in the comments! And if you have questions, go ahead and ask those, too—I’ll answer them if I can. Thanks so much for reading, and happy writing!

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29 thoughts on “ how to write a synopsis ”.

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I started writing my story as a screenplay after several false starts as a novel, quite a while back. Then I decided to start over and write the synopsis to clear things up in my head (the document I used to plan the screenplay came together through a variety of sources, from some books on writing novels/screenplays, to some courses on MasterClass.com, to guidance on this blog and the Blank Page to Final Draft book I found out about here).

What it then became was this (funny that you used the name Zoe in one example and a fired CIA agent in another your example; it made me want to make a quick reply here 🙂 : “A 33-year-old Korean-American CIA technical officer is booted from the agency due to the onset of a mental disorder, and begins life anew in Boston in pursuit of a business and law degrees as the country descends into unrest due to a pandemic that brings on grave social disorder. With an old friend, they moonlight as entrepreneurs, trying to build a massive door-to-door marijuana and hallucinogen vaping business, while fending off violent rivals and law enforcement.”

And I have gotten feedback from a number of sources, including one set of comments from my wife (who is a Journalism major) and then, most recently, from a screenplay coach I hired, the latter of which is below: “Very compelling concept. There is a lot going on, but not necessarily in a bad way. This clearly is inspired partially by current events, but it also deals with some other issues the world is facing (mental illness, economy…etc.). The strength of a story like this will come down to the characters and their development. I can see a lot of struggle with the protagonist going from a CIA officer to a door-to-door marijuana salesman (essentially). Lots of conflict there, both internal and external. Overall, I’m intrigued, but I want a bit more information. What is the theme? What is the genre? This will help to dictate the direction and tone of the story, which in turn can impact what kind of characters you develop next week.”

At the end of the course I had a 120 page screenplay, though it got a grade of “pass” (and not the academic definition of “pass”), and I got some detailed advice at the end, though I’m still not sure I agree with it (that the academic aspect be removed entirely).

What was good about going through the process (of learning from a variety of sources and applying it) was that I now have both a “pitchable” synopsis and with my screenplay, almost a detailed outline and a strong definition of how the characters “sound” when they talk in the novel.

As you’ve probably all seen from my WIP posts, I’m not terribly strong at description. But I’m now almost more motivated to write the book, as I think I’d have more room to add in the academic plot line.

I guess the lesson I learned was, could I hook somebody I was telling the story to in an elevator before we reached their floor? Can I sell my story succinctly?

Still working on that.

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Thanks for sharing your writing journey. I am not sure I get your concept. Is the business and law degree a goal in itself? Is it important? Not too interesting to me, unless the degree was to advance some other mission. I assume the social disorder is an obstacle to the protagonist but it is not clear. Is this a buddy story? Then, something about the dynamic with the old friend would be a factor.

I assume this is a criminal enterprise, a downward arc for the protagonist.

The academics were initially to help them advance their careers, but then ended up helping them figure out how to best run a criminal enterprise.

Again, there is likely too much going on here, but deciding what to keep and what to leave out is perplexing. Perhaps I have two separate stories here.

I’ve got a lot of scenes in my head that I’d like to get down but am trying to filter out at the same time, which goes to the heart of the comments I got from the screenplay coach.

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Hi Chris! It’s certainly an interesting story, and you’ve done a great job of getting the shape of the plot down. I’m curious about the motivation (why that business, exactly?) and the character arc (how does he change, or what does he learn?), which I think you have in your head.

I don’t think I noticed that you struggle with description…but everyone has trouble with one element or another, and you can definitely learn it. It could even become a strength of yours in the end! And of course, in screenplays, you need very little description 🙂

Thanks for commenting! Hope you’re having a good week (and not working TOO hard!)

Thanks for the feedback and questions.

I think I chose that line of business because it was both illegal but also seemed borderline legitimate (both in the way liquor was when outlawed and also in that many states have begun legalizing marijuana but in a highly restrictive way through licensing), ripe for operational optimization and also that it would ensnare her group with a lot of dangerous criminal elements who have had a long time in that business.

You’re right about having her character arc in my head. A good amount involves her learning to have confidence and trust herself despite living with an illness, and then finding her career identity.

Doing my best to not work too too hard! Thanks!

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I can’t find the like button for this post. And the normal comment field is missing. Is my WP account acting up?

Hi friend! You know what, I had to change themes, and I didn’t even notice the likes were gone until you mentioned it. I think the comments need fiddling with, too. 🙂 I’ll work on it this weekend!

Thank you ?.

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Thank you for these guidelines on synopsis writing. You have given me a lot to think about and right at the perfect time. I will be pitching very soon.

I’m so glad it was helpful, Naomi—I hope the pitching goes great!

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Thank you for taking the time to teach us a great way to write a synopsis! Valuable information is always a plus in my book!

You bet, Kay. Thanks for reading, and for the kind words!

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Hi Bryn. I’d like to know where you keep the crystal ball you use when you decide on a post for your website. You have done it again with this one. Exactly what I need. Thanks. I have attempted to write synopsizes for several of my books. It is such an overwhelming task! To make it at least possible, I have tried different approaches. Not for the finished product, but as a beginning. Once I sat my character down and did an interview first and then wrote the synopsis from the interview. The most recent first attempt was a spreadsheet with every scene in every chapter one column for each main character and rows for each chapter. I have most recently started a college level writing class and am getting acquainted with another technique. I really love the simplicity you use to explain complicated things. Thank you again

Jessie, hahaha—I’m so glad it came at the right time! It can be so challenging because you’re boiling down so much material into such a short piece. I hope this approach works for you!

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Thanks Bryn I have just written and Illustrated and unusual and I think quite unique short book , only 21 pages of script and 21 pages of Illustrations. It is about a bull who falls in love with a dolphin and their offspring is a sort of mythical underwater superman. So as you can imagine I am having trouble writing a synopsis to hopefully entice a publisher. Your post could not have come at a better time, thanks again. Warren

Warren, I’m so glad it came at a good time! It does sound like a unique story, and I think if you add to the pitch what the characters learn or the moral or “theme” of the story, it’ll be complete. Good luck!

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This was so helpful. I am a beginner in the book writing field. I have always been a journal writer. I love writing but I don’t know about the formalities. I am learning many important things from you.

Hi Stephanie! Well, everyone starts out a beginner, and if you do a lot of journal writing, you’ve got a head start. I’m so glad this is helpful. You might want to check out my book BLANK PAGE TO FINAL DRAFT… https://amzn.to/3kzx68U

I have plenty of free resources, too. Check out my post on how to begin a story: https://www.bryndonovan.com/2016/01/12/what-happens-on-page-one-30-ways-to-start-a-novel/

and the character arc post I mentioned above: https://www.bryndonovan.com/2019/06/26/what-is-a-character-arc-a-definition-plus-7-examples-from-movies-and-books/

If you sign up for the blog (there’s a place on the lefthand side of the page), you won’t miss new writing posts. I hope you have great luck with your writing, and I hope you love it!

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I usually write a logline and a one pager before I start the book. I like to draw from the one pager to help with my synopsis after.

That is so smart, Denise! I know that for me, the one-pager would serve as a guidepost whenever I got lost in the weeds. 🙂

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This is so useful. Thank you. I can see how this is going to help me figure out the plot issues with my manuscript and really make it shine.

Erin, so glad it seems helpful! Though it kind of seems like your manuscript is shining already 🙂

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Hi, Bryn! Thank you so much for putting this information out there. You’d be surprised how hard it is to find the breakdown on how to write a great synopsis. And your first piece of advice is something I discovered recently and makes a world of difference, (it’s even better than outlining – IMO) – “If possible, write the synopsis before you write the book.” Many thanks, and wishing you a wonderful week.

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Bryn, Thank you for this helpful blog! Question —I was advised by a fiction writer that the two or three main character names should always be capitalized in a synopsis. What are your thoughts? I am not a fan of unnecessary caps, but if it is helpful, I will do it.

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Hey, Bryn, Thanks for the awesome post. I’m going to use it as a template against my already prepared synopsis. Seems I’m always missing something or other. Practice makes perfect (or darn close). LOVE your new picture!

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Thanks for the tips!

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Hi Brynn, I have a silly question. As far as structure of a synopsis, do you typically recommend laying it out as “paragraphs” so to say for each section (logline, characters, and summary sections) with indentations, or more of a bullet point layout like your examples show above?

Hi Meg! Not a silly question at all! A synopsis is generally written out in paragraphs. I definitely recommend introducing the characters as I show in #2 – capitalizing their names and writing one or two sentences about who they are and what their character arc is. They don’t need the bullet point, though; that formatting was just for this article. 🙂

Thank you, Brynn! I so appreciate your kindness and genuine desire to help aspiring writers. This is very helpful, and I am grateful for your reply 🙂

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How to write a great book synopsis

what is synopsis and examples

1. What is a book synopsis?

2. What is the purpose of a synopsis?

3. What’s the difference between a plot summary and a synopsis?

4. How long should a book synopsis be?

5. What should a book synopsis include?

6. What tense should a book synopsis be written in?

7. What is the format of a synopsis?

8. How to write a book synopsis

9. Tips for writing a great book synopsis

10. Common mistakes to avoid in your book synopsis

11. Submitting your synopsis

10. Advice from a published writer

➡️  A synopsis is important even if you’re self-publishing. Your synopsis allows you to see problems with your plot and characters so you can fix them before your book hits the market.

➡️  A book synopsis should be between 500 and 800 words. This works out at approximately 1 single-spaced page in a standard 12pt font.

➡️  Your synopsis should include 5 key elements. This includes the premise, a main plot and subplot overview, your main characters, and an implicit outline of the appeal of your book.

Writing a book synopsis is notoriously tricky for authors. Synopsis writing is generally much drier and less creative than novel writing - and it’s never going to be easy to condense a 90,000 word novel into 500 words. That’s why it’s important to understand how to write a book synopsis that’s concise, compelling, and follows convention.

Nearly all editors, agents, and publishers request a synopsis for your book when you submit your work to them. Self-published authors can also benefit from writing a novel synopsis - it helps you spot plot holes, structural issues, and underdeveloped characters, and identify the key selling points of your book for your marketing campaign.

Use this guide to writing a book synopsis to help you plan, structure, and write a great book summary.

What is a book synopsis?

A book synopsis is a summary of your novel from start to finish. It includes an outline of the main plot, your primary characters, any subplots and plot twists, and what happens at the end.

Many new authors baulk at giving away their carefully crafted ending, but there’s no need to worry - your book synopsis isn’t going to be published. After all, it’s not exactly in agents’ or publishers’ interests to spoil the ending of a book for readers. Instead, they’ll read your synopsis to help decide whether they think your book will sell, and whether to represent you as an author.

