Recently, I was writing a synopsis for my novel. I’d been dreading it for weeks. Go ahead, sum up all the complexities of your entire manuscript into an enticing one-pager without digging a grave under that lightning-struck apple tree. But luckily, the blog post “HOW TO WRITE A 1-PAGE SYNOPSIS” by author Susan Dennard saved me. Mental note, read this before you break out the shovel. It’ll keep your hands clean and your mind from imploding. Also, if you’re a fan of Star Wars (and who isn’t a fan of Star Wars), you’ll have a fun sample synopsis to pick apart.
She brings up a good point too–“Sometimes, I even use it before writing a novel to help me get an idea of the general plot I want to follow.” Brilliant! (As you can tell, I’m more of a panster when it comes to plotting, but even I can change my ways.)
Any luck writing your synopsis before writing your novel?
Ana Ellickson 