Writing Your Manuscript Synopsis

A literary agent friend of mine, Diana Murphey, told me once that the best manuscript synopsis she ever received was one sentence long. She was so impressed with the brevity of the synopsis that she immediately accepted the project and sold the book in two weeks.

Obviously, not all novels can be summed up in one or two sentences, but the general consensus is the same no matter where you submit: the shorter, the better. Agents and publishers see so many manuscripts that they can’t be bogged down with lengthy synopses that take thirty minutes to read. They want to know right away whether or not they would like to accept it.

This concept is difficult for most writers because they want to be as detailed as possible in their description of their novel, giving the agent as much information as possible with which to make their decision. We have been raised in a society where more is better, and we find it difficult to break those inherent beliefs.

With a little work, however, you can create a brief, one-page synopsis of your manuscript that conveys everything that a ten-page diatribe might contain, without alienating your over-worked agent.

1. Identify the genre.

Agents agree that this is one of the most annoying things that they come across: writers who can’t specify a genre. Most agents have specific genres that they routinely represent, and anything outside of that list is of no interest to them. Before you even begin to think about an agent, identify which genre your manuscript falls under, whether it be horror, suspense, mystery, chick lit, science fiction or fantasy.

2. Introduce your manuscript.

The first paragraph of your synopsis should be one or two sentences long, and should give a basic idea of what your novel is about. In the introduction, you should identify the title of your manuscript, your main character and his or her main obstacle in the novel.