What’s the purpose of a synopsis and why is it important?

For authors pursuing traditional publishing, the purpose of your book synopsis is to sell your novel to an agent or publisher. Before they request your full manuscript, they want to know exactly what happens in your book - which is where your novel synopsis comes in.

If you’re planning on self-publishing your book , your synopsis is a tool for laying out the saleability and structure of your novel. By writing a synopsis, you can see which plot points are unwieldy, and which characters are underdeveloped, so you can fix these things before your book hits the market.

What’s the difference between a plot summary and a synopsis?

A plot synopsis is a type of plot summary. There are also other types of book summary, each of which has a different function in the publication of your book. The most common book summary types include:

  • Synopsis - Your synopsis is a summary of all the major plot points, including the ending. This is used to sell your book to agents or publishers, or to cast a critical eye over your book content.
  • Blurb - A blurb is typically found on the back page or dust jacket of your book. The blurb should sell the book to potential readers, offering teasers and plot potential, without giving too much away.
  • Elevator pitch - Your elevator pitch is a sharp one-liner that captures the essence of your book in a compelling way. It should make the reader want to find out more.

There’s a lot of literary jargon around book summaries, which can make it difficult to pinpoint exactly what you need to write in your synopsis. Below, you’ll learn what you need to include in your book synopsis.

How long should a book synopsis be?

It’s generally agreed that a book synopsis should be between 500 and 800 words. This works out at approximately 1 single-spaced page in a standard 12pt font.

Many agents will have specific guidelines you need to follow in terms of synopsis word count, so tailor your submission for each agent. This could mean you need a synopsis that’s 500 words, and one that’s 700 words. The extra work will pay off - you’re way more likely to get a response from an agent if you’ve read and met their submission requirements.

What should a book synopsis include?

There are 5 key elements that every book synopsis should include:

1. The premise of your book

Your book’s premise comprises your overarching theme, setting, and conflict, forming a great hook designed to keep readers engaged.

2. A direct overview of the main plot

Go back to basics here. Show that your plot has all the key story elements in your novel synopsis, including an inciting incident, a climax, and a satisfying ending.

3. An introduction to your main characters

Make the reader care about your characters by offering compelling character motivations.

4. An outline of your major subplots

Your subplots probably converge with the main plot at some point, so it makes sense to include them in your book synopsis.

5. An implicit understanding of the appeal of your book

Synopses are notoriously dry - but if you care about your story, this should shine through in your book summary. Demonstrate why others will care about your book, too.

What tense should a book synopsis be written in?

Your book synopsis should be written in the present tense and the third person - even if your book isn’t. This automatically helps you write your synopsis in an appropriate, professional tone, without hyperbole or bias.

What is the format of a synopsis?

As well as using a standard tense and perspective, most book synopses follow a similar format. Here’s how you should structure your novel synopsis, including book synopsis examples from famous published works.

1. The premise

The premise is similar to your elevator pitch - the key piece of intrigue that makes the reader want to find out more. This opening line from the synopsis of Michelle Zink’s Prophecy Of The Sisters includes a fascinating hook: ‍

Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe’s life is in danger from the person she loves most – her twin sister. ‍

Zink manages to introduce the main characters, a sense of peril, and a key area of conflict in a single line. It’s a great way to open the synopsis.

2. The plot

Don’t dilly-dally - when you’ve set the premise, dive straight into the plot of your book. This will form the bulk of your word count. You can find out how to write an expert plot summary below. In the meantime, take a look at this extract from J.K. Rowling’s synopsis for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone .

Harry Potter lives with his aunt, uncle and cousin because his parents died in a car crash - or so he has always been told. The Dursleys don’t like Harry asking questions; in fact, they don’t seem to like anything about him, especially the very odd things that keep happening around him (which Harry himself can’t explain).
The Dursleys’ greatest fear is that Harry will discover the truth about himself, so when letters start arriving for him near his eleventh birthday, he isn’t allowed to read them. However, the Dursleys aren’t dealing with an ordinary postman, and at midnight on Harry’s birthday the gigantic Rubeus Hagrid breaks down the door to make sure Harry gets to read his post at last.‍

Rowling splits her paragraphs into plot points. The first paragraph outlines the status quo - Harry’s unhappy home life - while the second goes on to state the inciting incident: Harry’s invitation to attend Hogwarts. Structuring your synopsis in this way is a great tactic for ensuring you don’t stray too far from the main arc of your story.

3. The ending

Spell out exactly what happens at the end of your book - your synopsis is no place for a cliffhanger. If you’ve chosen to leave your book open-ended, reflect this in your synopsis.

Here’s an example of a synopsis ending for Cinderella , written by literary agent Janet Reid: ‍

The heartbroken prince travels the kingdom to determine which lady fits the glass slipper. Her stepmother locks Cinderella in the attic but her mouse friends help her escape. The glass slipper fits her, and Cinderella and the prince live happily ever after. ‍

Reid removes the sense of anguish, fear, and ultimate relief that comes with the climax and resolution of Cinderella. Synopses are often deadpan and unemotive, so don’t be afraid to be forthright about the ending of your story.

How to write a book synopsis

It’s time to get writing. Follow these steps on how to write a plot synopsis to write a succinct, professional summary of your novel.

1. Write a single sentence for each major plot point

If you started your book with an outline, this will come in handy here. Using the following prompts, write one sentence for each of these points in your book:

  • Inciting incident
  • Plot action

Some writers mark the timeline of the story or map out the events to help them stay on track. Try to keep your word count below 300 words. This gives you leeway to fill in extra detail later.

2. Check on your characters

You’ve probably introduced all the characters you need to include in your synopsis in the 5 sentences you just wrote. That said, you may not have given enough detail about their motives or personalities to make your synopsis sing.

Note down any crucial character points you need to include, but be frugal with the details. Extraneous backstories are a waste of words in your synopsis, so don’t let your personal connection with your characters get the better of you here. Only include information that’s relevant to the plot.

3. Join the dots

Now you have a strong idea of the key plot points and character motivations you need to include, it’s time to craft the synopsis.

Build up your outline into a synopsis by filling in the gaps that will help the reader make the leap from one plot point to the next. If your story is solid, it will more or less tell itself at this stage - your job is to make it sound compelling. Don’t worry if your first draft is too long or a little messy.

4. Come back to it later

You wouldn’t submit your first draft of your novel to an agent - so you shouldn’t submit your synopsis first draft, either. Let it sit for a few days so you can get some distance from your work. When you come back to it, read it with a critical eye. Check it explores each of the elements in the section above. Perhaps most importantly, check it meets the word count and formatting requirements set by the agent.

5. Get feedback on your synopsis

Seeking peer feedback on your book synopsis is a great way to learn what works in a plot summary from other writers. If you can, find writers who have had their synopses accepted by agents or publishers and pick their brains about what worked well for them.

Some agents will also offer feedback on your synopsis if they think it has potential. This is invaluable, so take any of their comments on board.

Tips for writing a great book synopsis

Here are our top tips for writing the best possible book synopsis:

  • Be concise — Cut the fluff from your synopsis and keep your writing to the point, while maintaining your natural writing style. Agents don’t have time to wade through reams of description to find out what actually happens in your book.
  • Use action rather than description to portray characters — Instead of saying, “The doctor is kind and selfless”, use action to characterise your characters: “The doctor does everything she can to save him.”
  • Weave subplot points through the synopsis — Connect the dots of your main plot and subplot points seamlessly to avoid jarring character introductions or plot twists.
  • Write a second, third, and fourth draft — Your book synopsis can make or break your relationship with a literary agent, so it’s worth taking the time to get it right. Write multiple drafts until you’re happy it’s ready to send out.

Common mistakes to avoid in your book synopsis

Avoid these common errors in your synopsis to keep your summary well-structured and easy to read:

  • Muddying your narrative structure — The spine of your story is really important in your synopsis, so don’t compromise this with extra detail or flowery descriptions.
  • Giving too much detail — There are sure to be little details you love and want to include in your synopsis, but try to keep your summary top-level.
  • Introducing too many minor characters — We only need to meet your key characters in the synopsis, so keep the rest under wraps (this will help you keep your word count down, too).
  • Ignoring formatting requirements — It’s really important to stick to the requirements set out by the publisher or agent you’re submitting to. Triple check these before you click send.

Submitting your synopsis

Now you know how to write a book synopsis, you can start submitting your synopsis and query letter to agents. Before you hit send, double check the requirements from each agent to check you’re sending them what they want to see. You’re sure to increase your response rates - and maybe even receive a couple of manuscript requests. While you're at it, you should also start thinking about your author bio !

Alternatively, if you’re thinking of self-publishing, check out our advice for self-published authors . You’ll find tons of useful guides for writing and marketing your new novel.

Advice from a published writer

Alex Fisher , "Seadogs and Criminals"

Like the author bio, keep it short and sweet. It’s basically an invitation into your book. Describe the essential points and direction of the story without giving too much away. Introduce the main character, the plot, the motive/goal and finish with a question (if that works) and that’s all you need.

Dangle the story in front of the potential reader with enough information to grip them and ignite their curiosity, hook them in and make them want to know what this is all about, make them want to read on, without waffling. Too much information and you’ve lost them; the reader is smart and wants to discover the story for themselves in their own way. Keep it snappy, between 100 to 200 words. Be lethal.

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How to Write a Novel or Memoir Synopsis

how to write a novel synopsis

Note from Jane: The following post was published years ago, but I regularly revisit, revise, and expand it. I’ve also written a comprehensive post on writing query letters.

It’s probably the single most despised document you might be asked to prepare: the synopsis . 

The synopsis is sometimes necessary because an agent or publisher wants to see, from beginning to end, what happens in your story. Thus, the synopsis must convey a book’s entire narrative arc. It shows what happens and who changes, and it has to reveal the ending. Synopses may be required when you first query your work, or you may be asked for it later.

Don’t confuse the synopsis with sales copy, or the kind of marketing description that might appear on your back cover or in an Amazon description. You’re not writing a punchy piece for readers that builds excitement. It’s not an editorial about your book . Instead, it’s an industry document that helps an agent or editor quickly assess your story’s appeal and if it’s worth them reading the entire manuscript.

How long should a synopsis be?

You’ll find conflicting advice on this. However, I recommend keeping it short, or at least starting short. Write a one- or two-page synopsis—about 500-1000 words, single spaced—and use that as your default, unless the submission guidelines ask for something longer. If your synopsis runs longer, anything up to two pages (again, single spaced) is usually acceptable. Most agents/editors will not be interested in a synopsis longer than a few pages.

While this post is geared toward writers of fiction, the same principles can be applied to memoir and other narrative nonfiction works.

