Thread by @Maria_Tureaud

All right folks. I'm sick, in bed, unable to work, so it's the perfect time for a #RevPit #RevThread! There were a lot of calls for this one, so today, let's talk about the dreaded...SYNOPSIS! #amquerying

Fact:
😭 You still have to write them even when you land an agent (sorry!)

Step One: Open a blank document
Step Two: **stare**
Step Three: **stare**
Step Four: **stare**
Step Five: **sob**
Step Six: Repeat steps two-five

LOL jk. First things first. In a synopsis, everything from your main plot MUST be revealed #RevPit

This does NOT mean every twist and turn/arbitrary thing/fun event that happens from main plot to sub plots are revealed.

It means you have to focus ONLY on the main plot, and give everything away. Think of a synopsis like a business plan. #RevPit

If you go to the bank for a business loan, you have to submit a detailed business plan/proposal. The bank wants facts: how your model will be profitable, how you will make money, the probability of paying back the loan. Your main plot is your business plan/proposal #RevPit

That means: No stone should be left unturned in the main plot.

Okay...so how do I decide what goes into the synopsis?

I've seen some Bad Advice™️ on the socials over the years, the most popular being: Summarize each chapter into one sentence. This doesn't work #RevPit

Why not? Because not every chapter holds a key moment. Remember: if you're pursuing traditional publishing (agent route with a large publishing house), you synopsis must either be one page, 12pt font, single-spaced, OR: two pages, 12pt font, double-spaced #RevPit

Therefore, summarizing each chapter into a sentence to fit the standard makes for a very boring synopsis.

So, here's what you should focus on:

1. Character arc
2. Main plot points

#RevPit

What do I mean by character arc?

There are three crucial moments in every character arc (or, there should be) that tie into the key plot points:

1. Introduction: who they are, what they want from life/goals/desires, what's holding them back, what's getting in their way

#RevPit

2: Midpoint-Black Moment/Dark Night of the Soul: the moment they pinpoint what's REALLY holding them back/getting in their way, and the epiphany of what they have to do to achieve their goal

#RevPit

3. Conclusion: The 180 flipped image of the introduction, where your character has gone through All The Things, and has come out the other side/reached their goals.

Now that we've talked about the three main moments, let's fill the gap with plot points.

#RevPit

Quick note before I go on: The following plot points exist in some form across all methods of storytelling. Western storytelling follows the pattern below, whereas Eastern storytelling will have the same plot points in different order (eg. Conflict would come after Intro) #RevPit

Which plot points do you need?

1.Introduction: who the MC is, as outlined in point 1 of the character arc. The introduction paragraph will then end with:

2. The inciting incident: the event that propels our MC on their journey. #RevPit

3. Plot Point 1: This is the action the MC takes that changes the direction of the book

4. Conflict: Firmly on their new trajectory, MC meets/learns about the antagonist/antagonistic force #RevPit

5. Midpoint: There's no going back. This is a significant event tied to the character arc.

6. We're Going to Win...maybe: The MC thinks victory is assured, but the antagonist surprises them and gets away

#RevPit

7. Black Moment/Darkest Night of the Soul: The MC is mentally/emotionally spent. They have to fight through the darkness/negative thoughts for the final push

8. Climax: The final fight between the MC and the antagonist

#RevPit

Resolution/Final Image: HEA? Tie-up the loose ends here/we see MC in their new life.

Huzzah! For each point, hone in on the following to create a snappy paragraph (or better yet: sentence):

1. What happens
2. MC's reaction

#RevPit

Writing synopses is HARD. As an editor, who reads/critiques synopses for a living, the most common mistake I see is:

Authors tend to focus on trivial things instead of the main plot/plot points.

What's trivial?

1. Naming every character that pops up
2. Over-explaining

#RevPit

3. Highlighting scenes the author LOVES
4. Focusing on sub-plots

Cut the noise! My best suggestion is to open a blank document and start from scratch. That way you're not influenced by edit-fingers (the process of trying to make something that already exists fit a mold) #RevPit

If you find that any of these plot points are missing/don't exist in your book...then you need a developmental edit (which means, #RevPit is perfect for you!) for a rewrite (sorry!)

But Maria...what about the "quiet" books?????

**Rolls up sleeves**

Quiet books (aka, character driven, non-action/large, sweeping stories) still follow the structure outlined above. The antagonistic force in a quiet book could be as simple as a nagging mother, a cantankerous neighbor, the MC's own dark thoughts #RevPit

That said, don't fear the synopsis. Crack the whip and show it who's boss!

It's YOUR book, after all! A submission package should never be rushed. A good query and synopsis can take months to perfect, so take your time. #RevPit

Eg: My debut, THE LAST HOPE IN HOPETOWN, took 10 weeks to write, but I spent 5 weeks perfecting my submission package. I'm really glad I spent all that time on it. #RevPit

For more about THE LAST HOPE IN HOPETOWN:

lbyr.com/titles/maria-t…

I wish everyone the best of luck! And if there's another topic you'd like for me to thread about, please feel free to let me know in the comments. #RevPit is YOUR event, and we're here for you.