Search results
Feb 6, 2024 · From how to start a summary of a book to perfectly concluding the summary, we’ve included everything. You’ll learn how to convey the heart of your story and paint a vivid picture of the world you’ve created. So let’s dive in to see practical tips and amazing book summary examples!
- Put your title at the top. Even if it’s still just a working title.
- State what genre you’re writing in. If you're writing genre fiction, eg romance, science fiction, fantasy, crime thriller, psychological suspense … If you’re not writing in a clear genre or you’re not sure what your genre is, just skip this.
- Perfect your pitch line. What you definitely need at or near the top of the synopsis is your pitch line. This is usually the key question, dilemma or driving force of the novel – or the heart of the novel, to put it another way.
- To quote or not to quote. Some people like to include a quote from the novel. Quotes can offer a glimpse of the tone of your novel as well as teasing and enticing the reader.
- The One-Sentence Pitch. Begin by seeing if off the top of your head you can refine your novel into a single compelling sentence. At this length, you have no choice but to keep it ultra-brief—who, what, why.
- The One-Paragraph Pitch. Now, take your single sentence and round it out to a full-paragraph, slightly expanded summary. You’re still focused on thinking brief, but now providing a wider view of the characters, conflict, and story itself.
- The One-Page Synopsis. The expansion continues, this time from a paragraph to a page. (Note: Synopses are typically single-spaced.) This stage is where you touch on secondary characters; Stay succinct—one page is not long.
- Long-Form Synopsis. The final step takes you from one page to a full, multi-page synopsis. How long, exactly? Generally, aim for about one single-spaced synopsis page per 10,000 words of finished manuscript.
Mar 22, 2024 · A book summary should include the book’s title, author, genre, plot overview, and themes. While the reader doesn’t need to glean all the characters’ names or the author’s voice from the summary, they should know enough to describe the book in basic terms.
Feb 1, 2010 · Defining Synopsis. The synopsis supplies key information about your novel (plot, theme, characterization, setting), while also showing how these coalesce to form the big picture. Quickly tell what your novel is about without making the editor or agent read the novel in its entirety.
Nov 11, 2021 · You need to do a presentation in which you talk about an article, book, or report. You write a summary paper in which the entire paper is a summary of a specific work. You summarize a class discussion, lesson, or reading in the form of personal notes or a discussion board post.
Grouped with the cover letter and the chapter sample, it is a vital piece of the querying jigsaw. The synopsis demonstrates your writing talent, shows your ability to craft a good story and, above all else, should get the editor clamouring to read the full manuscript.