Why the synopsis is important to agents and editors

The synopsis ensures character actions and motivations are realistic and make sense. A synopsis will reveal any big problems in your story—e.g., “it was just a dream” endings, ridiculous acts of god, a category romance ending in divorce. It can reveal plot flaws, serious gaps in character motivation, or a lack of structure. Or it can reveal how fresh your story is; if there’s nothing surprising or the plot is hackneyed, your manuscript may not get read.

The good news: Some agents hate synopses and never read them; this is more typical for agents who represent literary work. Either way, agents aren’t expecting a work of art. You can impress with lean, clean, powerful language. An agent I admire, Janet Reid, has said that energy and vitality are key.

Synopses should usually be written in third person, present tense (even if your novel is written in first person). For memoirists, I recommend first person, but first or third is acceptable.

What the synopsis must accomplish

In most cases, you’ll start the synopsis with your protagonist. You’ll describe her mindset and motivations at the opening of the story, then explain what happens to change her situation (often known as the inciting incident ). Motivation is fairly critical here: we need to understand what drives this character to act.

Once the protagonist is established, each paragraph ideally moves the story forward (with events unfolding in exactly the same order as in the manuscript), with strong cause-effect storytelling, including the key scenes of your novel. We need to see how the story conflict plays out, who or what is driving that conflict, and how the protagonist succeeds or fails in dealing with it.

By the end, we should understand how that conflict is resolved and how the protagonist’s situation, both internally and externally, has changed. Think about your genre’s “formula,” if there is one, and be sure to include all major turning points associated with that formula. 

If you cover all these things, that won’t leave you much time for detail if you keep the synopsis to a single page. You won’t be able to mention every character or event or include every scene—only those that materially affect the protagonist’s decisions or our understanding of the story’s events. You may have to exclude some subplots, and you definitely have to stay out of the plotting weeds. If there’s a shootout at the story’s climax, for instance, or a big fight scene, it’s fairly useless to get into the details of the choreography and how many punches are thrown. Instead, you say there’s a big fight and make it clear who wins and who loses.

To decide what characters deserve space in the synopsis, you need to look at their role in influencing the protagonist or changing the direction of the story. We need to see how they enter the story, the quality of their relationship to the protagonist, and how their story resolves.  Any character that merits placement in a synopsis should have at least two to three mentions. If you can get away with only mentioning them once, they probably don’t belong at all.

A good rule of thumb for determining what stays and what goes: If the ending wouldn’t make sense without the character or plot point being mentioned, then it belongs in the synopsis.

A synopsis should get to the point—fast

Here’s an example of what I mean.

Very Wordy : At work, Elizabeth searches for Peter all over the office and finally finds him in the supply room, where she tells him she resents the remarks he made about her in the staff meeting.

Tight : At work, Elizabeth confronts Peter about his remarks at the staff meeting.

The most common synopsis mistake

Don’t make the mistake of thinking the synopsis just details the plot. That will end up reading like a mechanical account of your story (or the dreaded “synopsis speak”), without depth or texture.

Consider what it would sound like if you summarized a football game by saying. “Well, the Patriots scored. And then the Giants scored. Then the Patriots scored twice in a row.” That’s sterile and doesn’t give us the meaning behind how events are unfolding.

Instead, you would say something like, “The Patriots scored a touchdown after more than one hour of a no-score game, and the underdog of the team led the play. The crowd went wild.”

The secret to a great synopsis

A synopsis includes the characters’  emotions and reactions to what’s happening. That will help you avoid something that reads like a mechanic’s manual. Include both story advancement (plot stuff) and color (character stuff).

Incident (Story Advancement) + Reaction (Color) = Decision (Story Advancement)

For stories with considerable world building or extensive historical settings

Some writers may need to open their synopsis with a paragraph or so that helps establish the world we’re entering and the rules of that world. This helps us better understand the characters and their motivations once introduced. For example, a synopsis of Harry Potter might clarify upfront that the world is divided into Muggles and wizards, and that the Muggles have no idea that a magical world exists. Or, this fact could be relayed in the synopsis once Harry Potter learns about it himself.

In a historical novel, a writer might have to establish cultural attitudes or facts that might not be known to contemporary readers, so that the characters’ actions make sense and the weight of the conflict is clear.

In science fiction and fantasy, try to avoid proper terms or nouns that have to be defined or explained unless such terms are central to your story (like “Muggles” above). Instead, try to get the point across in language that anyone can understand but still gets the point across. The goal here is to focus on telling the story rather than increasing the mental workload of the agent/editor, who has to decipher and remember the unfamiliar vocabulary.

Avoid splitting the synopsis into sections

In most cases, the synopsis should start and end without any breaks, sections, or other subheadings. However, on occasion, there might be a reason to add “sign posts” to the synopsis, due to your book’s unique narrative structure. For example, if your novel has intertwining timelines, or if it jumps around in time and place, you may want to begin each paragraph with a bold lead-in (“Paris, 1893”), to establish where we are. Other than that, avoid sectioning out the story in any way, or listing a cast of characters upfront, as if you were writing a play. Characters should be introduced at the moment they enter the story or when they specifically contribute to the story moving forward.

Common novel synopsis pitfalls

  • Don’t get weighed down with the specifics of character names, places, and other proper names or terms. Stick to the basics. Use the name of your main characters, but if a waitress enters the story for just one scene, call her “the waitress.” Don’t say “Bonnie, the boisterous waitress who calls everyone hon and works seven days a week.” When you do mention specific names, it’s common to put the name in all caps in the first instance, so it’s easy for agents or editors to see at a glance who the key figures are.
  • Don’t spend time explaining or deconstructing your story’s meaning or themes.  This can be a particularly persistent problem with memoir. A synopsis tells the story, but it doesn’t try to offer an interpretatio n, e.g., saying something like, “This is the story of how many ordinary people like me tried to make a difference.”
  • Avoid talking about the story construction. This is where you add things that describe the book’s structure, such as “in the climax of the novel,” or “in a series of tense scenes.”
  • Avoid character backstory unless it’s tied to the character’s motivations and desires throughout the book. A phrase or two is plenty to indicate a character’s background; ideally, you should reference it when it affects how events unfold. If you’ve written a story with flashbacks, you probably won’t include much, if any, of that in the synopsis. 
  • Avoid including dialogue, and if you do, be sparing . Make sure the dialogue you include is absolutely iconic of the character or represents a linchpin moment in the book.
  • Don’t ask rhetorical or unanswered questions. Remember, your goal here isn’t to entice a reader.
  • While your synopsis will reflect your ability to write, it’s not the place to get pretty with your prose. That means you should leave out any attempts to impress through poetic description. You can’t take the time to show  everything in your synopsis. Often you have to tell, and sometimes this is confusing to writers who’ve been told for years to “show don’t tell.” For example, it’s OK to just come out and say your main character is a “hopeless romantic” rather than trying to show it.

Additional resources

  • How to Write a Synopsis of Your Novel (one of the best advice articles I’ve seen)
  • How to Write a 1-Page Synopsis
  • The Anatomy of a Short Synopsis
  • The Synopsis: What It Is, What It Isn’t, and How to Write It

If you’re looking for in-depth guidance, I offer a query letter master class that includes a 90-minute lecture on synopsis writing.

Jane Friedman

Jane Friedman ( @JaneFriedman ) has 25 years of experience in the media & publishing industry. She is the publisher of The Hot Sheet , the essential newsletter on the publishing industry for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2019.

In addition to being a professor with The Great Courses ( How to Publish Your Book ), she is the author of The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal.

Jane speaks regularly at conferences and industry events such as Digital Book World and Frankfurt Book Fair, and has served on panels with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund. Find out more.

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Veronica Scott

Thanks for the excellent tips! I can write the NOVEL itself no problem (well, not exactly that simple – go thru many drafts and late nights along the way) but the synopsis stops me cold. Wordiness, that’s me! Will definitely be referring to this blog posting when I have to write my next synopsis.

Jane Friedman

Excellent! Thanks for stopping by.

BellaVida

Fantastic. Loved the tip about adding the protagonists feelings.

Yes! A lot of people skip that part, but that really gives things texture, makes us care.

Nealwriter1

Sounds like I should start with my synopsis first and use it as a roadmap to write the novel.

That is, in fact, a fabulous idea.

Jean-Maré Gagliardi

That’s how I do it. When I have my idea I write a one-paragraph synopsis followed by the longer version. I’ve never had writer’s block and like to believe it’s because I have the biggest parts planned and that causes for less major revisions with the lack of plot holes.

But it doesn’t mean writing the synopsis was easy. Couldn’t have done it, once again, without Jane’s excellent advice!

Margaret Yang

To me, the most important parts are the inner stakes and outer stakes. I discussed them in my article on synopsis writing found here. http://www.help4writers.com/blog/?p=374 (Bonus: Wizard of Oz was my example synopsis.)

Awesome! Thanks for sharing.

christine fonseca

Great article! And thanks so much for including one of my articles on writing a short synopsis in your tips. I really appreciate it

A pleasure!

Lancelot

I figure if my 70-year old grandma who hates fantasy can understand a three-minute version of my whole story, I’ve synopsized well.

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[…] Friedman returns to an oldie but goodie: How to write a synopsis that works; agent Jennifer Laughran answers word-count questions across most genres; Karen Dionne seeks an […]

[…] Back to Basics: Writing a Novel Synopsis | Jane Friedman The synopsis conveys the narrative arc of your  novel; it shows what happens and who changes, from beginning to end. (@saphirablue84 Did you see Jane Friedman's synopsis post? It lists additional resources too. Source: janefriedman.com […]

Livia Blackburne

And I’m late here, but thanks for linking to my list 🙂

[…] it or buy the rights to it, and to give you a nice fat contract for your trouble. Jane Friedman has exceptional how-to tips for writing a synopsis for your book that will make an agent drool. Pay attention to the part where she says you have to give away the […]

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what is synopsis and examples

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how to write a synopsis

How to Write a Synopsis

If you’re a writer, you definitely need to know how to write a synopsis for a book. Why? Because when you query an agent or publisher, you’ll need to include a synopsis with your submission.

But writers aren’t the only people who need to know how to write a synopsis. From students to scientists, all kinds of people will find themselves having to write one at some point. Thankfully, the process isn’t complicated. By following a few basic steps and guidelines, you’ll know how to write a synopsis in no time.

What a Synopsis Is

Forget about how to write a synopsis. First, you need to know what a synopsis is! Put simply, a synopsis is a detailed summary of all the important aspects of a book, project, or study. There are different types of synopses, but a book synopsis briefly explains the key points from the plot as well as things like setting, characters, tone, and any important themes.

What a Synopsis Isn’t

Knowing how to write a synopsis for a book means knowing not just what a synopsis is, but what a synopsis isn’t. Below, we’ll discuss some other types of summaries that differ from synopses.

Synopsis vs. outline

It’s important to know the difference between a synopsis and an outline. An outline is like a “skeleton” for your book that you can create to help you write by then fleshing out your outline with details. A synopsis, on the other hand, is a complete summary of your book that you use to give agents and editors an in-depth, complete account of all the key details from beginning to end.

Synopsis vs. abstract

An abstract is a short and general book summary and doesn’t include every detail. The goal of an abstract is to give a brief and general summary of the book. A synopsis goes into every detail, with a deeper dive into specifics.

A good synopsis vs. abstract rule of thumb is to consider whether you need a very general summary or a specific and detailed one. If you need a detailed one, then you need to know how to write a synopsis.

Synopsis vs. pitch

When considering the question of synopsis vs. pitch, remember that a pitch is the shortest type of summary, and a synopsis is one of the longest. A pitch is designed to make your book sound appealing in just a few sentences, so it’s designed for maximum impact—sort of like a marketing tagline or log line. Pitches are quick and impactful, whereas synopses give all the important details.

Sometimes a synopsis is a dry, straight summary that is written for informational purposes rather than emotional impact. Other times, it is written to be entertaining and showcase the writer’s creative voice. This will depend on the target audience of your synopsis.

Types of Synopsis

There are several different types of synopses, depending on what you are writing about.

Project synopsis

A project synopsis is often used in science and engineering fields and summarizes a project’s goals, processes, and conclusions. It often starts with a statement summarizing the problem that the project aims to solve. It delves into methods used and other details that are important to the project, such as relevant details about the project’s participants.

Research synopsis

Of the three main types of synopses, research and project synopses are most often used by research and scientific institutions. Like a project synopsis, a research synopsis summarizes the problem or question the research is attempting to solve and then describes how the research was conducted.

Research synopses also give details on the researchers themselves, such as any relevant academic degrees they hold.

Literary synopsis

A literary synopsis is a synopsis of a work of fiction. It summarizes all the critical elements of a book so that an agent or publisher understands, to a high level of detail, what a book is about without having read it.

stack of books

How to Write a Synopsis for Your Finished Manuscript in Five Easy Steps

  • Make a list of your book’s key elements.  These include the most critical story and plot points, conflict, characters, settings, themes, and tone. For the plot, go through each chapter, and write down one to three of the most important plot developments from each. Then flesh out each item on your list with any other important details.
  • Write a good opening sentence.  This should summarize your character, setting, and the immediate conflict, ensuring you make it clear what’s at stake. Then link together your detailed list from step 1 to form a first draft of your synopsis.
  • Read through the synopsis.  Then add any details you may have forgotten. Also, look for details you included that are not critical—and cut them.
  • Read through it again.  Ensure that the plot and character arcs are clearly defined.
  • Give it a final edit and proofread. A one-page synopsis is often ideal, but publishers may request a synopsis of three to five pages or specify some other length.

That’s it! Now you know how to write a synopsis.

One-Page Synopsis

A one-page synopsis has to be even leaner than a three- or four-page synopsis, so it’s important that it contain only the most important details. If you find that your synopsis is too long, find ways to be more succinct, cutting out any information that isn’t absolutely critical to understanding the book. For example, did you describe characters that aren’t essential to the most important plot plots? Did you include details that do nothing to move the actual story along? Cut them out to strengthen—and shorten—your synopsis.

Once you know how to write a synopsis for a book, research project, or study, the process is the same every time. So whether you’re a budding novelist or a student working on an English-class project, use the information in this post to build a formula for writing different types of synopses.

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what is synopsis and examples

Become a Writer Today

Synopsis Example: How to Write a Winning Summary of Your Story

A novel synopsis tells all of the details of a novel in a one-page format. Looking at a synopsis example can help you learn to write one well.

When you decide to read a book, what persuades you? For many people, it is the blurb on the back of the book or inside the book’s cover on the jacket, but a literary agent wants something else, and that is a novel synopsis. 

Writers need to write synopsis for many reasons. Sometimes on a professional level, they will be writing one to promote a book or story. Sometimes they need to write one for high school English class.

Either way, if you are not familiar with what one looks like, the process gets a little tedious. This guide will show you not only how to write a synopsis, but also a synopsis example to get you started.

Living Writer contains time-saving templates for authors and novelists. iOS and Android apps available

Living Writer

What Is a Novel Synopsis?

What is the goal of the novel synopsis, starting the synopsis, continuing the synopsis, ending the synopsis, point of view of the synopsis, capturing emotion, complex settings in a synopsis, synopsis examples, common synposis mistakes, the final word on synopsis examples, how long should a synopsis example be, how are a synopsis and a back-of-the-book blurb different, storytelling resources.

Synopsis examples for writers

A book synopsis is a short one-page blurb that tells the most important facts about a novel. Similarly, a screenplay synopsis summarizes what the film is about on a single page that anyone can read. Similar to a logline, a synopsis may include:

  • Plot points
  • Main characters
  • Point of view

This is different to the sales copy blurb found inside the front cover or on the back of the book. The synopsis must contain the full story, inciting incident , main turning points and overall narrative arc, just in a shortened version.

A novel, book or movie synopsis is a document given to a literary agent so the agent can decide if they want to read the full manuscript.

It is typically around one page or a word count of about 500 to 1,000 words, depending on the full length of the finished project. It can be two pages long, but anything longer will not catch the interest of a publisher.

The synopsis shows the publisher if there are any big problems with the story that makes your manuscript a waste of their time. It can also show plot flaws or character motivation issues that would cause them to reject your manuscript.

The right publisher will be able to use the synopsis to determine if there is a fresh story that is of interest to potential readers.

Finally, a synopsis can help you the writer determine if you’re story is working and suited towards your intended audience. Then, you can go back and fix any issues before progressing the story, novel or screenplay further.

How to Write a Synopsis

Synopsis example

A synopsis tries to put a lot of information into a small package. To learn what a  synopsis  is, practice writing succinct summaries of your story of stories by other successful writers. A template can help you get it all in all the main plots points. Here is what you need to include:

In a novel synopsis, you likely start with the protagonist, describing the character’s motivations and mindsets when the story begins.

Next, discuss what happens to change the character of their world. This is the  inciting incident  and it is a pivotal point to drive the storyline and plot.  

After introducing the character and the inciting incident, each paragraph uses cause-effect storytelling to outline the key scenes of the story. This should include the main conflicts, plot twists and turning points. Not all secondary characters need introductions, but some will.

The final paragraph of the synopsis tells how the story ends. Do not leave the reader hanging. Remember, this document is not a marketing blurb and it’s not designed to drive reader sales. Instead, consider it as part of a pitch to a literary agent. They will want to see how the story finishes before deciding if they want to work with you.

Typically, writers use in the third person for a synopsis. They also use the present tense. If the book uses a first-person POV , you can indicate that in the synopsis, but keep the overall writing in the third person.

Even though a synopsis is short, it needs to capture the emotions of the characters and their arc throughout the story. Avoid wordiness, but don’t make it too dry either. Otherwise, you’ll put off potential clients or publishers.  

This is easier to do when you delve into the emotions of the main characters. With every plot twist and advancement, pull in the main characters and explain how they reacted or how the incident changed them.

If you are writing a short synopsis about a novel with a complex historical or fanciful setting, consider adding a first paragraph that details that.

For example, a synopsis about  Harry Potter  may start with a paragraph outlining the magical and Muggle worlds and how they impact the story.

Sometimes the setting directly impacts the characters. For example, a story set in the Quaker community in early American history would have characters impacted by the religious and cultural views of the time.

The synopsis could benefit from an explanation of the setting somewhere in the opening paragraph to help the reader understand the motivation of the characters.  

Sometimes seeing examples helps a writer understand more about writing a synopsis. The below is a good example of an opening paragraph Harry Potter synopsis.

    On his 11th birthday, Harry Potter, a lonely young orphan living with his abusive relatives in London, discovers he is part of a hidden wizardry world. As letters arrive inviting him to attend the magical school Hogwarts, Harry finds himself in disbelief at the sudden change in his life. Though his aunt, uncle and cousins originally refuse to let him go, Harry’s growing magical abilities create several disasters that cause them to agree to send the boy to Hogwarts. Once at Hogwarts, Harry learns about his magical parents and the legacy of love and protection they left him.  

This is not a full synopsis, because it does not tell all of the plot twists nor the ending of the story, but it establishes emotion, the main character and the basic setting.

You can find additional synopsis examples online at  The Azrian Portal . Kane Holder offers examples of screenwriting and movie synopsis options.

Writers make some common mistakes when they write a synopsis. Learning to avoid these will make your writing stronger.

  • Adding too many specifics . A synopsis should be thorough, but as simple as possible.
  • Explaining themes . The story’s underlying meaning and theme are not important additions to the synopsis.
  • Exploring too much backstory . Only include a character’s backstory if it’s vital to understanding their motivations and desires.
  • Including dialogue . Dialogue should only be in the draft itself.
  • Asking questions . Rhetorical questions have no place in a synopsis.
  • Being too dry . The synopsis does need to include emotion to appeal to the literary agent or publisher.

Writing a synopsis is a valuable tool for hopeful writers. Learning how to properly summarize a literary work and present it to a literary agent is the first step in getting published.

A synopsis should contain the main points and plot progression of the book, convey the emotions of the characters and tell the ending, so publishers can decide if they want to look at the manuscript. Ideally, you’ll write this type of synopsis on a single page for a query letter. It’s a good idea to get this version critiqued by an editor, reader or knowledgeable friend.

Synopsis examples can help you get a feel for the way to write these. Take time to read several before you start trying to write your own book synopsis.  

FAQs About Synopsis Examples

The word count for a synopsis will vary, but typically between 500 and 1,000 words for a book is ideal. The total synopsis should be no more than a single page or two.

The synopsis of a book tells the full story, indulging the ending, to entice a publisher to read the manuscript. On the other hand, a back-of-the-book blurb is marketing copy. It is designed to sell the book, and it will leave the reader wanting to learn more, so it will not tell the final ending.

A Storytelling Guide: Step-By-Step, With Examples

First vs Third Person Point of View: What Makes Sense for Your Story?

How to Write a Story Outline that Works: 9 Steps

The 11 Best Story Writing Apps for This Year

The Hero’s Journey: Explained In 12 Steps

Allegory vs Parable: What Are the Differences?

7 Types of Conflict in Literature Worth Exploring

12 Character Archetypes To Drive Your Writing

what is synopsis and examples

Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.

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How to Write a Compelling Synopsis Your Simple Guide

How to Write a Compelling Synopsis: Your Simple Guide

You know writing a book is going to be hard, even grueling. But synopsizing it should be easy.

So, why does it feel so intimidating?  

It’s not just because you must convince an agent or a publisher (in as few as 500 words) that your novel or nonfiction manuscript will succeed in the marketplace.

It’s because an effective, working synopsis should become your foundational document for the writing itself.

Getting this right can make the writing so much easier. Getting it wrong can expose even the smallest crack in your foundation.

Regardless, synopsis writing is crucial to your success .

You want to craft yours in such a way that it empowers an agent to sell your manuscript  to a publisher.

Writing your synopsis can also reveal fatal flaws in your outline , allowing you to make the fix before you invest months in the writing.

Below I detail everything I’ve learned about how to write a synopsis that works for you.

I also give you two synopsis templates — one for fiction and one for nonfiction, with real examples of each.

  • How to Write Compelling Synopses

I cover both fiction and nonfiction here, so feel free to jump straight to your genre. Just remember that each contains valuable training that applies to both.

Click here if you’re writing fiction .

Click here if you’re writing nonfiction .

How to Write a Compelling Synopsis Your Simple Guide

  • What Is a Synopsis?

For FICTION SYNOPSES , summarize the main beats of your story , chapter by chapter.

(Don’t worry — agents and publishers know fiction is organic and stories often take on lives of their own. You won’t be held rigidly to your synopsis, and many story beats will wind up in different chapters than you predicted.)

The point of your synopsis is to reveal the entire story in as few as 500 words, allowing an agent or a publisher to determine whether the premise and approach make it worthy of asking to see the eventual manuscript.

Yes, your synopsis should reveal how your story ends . 

A common mistake is to confuse your synopsis with back cover or advertising copy—which is full of teasers and questions designed to lure readers.

Your potential agent or publisher is not a buyer who needs to be lured. And they don’t want questions—they want answers. Tell what happens in your story and how it ends.

Your agent or publisher (hopefully both) will become your publishing partner.

Let them in on all the secrets and how you intend to tell the story. 

Agents and publishers are deluged with thousands of manuscripts annually. You help them do their jobs and set yourself apart from that sea of competition by giving them every reason to ask to see your manuscript.

A meaningful fiction synopsis briefly tells your story in present tense. You’ll see an example below.

Full disclosure: If you’re a new novelist, few agents or publishers will extend a contract offer based on your synopsis alone (it happens, but it’s rare). Lots of writers can dream up great premises, high enough stakes to justify a novel-length manuscript, and a great ending.

The question is whether they can finish and deliver. Most can’t. Just like employers are cautioned against “hiring a résumé” without a careful screening process, agents and publishers have learned to make sure a writer can deliver an entire manuscript before committing to a contract.

So why not just write the manuscript and submit it whole, if they’re going to insist on seeing it anyway? Admittedly, some require that. But most can tell from your synopsis whether they want to see the manuscript.

NONFICTION SYNOPSES

For memoirs , biographies, autobiographies, and narrative nonfiction, the fiction synopsis example below also applies. You merely lay out — in a sentence or two (in present tense) — what you plan to cover in each chapter. 

For nonfiction, a synopsis should reveal:

  • The intended audience
  • What you intend to teach readers 
  • Why you are qualified to write on the subject

Avoid hard-selling language. Of course you’re trying to sell your manuscript, but the approach and word choice must do the work. Agents and editors are not impressed with grandiose promises and predictions. 

Regardless whether you’re an Outliner or a Pantser , you need to immerse yourself in your genre of fiction. You may intend to break a lot of rules, but you had better know the conventions.

Read dozens and dozens of books in your genre. Your job in writing a synopsis is to summarize a full-length manuscript in 500 words.

That may seem impossible, but it’s also for your benefit. You’ll be amazed at how your synopsis keeps you focused and on track during the writing.

Start with the main elements of your story and flesh out your synopsis from there. 

Step 1: Determine Your Premise

In my post How to Develop a Great Story Idea I walk you through coming up with a bullet-proof story idea.

You’ll know you’ve hit on a potential winner when you can summarize your novel idea in one sentence. Despite that it’s only one sentence, it deserves the time it takes to make it just right.

Moviemakers refer to this as the logline .

In Blake Snyder’s classic book on screenwriting, Save the Cat , he says a good logline must have irony , and then uses this example for the movie Die Hard : “A cop comes to L.A. to visit his estranged wife, and finds her office building taken over by terrorists.” 

That may look simple, but it’s not easy. 

If someone asked you to tell them, in one sentence, what your novel is about, could you do it? Most can’t, and until they can, they’re not ready to write it.

Step 2: Reveal Your Story Structure 

Novels will have some version of the following main beats:

1. An riveting opener

2. An inciting incident that changes everything

3. A series of crises that build tension

4. A climax where everything comes a head and is resolved

5. A satisfying ending

For more detail on the above, read 7 Story Structures Any Writer Can Use . 

Step 3: Flesh Out the Details 

1. Start your synopsis by hooking your reader — in this case an agent or publisher. Your one-sentence premise is the most important line of all. Would you keep reading if the Die Hard logline was the premise? I would.

What if it was, “A man discovers his own brother is living a double life, teaching junior high biology under a different name”? I wouldn’t. Now maybe if the brother were a terrorist or some other kind of a criminal…

2. Next, map out the story, using your story structure as a base. Write a paragraph or two for each of the above five main story beats (or those of whatever structure you’ve settled on). Keep it brief and clear. Aim for no more than 500 words

3. Reveal your main character’s story arc . Who are they at the end compared to who they were in the beginning — both inwardly and outwardly?

 Do this as well for other major characters, like the villain . 

Synopsis-writing tips: 

  • Write in the third person , present tense, and as tightly as possible: “Jason learns his daughter has been kidnapped,” or “At the grocery store, Sally is riveted by the best-looking man she’s ever seen.”
  • Boldface or CAPITALIZE first mentions of characters’ names .
  • Include a brief character sketch : “ JON NELSON (38 — a retired mercenary and now a bodyguard) takes a call…”

Novel Synopsis Example

In Left Behind, millions of people throughout the world disappear in an instant in what turns out to be the Rapture of the Church at the end of the world. 

RAYFORD STEELE, an airline pilot, is flying to London when a third of his passengers disappear right out of their clothes.

Rayford fears his devout Christian wife has been right about the prophesied rapture, and if she was, she and his young son will be gone when he arrives home. His college-age daughter, CHLOE, a skeptic like him, will likely have been left behind.

Passenger CAMERON WILLIAMS (a newswriter of international renown) follows the rise of NICOLAE CARPATHIA, a powerful political figure who is eventually revealed as the antichrist. 

[The synopsis continues with what happens in every subsequent chapter, again with no mysteries, teasers, or questions raised. Rather, everything is spelled out and explained so the agent or publisher knows what to expect.]

  • 2. Nonfiction

Steven Pressfield, a successful novelist ( The Legend of Bagger Vance ) and nonfiction author ( The War of Art , Turning Pro , and The Artist’s Journey ) advises synopsizing a nonfiction book the same way you would a novel. 

According to Pressfield, a nonfiction work also has a hero, a journey, a villain, an inciting incident, a climax, and the tension between wanted and unwanted outcomes typically found in novels.

Below I share a template for a solid nonfiction synopsis.

Step 1: Promise Reader Benefits

A successful nonfiction book should empower readers to either solve a problem or to achieve a goal, e.g., “To learn to better manage their time.”  

Such a premise statement answers two questions:

  • Who the book is for, and
  • What it offers them 

Step 2: Establish Yourself as an Authority 

Steven Pressfield writes:

“If you’re a woman writing a book about weight loss for women, you’d better be a size two with washboard abs and have photos of yourself displayed throughout the book. Otherwise we readers will have trouble accepting you as an authority.”

But it’s not readers you need to convince in your synopsis—it’s an agent or publisher. It’s up to them whether your book makes it to the marketplace .

So, sell them on why you’re the person to write this book . 

Example: “I write a time management blog with a monthly readership of more than 100,000. I’ve sold over 5,000 memberships to a productivity course I created, and I coach Fortune 500 executives on performance.”

Step 3: Share the Recipe

Devote a short paragraph to every chapter in the book,  describing in third person, present tense, the content, purpose, and reader takeaway for each. 

Aim for up to 800 words .

Nonfiction Synopsis Example

In Writing for the Soul , I impart experience and wisdom gained from a nearly half-century writing career. I  reveal the rewards that can come to writers who work hard, commit to lifelong learning, and maintain their family priorities. I’ve written nearly 200 books with sales of more than 71 million copies, including 21 New York Times bestsellers.

I share how to find writing success through lifelong learning and polishing the craft.

I also include practical advice and share behind-the-scenes anecdotes of working with well-known biographical subjects (Billy Graham, Walter Payton, Hank Aaron, Meadowlark Lemon, Nolan Ryan, et al). 

In 13 chapters (designed for group study as well), I discuss:

  • The requirements to make a career of writing
  • Breaking into the industry through reporting and writing for small markets,
  • Establishing a professional image
  • Lifelong learning

Then I list all 13 chapter titles and synopsize each in a sentence or two. 

  • Writing a synopsis…

…doesn’t have to be daunting. There’s no need to be paralyzed by the fear of producing this tool so critical to both the writing of your manuscript and pitching it to agents or publishers. 

You no longer have to dread the process. My simple, proven approach to writing synopses for both novels and nonfiction books should put you on a path to success.

All the best with yours! 

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How to Write an Amazing Film Synopsis (Step-by-step Guide)

Luke Leighfield

After you’ve finished writing your latest Hollywood smash and put your pen down (or shut your computer), you might think your work’s done. But there’s one thing left to do: write a film synopsis.

What’s a film synopsis?

A film synopsis is typically a one-page document that summarizes your film. It contains the film’s title, genre, logline (a one-sentence summary), and a five-paragraph explanation of the film’s storyline, major plot points, and key characters.

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Why you should write a synopsis

A screenplay synopsis is a vital tool in the filmmaking world, helping you sell your movie idea to agents, managers, producers, studio execs - basically anyone in a film production job. Before anyone commits to reading your full screenplay, they’ll want to check out a one-page synopsis. So it’s super important that you get it right.

The likes of screenwriting maestro Aaron Sorkin probably won’t have any trouble getting someone to read their script without a synopsis. But if you’re not in Sorkin’s league, you’ll probably spend a bunch of time emailing query letters to try to grab people’s attention. To do that, you’ll need to include a short synopsis that sells.

The difference between a film synopsis, logline, and treatment

It’s easy to confuse a synopsis with a logline or film treatment . But while they’re similar terms, there are a few important differences.

Free Film Synopsis Template

A Google Docs template with space for title, genre, logline (a one-sentence summary), and a five-paragraph explanation of the film’s storyline, major plot points, and key characters.

How to format your synopsis

Before you dive in and start writing your script synopsis, make sure you get to know the basic formatting principles.

1. Write a header

At the top of the synopsis, write your script's title and state that it’s a synopsis. Under the title, let the reader know what genre your synopsis is. If your film’s Rocky, for example, you’d write: ‘A rags to riches sports drama’.

2. Include your contact details

Underneath the header, add your name, address, email address, and phone number. This is super important, especially if the person reading your synopsis receives it from someone else and doesn’t have your details. If you have a Writers Guild of America (WGA) registration number, add that, too.

3. Write the logline

Next, add your logline before the first paragraph. This gives your reader a taster of the storyline. A logline is typically two sentences that identify the main character, the challenge they’re trying to overcome, and why they need to overcome it. You might also want to follow the logline with a paragraph that explains why your screenplay is appealing for filmmakers.

Much like a good pasta sauce, you only need a few ingredients for a tasty logline. Four, to be precise:

Once you've got those four ingredients, you can put them together in different ways. Like this, for example:

When inciting incident happens, the main character decides to do central conflict against antagonist.

Most screenwriters advise writing loglines that are only one sentence long. Some people say no longer than 30 words. But if your movie is on the complicated side, you might need to stretch your logline to a couple of sentences.

4. Introduce the main characters and setting

Keep this part to one paragraph, max. It should include:

Type the characters’ names in capital letters (e.g. ROCKY) when they first appear. After that, type them normally (e.g. Rocky).

Make sure your synopsis includes the protagonist, antagonist, love interest, and any important allies of the protagonist. You don’t need to include the names of smaller characters.

5. Summarize Act 1: The Setup

Stick to three paragraphs or half a page. Introduce the characters and the main conflict that drives the story.

The first act is where you set the stage at the beginning of the story. It shows the viewer who your main character is , what their life's like, and what they care about. Importantly, you want to communicate some of the challenges that your character is facing. Obviously, your character wants to overcome these challenges, which has a big impact on how the story progresses.

Then, you'll need a catalyst or ‘inciting incident’ – something spicy that happens to get the story started. This will spark a series of events that sets the protagonist on an epic journey of character development. It inspires their character arc and helps them reach their goals.

6. Summarize Act 2: The Conflict

This part should be about a page long. Show all the plot twists and conflicts your characters face.

The second act is where your story starts hotting up, as your intrepid protagonist sets out to achieve their goal. It's the point of no return. It’s also where your character starts hitting roadblocks as they get to know their new situation, and see the many challenges ahead of them.

This is a good time to flesh out the rest of the characters in the story, both friends and enemies, as well as the protagonist. You’ll also want to expand on the story’s central conflict, whether it’s a person or a thing.

7. Summarize Act 3: The Climax

Limit this part to three paragraphs or half a page. Explain how the main conflict ends and what happens to your characters after. Don’t worry about spoilers – your reader needs to know what happens. Make sure you tie up any loose ends.

The third act is where your narrative arc culminates, the story comes together, and we see the final clash between our protagonist and antagonist. Often, this is the point where we get to witness the true strength of the antagonist – after not seeing much of them in the film – which can surprise the protagonist.

Your viewers are probably aware that the main character will win in the end – after all, that’s how stories usually go. But it’s much more exciting if you keep them on tenterhooks for as long as possible.

Top tips for writing your movie synopsis

Keep it brief.

Your synopsis should be roughly two to three pages long. A one-page synopsis is likely to not have enough detail, but anything over three pages is too bulky. Your reader should be able to finish reading your synopsis in a few minutes, and have a good idea of whether it’s right for them.

Write in the present tense

You should always write in the present tense, even if your story’s set in the past. For example, ‘Rocky punches Apollo Creed’ not ‘Rocky punched Apollo Creed’.

Use the third person

Always write from a third person perspective , using pronouns like ‘he,’ ‘she,’ and ‘they.’

Get your spacing and paragraphs right

Use single spacing. Keep each paragraph single spaced. Place an extra space between individual paragraphs. When you start a new paragraph, don’t indent.

Use a simple font

While you might love Comic Sans, your reader probably won’t. Stick to a simple font like Times New Roman or Arial, in font size 12 – unless submission guidelines ask for something different.

Stick to the main plot points and main characters

You don’t have a lot of space to play with, so skip the subplots and secondary characters. If it’s not essential to your script's A-story, cut it.

Write in the style of the movie's genre

If it’s a comedy movie synopsis, it should be funny. If it’s an action synopsis, make it exciting and energetic. Whatever the genre, the narrative should constantly be moving forwards. Each beat in your synopsis should cause the next beat or be the effect of the previous beat.

Emphasize character development

In your quest to hit all the plot points, don’t forget to call out your character arcs. Your protagonist’s motivations, and emotional turning points, need to be clear. Make sure each main character has at least one distinctive characteristic that helps them stand out from the other characters.

Use simple language

Now’s not the time to show off your creative writing chops. If a Hollywood exec’s going to jump on board, they need to understand the plot. Avoid superfluous adjectives and adverbs, and stick to simple, succinct, clear language.

Ask for feedback

Send your synopsis to friends and family, and ask them to spot any sneaky spelling or grammar mistakes. They can also let you know if any parts of the synopsis aren’t clear to them. Keep refining and editing your synopsis until it’s error-free and flawlessly clear to anyone who reads it.

Prepare to make edits

When submitting your synopsis to different places, they may well have specific guidelines. Make sure you make any changes necessary to follow those guidelines. Agents, movie studios, and other readers may also ask for changes to fit established word counts or page counts.

Film synopsis examples

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Before you start work on your Hollywood-busting screenplay, you'll need a logline. It's a one-sentence summary of your movie that entices someone to read the entire script.

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How to Write a Synopsis Header Image

  • Scriptwriting

How to Write a Compelling Movie Synopsis [with FREE Synopsis Template]

G ot a great script idea in your head but not sure how to condense it? That’s why you need a synopsis. But what if you don’t know how to write a synopsis?

As a writer, being able to write a movie synopsis (or one for your TV pilot) is a critical skill. Producers, execs, and agents will often want to read a synopsis before diving into the actual script. And frequently it’s the brief synopsis that convinces them to read your script in the first place.

In this article, we’ll answer, “what is a synopsis.” We’ll also give you solid film synopsis examples, and teach you how to write a synopsis with our free synopsis template.

  • When to Use a Synopsis ?
  • How to Write a Synopsis ?
  • The Do's of Writing a Movie Synopsis
  • The Don’ts of Writing a Film Synopsis
  • A Synopsis Is a Summary

WHAT IS A SYNOPSIS

1. when to use a synopsis.

Whether it's an epic TV series like Game of Thrones or a rom-com that never leaves one square block in New York City, the brief synopsis has to explain it all.

And explain it quickly.

But how quickly? How long is a synopsis?

And what is a synopsis in the first place? How can you find a good film synopsis example?

We’ll answer all these questions.

Let’s start with the basics. What's a synopsis?

SYNOPSIS DEFINITION

What is a synopsis.

A synopsis is a write-up that describes the plot and world of your story. A script synopsis can be used to sell your idea. A synopsis can also be written when providing screenplay coverage or script analysis to agents, managers, and producers.

You can write a brief synopsis or a long synopsis, depending on the goal. Usually, movie synopsis length is one page or less.

As we explore how to write a synopsis, keep in mind that the key here is brevity.

If it's too short, your movie synopsis is really a logline. If it's too long, it goes into outline or treatment territory.

 How do you write a synopsis for Incredibles 2? Hit all the beats quickly

A movie synopsis should explain who is the main character (or characters), what they want, and who or what stands in their way.

It should also function as a plot synopsis in that it should describe broad strokes of what the characters do in an effort to get what they want.

writing a compelling synopsis

2. how to write a synopsis.

So how DO you differentiate your synopsis from a logline or an outline?

A good chunk of it comes down to length. Use our synopsis template to keep yours at the proper length.

Loglines barely cover two sentences. Ideally, they stay at about one.

Outlines can go upwards of five to even ten pages. And treatments can run even longer, breaching the teens.

The reason why outlines and treatments can go so long is that they’re a scene-by-scene breakdown written in prose.

An outline or treatment is obviously not a novel, but basic concepts and actions of every scene need to be covered.

Write already! A brief synopsis is a summary, a showcase, and a key to unlock your story

When you’re writing a synopsis, you should stay to one page or less — not a word longer.

Let’s get into the nitty gritty of writing a synopsis right now.

Related Posts

  • Learn how to write an outline →
  • Get tips on how to write a film treatment like a pro →
  • Break down a script with professional production software →

WRITING A SYNOPSIS

3. the do's of writing a movie synopsis.

Learning how to write a movie synopsis isn’t rocket science.

Sure, the film synopsis for Armageddon probably mentioned rocket science, but writing a synopsis isn’t nearly as hard as landing a drill on an asteroid hurtling toward Earth.

At least it doesn’t have to be.

What is a synopsis? Sometimes it’s a rocket ride.

Here’s a list of everything you should take into account when figuring out how to write a synopsis for your project.

  • Length : Keep your synopsis to one page. Anything longer than that and it defeats the point of writing a synopsis.
  • Tone and Voice:  Your movie synopsis should be written in the present tense, third person. Tell the story in the same tone and voice as the script.
  • Characters:  Make sure you introduce each character with something unique about them, whether it's a physical feature or another idiosyncrasy. The reader should know exactly who each character is, what they want, and why they want it.
  • Dialogue : Should a movie synopsis include dialogue? Absolutely. Should it be whole paragraph chunks? Absolutely not. Dialogue should be included in short bursts, used as a way to add color to the characters in the plot synopsis.
  • The Ending : What is a synopsis if it doesn't end? The goal here isn’t to flesh out the trailer, so don't keep any secrets when writing your movie synopsis.

These are the priority items on your "how to write a synopsis" to-do list. But to really elevate it, here are more tips to make yours stick out.

  • Start with the active drive.  Right off the bat, your movie synopsis should clearly explain what the main character wants and what they're doing about it.
  • Establish causality . No story exists in a vacuum. So in your film synopsis, make sure the causality from one event to another is explained. Imagine that the words "therefore" and "but" are between each major plot point.
  • Start big, end bigger . Your first paragraphs should really hook in the reader with a compelling introduction of your hero. The ending should be even more exciting and tie all the loose ends together.

Now, take all these tips into account and complete the exercise below. It'll strengthen your writing and give you confidence you can use:

SYNOPSIS DRILL

Want to know how to write a synopsis for your movie? Practice is key. Flex your synopsis-writing muscles by choosing two films  (or TV shows) that you've recently watched, or that you've always loved. Write a one-page synopsis of each project.

Don't overthink, don't second-guess, and limit yourself to one page for each title. When you've finished, compare the two. Which synopsis is stronger? Are there any points you've missed? How could they be strengthened? What works in each one, and what doesn't? Congratulations  —  you've got two short synopsis examples under your belt.

The best way to learn how to write a synopsis is to write a synopsis. After you complete the above exercise, you'll come into writing your own synopsis with practical experience and open eyes. As a result, the process won't be unfamiliar, and your work will be stronger.

  • Learn how to energize your story with conflict →
  • Find out how to write the best character arcs →
  • Start shot listing and storyboarding right away →

Best practices when writing A Film SYNOPSIS

4. the don’ts of writing a film synopsis.

Now that you know how to write a synopsis, let's take a look at how to avoid common mistakes.

While there are no hard and fast rules to answer what is a synopsis, it's best to avoid the following errors when writing one:

  • Don’t mention too many characters. We don't need the backstory on the waitress at the bar where the two main characters talk. A brief synopsis means you have to let go of these unnecessary elements.
  • Don't use too much detail about plot twists and turns. If you explain what someone does and why in your movie synopsis, the twists and turns will make sense to the reader.
  • Don't editorialize your film synopsis. We don't need flowery, superfluous language like "in a poignant scene" or "like two star-crossed lovers." Get to the point quickly and clearly.
  • Don't make it a marketing tool. Writing a synopsis shouldn't be like writing a pitch deck or a creative brief. A movie synopsis should be a preview of what the story is and who's in it, that way the reader can see how you executed and wrote the story.
  • Don't rush to the end . As we said earlier, a brief synopsis should be your goal, but it can be hard to learn how to write a synopsis if you don't have any meat in the middle. That great ending won’t pay off if we don’t know or understand the journey to get there.

When it comes down to how to write a synopsis (and figuring what is a synopsis) the best bet is to tackle the basics of the story head-on.

Save the literary flourishes for the actual script and keep it to the meat and potatoes of the story. The goal here is to provide a brief synopsis, a basic plot synopsis.

You’ll expand and get into nuance and dialogue later, when you actually write the script.

FREE Download: Movie Synopsis Template

Movie Synopsis Template

Write your movie synopsis more effectively with our FREE Movie Synopsis template. Enter your email address to receive it instantly.

HOW TO WRITE A SYNOPSIS FOR A MOVIE

5. a synopsis is a summary.

Let’s summarize our synopsis guidance.

How to write a synopsis comes down to a few things.

What is a synopsis?

A synopsis is a one-page write-up that explains the basic plot and world of your project. Who’s who, what’s what, and why should we care.

Who writes a movie synopsis?

Well, the writer definitely should. But also readers.

If anyone is covering an agent's or an executive's desk, they're going to break down and analyze dozens of scripts. Doing so will require writing a clear, brief synopsis for every project.

We have provided solid rules about best practices when writing a synopsis.

But even after you’ve written a good synopsis , make sure your story is structurally sound before moving into the outline, treatment, and script phases.

Using templates and techniques like story circle can help ensure any writer that the structure of their script leads to a dynamic narrative.

That way, when you start figuring out how to write a synopsis for a project, you won't have to worry about any dragging or lagging elements.

After all, no one wants to read a soggy second act. A good synopsis, written with our free template as a guide, will kickstart your storytelling process on the right foot.

How to Write Script Coverage

As you see now, synopses are mainstays on both sides of the industry — business and creative. That's a clear indicator of their importance and why you need to be able to answer the question: what is a synopsis?

More importantly, if you’re a storyteller, you need to know how to write a synopsis.

Now that we’ve given you the tools to write a synopsis, it’s time to learn how to analyze a script. Take it to the next level and find out how to write screenplay coverage like a professional industry reader.

Up Next: How to Write Script Coverage →

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How to Write a Research Synopsis: Template, Examples, & More

Last Updated: February 12, 2024 Fact Checked

Research Synopsis Template

  • Organizing & Formatting
  • Writing Your Synopsis
  • Reviewing & Editing

This article was reviewed by Gerald Posner and by wikiHow staff writer, Raven Minyard, BA . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 207,867 times.

A research synopsis describes the plan for your research project and is typically submitted to professors or department heads so they can approve your project. Most synopses are between 3,000 and 4,000 words and provide your research objectives and methods. While the specific types of information you need to include in your synopsis may vary depending on your department guidelines, most synopses include the same basic sections. In this article, we’ll walk you step-by-step through everything you need to know to write a synopsis for research.

Things You Should Know

  • Begin your research synopsis by introducing the question your research will answer and its importance to your field.
  • List 2 or 3 specific objectives you hope to achieve and how they will advance your field.
  • Discuss your methodology to demonstrate why the study design you chose is appropriate for your research question.

what is synopsis and examples

Organizing Your Research Synopsis

Step 1 Follow the formatting guidelines provided by your instructor.

  • Find out what citation format you’re supposed to use, as well as whether you’re expected to use parenthetical references or footnotes in the body of your synopsis.
  • If you have questions about anything in your guidelines, ask your instructor or advisor to ensure you follow them correctly.

Step 2 Set up the headings for your sections.

  • Title: the title of your study
  • Abstract: a summary of your research synopsis
  • Introduction: identifies and describes your research question
  • Literature Review: a review of existing relevant research
  • Objectives: goals you hope to accomplish through your study
  • Hypotheses: results you expect to find through your research
  • Methodology and methods: explains the methods you’ll use to complete your study
  • References: a list of any references used in citations

Tip: Your synopsis might have additional sections, depending on your discipline and the type of research you're conducting. Talk to your instructor or advisor about which sections are required for your department.

Step 3 Format your references.

  • Keep in mind that you might not end up using all the sources you initially found. After you've finished your synopsis, go back and delete the ones you didn't use.

Writing Your Research Synopsis

Step 1 Format your title page following your instructor’s guidelines.

  • Your title should be a brief and specific reflection of the main objectives of your study. In general, it should be under 50 words and should avoid unneeded phrases like “an investigation into.”
  • On the other hand, avoid a title that’s too short, as well. For example, a title like “A Study of Urban Heating” is too short and doesn’t provide any insight into the specifics of your research.

Step 2 Identify your research problem with the introduction.

  • The introduction allows you to explain to your reader exactly why the question you’re trying to answer is vital and how your knowledge and experience make you the best researcher to tackle it.
  • Support most of the statements in your introduction with other studies in the area that support the importance of your question. For example, you might cite a previous study that mentions your problem as an area where further research needs to be done.
  • The length of your introduction will vary depending on the overall length of your synopsis as well as the ultimate length of your eventual paper after you’ve finished your research. Generally, it will cover the first page or two of your synopsis.

Step 3 In your literature review, describe the work done by other researchers.

  • For example, try finding relevant literature through educational journals or bulletins from organizations like WHO and CDC.
  • Typically, a thorough literature review discusses 8 to 10 previous studies related to your research problem.
  • As with the introduction, the length of your literature review will vary depending on the overall length of your synopsis. Generally, it will be about the same length as your introduction.
  • Try to use the most current research available and avoid sources over 5 years old.

Step 4 Set forth the goals or objectives for your research project.

  • For example, an objective for research on urban heating could be “to compare urban heat modification caused by vegetation of mixed species considering the 5 most common urban trees in an area.”
  • Generally, the overall objective doesn’t relate to solving a specific problem or answering a specific question. Rather, it describes how your particular project will advance your field.
  • For specific objectives, think in terms of action verbs like “quantify” or “compare.” Here, you’re hoping to gain a better understanding of associations between particular variables.

Step 5 List your hypotheses for your research project.

  • Specify the sources you used and the reasons you have arrived at your hypotheses. Typically, these will come from prior studies that have shown similar relationships.
  • For example, suppose a prior study showed that children who were home-schooled were less likely to be in fraternities or sororities in college. You might use that study to back up a hypothesis that home-schooled children are more independent and less likely to need strong friendship support networks.

Step 6 Discuss the methodology and methods you’ll use in your research.

  • Expect your methodology to be at least as long as either your introduction or your literature review, if not longer. Include enough detail that your reader can fully understand how you’re going to carry out your study.
  • This section of your synopsis may include information about how you plan to collect and analyze your data, the overall design of your study, and your sampling methods, if necessary. Include information about the study setting, like the facilities and equipment that are available to you to carry out your study.
  • For example, your research work may take place in a hospital, and you may use cluster sampling to gather data.

Step 7 Complete your abstract last.

  • Use between 100 and 200 words to give your readers a basic understanding of your research project.
  • Include a clear statement of the problem, the main goals or objectives of your study, the theories or conceptual framework your research relies upon, and the methods you’ll use to reach your goals or objectives.

Tip: Jot down a few notes as you draft your other sections that you can compile for your abstract to keep your writing more efficient.

Reviewing and Editing Your Research Synopsis

Step 1 Take a break before you start editing.

  • If you don’t have that kind of time because you’re up against a deadline, at least take a few hours away from your synopsis before you go back to edit it. Do something entirely unrelated to your research, like taking a walk or going to a movie.

Step 2 Edit for clarity and concision.

  • Eliminate sentences that don’t add any new information. Even the longest synopsis is a brief document—make sure every word needs to be there and counts for something.
  • Get rid of jargon and terms of art in your field that could be better explained in plain language. Even though your likely readers are people who are well-versed in your field, providing plain language descriptions shows you know what you’re talking about. Using jargon can seem like you’re trying to sound like you know more than you actually do.

Tip: Free apps, such as Grammarly and Hemingway App, can help you identify grammatical errors as well as areas where your writing could be clearer. However, you shouldn't rely solely on apps since they can miss things.

Step 3 Check the format of your references.

  • Reference list formatting is very particular. Read your references out loud, with the punctuation and spacing, to pick up on errors you wouldn’t have noticed if you’d just read over them.
  • Compare your format to the one in the stylebook you’re using and make sure all of your entries are correct.

Step 4 Proofread your synopsis carefully.

  • Read your synopsis backward by starting on the last word and reading each word separately from the last to the first. This helps isolate spelling errors. Reading backward sentence by sentence helps you isolate grammatical errors without being distracted by the content.
  • Print your synopsis and circle every punctuation mark with a red pen. Then, go through them and focus on whether they’re correct.
  • Read your synopsis out loud, including the punctuation, as though you were dictating the synopsis.

Step 5 Share your paper with classmates and friends for review.

  • Have at least one person who isn’t familiar with your area of study look over your synopsis. If they can understand your project, you know your writing is clear. If any parts confuse them, then that’s an area where you can improve the clarity of your writing.

Step 6 Do a second round of editing and proofreading.

Expert Q&A

  • If you make significant changes to your synopsis after your first or second round of editing, you may need to proofread it again to make sure you didn’t introduce any new errors. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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  • ↑ https://admin.umt.edu.pk/Media/Site/iib1/FileManager/FORMAT%20OF%20SYNOPSIS%2012-10-2018.pdf
  • ↑ https://www.scientificstyleandformat.org/Tools/SSF-Citation-Quick-Guide.html
  • ↑ https://numspak.edu.pk/upload/media/Guidelines%20for%20Synopsis%20Writing1531455748.pdf
  • ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279917593_Research_synopsis_guidelines
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
  • ↑ https://www.cornerstone.edu/blog-post/six-steps-to-really-edit-your-paper/

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The Civil Fraud Ruling on Donald Trump, Annotated

By Kate Christobek

Former President Donald J. Trump was penalized $355 million , plus millions more in interest, and banned for three years from serving in any top roles at a New York company, including his own, in a ruling on Friday by Justice Arthur F. Engoron. The decision comes after the state's attorney general, Letitia James, sued Mr. Trump, members of his family and his company in 2022.

The ruling expands on Justice Engoron’s decision last fall , which found that Mr. Trump’s financial statements were filled with fraudulent claims. Mr. Trump will appeal the financial penalty and is likely to appeal other restrictions; he has already appealed last fall’s ruling.

The New York Times annotated the document.

Download the original PDF .

Page 1 of undefined PDF document.

New York Times Analysis

This ruling by Justice Arthur F. Engoron is a result of a 2022 lawsuit filed by New York’s attorney general, Letitia James , against Donald J. Trump and the Trump Organization; his adult sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump; the company’s former chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg and former controller Jeffrey McConney; and several of their related entities. Mr. Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, was also initially a defendant until an appeals court dismissed the case against her.

Page 2 of undefined PDF document.

The law under which Ms. James sued, known by its shorthand 63(12), requires the plaintiff to show a defendant’s conduct was deceptive . If that standard is met, a judge can impose severe punishment, including forfeiting the money obtained through fraud. Ms. James has also used this law against the oil company ExxonMobil, the tobacco brand Juul and the pharma executive Martin Shkreli.

Page 4 of undefined PDF document.

Justice Engoron is now providing a background of this case. This ruling comes after a three-year investigation by the attorney general’s office and the conclusion of a trial that ended last month. But this likely won’t be Mr. Trump’s last word on the matter — he will appeal the financial penalty and is likely to appeal other restrictions, as he has already appealed other rulings.

In late 2022, Justice Engoron assigned a former federal judge, Barbara Jones, to serve as a monitor at the Trump Organization and tasked her with keeping an eye on the company and its lending relationships. Last month, she issued a report citing inconsistencies in its financial reporting, which “may reflect a lack of adequate internal controls.”

Page 5 of undefined PDF document.

Here, Justice Engoron is laying out the laws he considered in his ruling beyond 63(12). The attorney general’s lawsuit included allegations of violations of falsifying business records, issuing false financial statements, insurance fraud and related conspiracy offenses.

Justice Engoron is explaining the decision, issued a week before the trial, in which he found that Mr. Trump’s financial statements were filled with fraud , fundamentally shaping the rest of the trial.

Page 6 of undefined PDF document.

For over 50 pages, Justice Engoron describes his conclusions about the testimony of all of the witnesses who spoke during the trial.

Page 8 of undefined PDF document.

Justice Engoron discusses Mr. McConney’s important role in preparing Mr. Trump’s financial statements. The judge points out that Mr. McConney prepared all the valuations on the statements in consultation with Mr. Weisselberg.

Page 24 of undefined PDF document.

In his discussion of Mr. Weisselberg, Justice Engoron calls his testimony in the trial “intentionally evasive.” Justice Engoron then brings up Mr. Weisselberg’s separation agreement from the Trump Organization, which prohibited him from voluntarily cooperating with any entities “adverse” to the organization. Justice Engoron says that this renders Mr. Weisselberg’s testimony highly unreliable.

Page 27 of undefined PDF document.

When Donald Trump Jr. testified in court, he disavowed responsibility for his father’s financial statements despite serving as a trustee of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust while his father was president. But Justice Engoron specifically cites here that Donald Trump Jr. certified that he was responsible for the financial statements, and testified that he intended for the banks to rely on them and that the statements were “materially accurate.”

Page 30 of undefined PDF document.

During his testimony, Eric Trump, the Trump Organization’s de facto chief executive, initially denied knowing about his father’s financial statements until this case. As Justice Engoron points out here, Eric Trump eventually conceded to knowing about them as early as 2013. As a result, Justice Engoron calls Eric Trump’s credibility “severely damaged.”

Page 33 of undefined PDF document.

Justice Engoron points to Mr. Trump’s testimony when he took the witness stand in November when Mr. Trump acknowledged that he helped put together his annual financial statements. Mr. Trump said he would see them and occasionally have suggestions.

Page 35 of undefined PDF document.

After four pages of describing Mr. Trump’s testimony, Justice Engoron says Mr. Trump rarely responded to the questions asked and frequently interjected long, irrelevant speeches, which all “severely compromised his credibility.”

Page 38 of undefined PDF document.

For several pages, Justice Engoron provides background on specific assets that Mr. Trump included in his annual financial statements.

Page 61 of undefined PDF document.

The judge is clarifying that Ms. James had to prove her claims by a “preponderance of the evidence,” meaning she had to demonstrate it was more likely than not that Mr. Trump and the co-defendants should be held liable. This is a lower standard than that of a criminal trial, which requires that evidence be proven “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Page 76 of undefined PDF document.

During the trial, Mr. Trump and his legal team tried to shift the blame for any inaccuracies in his financial statements onto his outside accountants. But Justice Engoron criticizes that argument here.

Page 77 of undefined PDF document.

During the monthslong trial, Mr. Trump, his legal team and several witnesses stressed that real estate appraisals are an art, not a science. But here it’s clear Justice Engoron, while agreeing with that sentiment, also believes it’s deceptive when different appraisals rely on different assumptions.

Page 78 of undefined PDF document.

Justice Engoron is now going through the defendants one by one and articulating the evidence that shows each of their “intent to defraud,” which is required by the statute against falsifying business records. Notably, his first paragraph describing the former president’s intent provides examples including Mr. Trump’s awareness that his triplex apartment was not 30,000 square feet and his valuation of Mar-a-Lago as a single-family residence even though it was deeded as a social club.

Page 79 of undefined PDF document.

Among the defendants, Justice Engoron finds only Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney liable for insurance fraud. Here, he doesn’t provide an explanation for why the other defendants, including Mr. Trump and his adult sons, were not found liable, and he says that both Mr. Weisselberg and Mr. McConney made false representations to insurance companies about Mr. Trump’s financial statements.

While Mr. Trump and his adult sons were not found liable for insurance fraud, here Justice Engoron finds them liable for conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, explaining that they all “aided and abetted” the conspiracy to commit insurance fraud by falsifying business records.

Page 82 of undefined PDF document.

Justice Engoron here adopts the approximations of Michiel McCarty, the attorney general’s expert witness. Justice Engoron says Mr. McCarty testified “reliably and convincingly,” and finds that the defendants’ fraud saved them over $168 million in interest.

Page 83 of undefined PDF document.

In finding that the defendants were able to purchase the Old Post Office in Washington, D.C., through their use of the fraudulent financial statements, Justice Engoron rules that the defendants’ proceeds from the sale of the post office in 2022 should be considered “ill-gotten gains.” He penalizes Donald Trump and his companies over $126 million, and Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump $4 million each, for this one property.

Page 84 of undefined PDF document.

Justice Engoron blasts the defendants for failing to admit that they were wrong in their valuations — adding that “their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological.” He says that this inability to admit error makes him believe they will continue their fraudulent activities unless “judicially restrained.”

Page 88 of undefined PDF document.

The judge cites other examples of Mr. Trump’s “ongoing propensity to engage in fraud,” bringing up lawsuits against Trump University and the Donald J. Trump Foundation. He also notably raises two criminal cases brought by the Manhattan district attorney’s office: one against Mr. Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty to tax fraud and falsifying business records , and another against the Trump Organization, which was convicted of 17 criminal counts including tax fraud .

Justice Engoron states that Judge Barbara Jones, who has been serving as an independent monitor at the Trump Organization since 2022, will continue in that role for at least three years. He clarifies that going forward, her role will be enhanced and she will review Trump Organization financial disclosures before they are submitted to any third party, to ensure that there are no material misstatements.

Page 89 of undefined PDF document.

In addition to extending the monitor’s tenure and strengthening her powers, Justice Engoron also took the unusual step of ordering that an independent compliance director be installed inside The Trump organization, and that they report directly to the monitor.

— William K. Rashbaum

In his pre-trial order, Justice Engoron ordered the cancellation of some of Mr. Trump’s business licenses . But here, he pulls back on that decision and instead says that any “restructuring and potential dissolution” would be up to Ms. Jones, the independent monitor.

Page 90 of undefined PDF document.

Justice Engoron lays out his bans against the defendants, ruling that Mr. Trump, Mr. Weisselberg and Mr. McConney cannot serve as officers or directors of any corporation or legal entity in New York for the next three years, and bans his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump for two years from the same. He also prohibits Mr. Trump from applying for any loans from any New York banks for the next three years. The ruling goes further in the cases of Mr. Weisselberg and Mr. McConney, permanently barring them from serving in the financial control function of any New York business.

Page 91 of undefined PDF document.

Justice Engoron also ordered that Mr. Trump and his sons pay the interest, pushing the penalty to $450 million, according to Ms. James.

Page 92 of undefined PDF document.

An earlier version of this article misstated how long the adult sons of former President Donald J. Trump — Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump — were barred by Justice Arthur F. Engoron from serving as officers or directors of any corporation or legal entity in New York. It was two years, not three. The article also misstated the number of pages in which Justice Engoron describes his conclusions about the testimony of all of the non-defendant witnesses. It was under 50 pages, not over 50 pages. The article also misstated the number of pages in the section in which Justice Engoron provides background on specific assets that Mr. Trump included in his annual financial statements. It was several pages, not more than a dozen pages.

  • Share full article

Trump hit with $354.9 million penalty, 3-year ban in NY civil fraud case

Former U.S. President Donald Trump's business empire in peril as civil fraud trial opens in New York

PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Criminal cases.

Reporting by Jack Queen and Luc Cohen; Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Greg Roumeliotis; Editing by Will Dunham, Noeleen Walder and Alistair Bell

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what is synopsis and examples

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what is synopsis and examples

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