Mastering the Synopsis: Grinding Your Story into 800 Words or Less

Few things strike fear into a writer’s heart like the word 'synopsis.' After pouring your soul into a 90,000-word manuscript, reducing it to a mere 800 words can feel impossible. Yet a strong synopsis is a vital part of your submission package—and a powerful tool to prove you understand story structure.

Unlike a blurb or query letter that teases and entices, a synopsis serves a more practical purpose: demonstrating to agents and editors that you can construct a complete, coherent narrative with satisfying character arcs and resolution. Think of it as the blueprint of your story that reveals all the important structural elements.

It’s tough to pin down the “best” way to write the synopsis. While the outcome should be the same, I feel like the methods to get there may be different for many writers. So, if my way doesn’t click for you, I put a few additional resources at the end of the article.

What the Synopsis is – and isn’t:

What the synopsis is:

• It's written in third person, present tense, regardless of your novel's viewpoint or tense

• It reveals the complete plot, including all twists and the ending

• It focuses on main character(s) and key plot points

• It's typically 1-2 pages (approximately 500-800 words)

• It demonstrates your full story arc, as well as the character’s transformation

What the synopsis is not:

Many writers mistakenly approach the synopsis as a long plot summary. Unlike a back-cover blurb designed to entice readers, a synopsis must clearly demonstrate how the story unfolds, ensuring agents and editors see the narrative’s logical progression and resolution.

While it shouldn’t read like a grocery list, the focus isn’t on lyrical prose. Agents and editors want clarity, coherence, and proof that your novel delivers on its premise.

Common Synopsis Errors:

Even experienced writers struggle with crafting the synopsis. Here are the most frequent issues:

1. Overwriting: Including too many subplots, minor characters, or excessive detail

2. Holding back: Refusing to reveal endings or major twists

3. Character overload: Introducing every character by name

4. Promotional language: Using marketing copy instead of straightforward description

5. Tense confusion: Slipping into past tense instead of maintaining present tense

6. Excessive Backstory: Spending too much time on what happened before the main action

Building Your Synopsis Step by Step

Step 1: Identify Your Main Elements

• Your protagonist and their primary goal

• The central conflict or obstacle

• The major turning points

• The resolution and character transformation

Step 2: Introduce Your Protagonist and Setup

Your opening paragraph should establish:

• Your main character

• Their world

• The inciting incident that disrupts their life

• What's at stake if they fail

Step 3: Map the Major Plot Points

The middle paragraphs should showcase:

• Rising complications and obstacles

• Key decisions made by your protagonist

• Critical turning points that raise the stakes

• The lowest moment or darkest hour (aka “All is Lost” moment)

Step 4: Resolve the Story

Your concluding paragraphs must clearly show:

• How the climax unfolds

• How the main conflict is resolved

• What changes or growth the protagonist experiences

• The new status quo

Handling Multiple POVs and Ensemble Casts

For novels with multiple viewpoint characters or ensemble casts, the synopsis presents a unique challenge. How do you convey multiple character arcs and interconnected storylines without exceeding the word limit? Here's how to approach it:

Identify the Primary Narrative Thread

Even in ensemble novels, there's typically a dominant storyline or thematic thread. For example, in a novel where five strangers meet on a train, the central question might be how this chance encounter transforms each of their lives. Make this overarching narrative the backbone of your synopsis.

Establish Character Hierarchy

Determine which characters drive the central plot and which serve supporting roles. In your synopsis:

• Introduce only the essential players (typically 3-5 characters maximum)

• Establish each character with a brief identifying detail

• Prioritize page space according to narrative importance

Weave Rather Than Separate

Rather than dividing your synopsis into separate character sections, weave their storylines together chronologically:

Five strangers board the 6:15 train to Washington, D.C., each carrying their own secrets. EMMA WATSON, a heart surgeon rushing to perform a transplant, finds herself seated beside DANIEL CLARK, a grieving widower returning his late wife's ashes to her hometown. Across from them, MICHAEL OKONKWO, an investigative journalist, observes them both while tracking a corrupt politician he believes will board at the next stop. At the far end of the train car, elderly twins RUTH and HELEN CHAMBERS exchange knowing glances—they've identified Daniel from the newspaper story about his wife's suspicious death.

(Note: the names are capitalized for emphasis – capitalizing names is optional)

Focus on Intersections

Emphasize moments where characters' paths meaningfully cross or impact each other. These intersections often represent the most important plot points in ensemble novels.

Consolidate Where Possible

When multiple characters experience similar revelations or transformations, consider grouping these together to save space:

As the train derails, Emma, Daniel, and Michael find themselves trapped in the same overturned train car, forced to work together despite their suspicions. Meanwhile, Ruth and Helen use the chaos to access the conductor's cabin and retrieve the evidence they believe will implicate Daniel.

Ensure Each Arc Reaches Resolution

Your synopsis must still show how each main character's story resolves, even if briefly:

In the aftermath, Emma saves Michael's life but fails to reach her transplant patient in time. Daniel, exonerated by the evidence Ruth and Helen actually uncovered. Michael publishes his exposé, bringing down the politician but losing his job in the process. The elderly twins, having finally avenged their niece's murder thirty years earlier, peacefully accept their arrest.

Done correctly, your synopsis should reveal a complete and satisfying narrative arc. While it may feel clinical compared to your richly detailed manuscript, a well-written synopsis should prove your story holds together in a compelling, plausible way—which makes this agent feel better about spending the hours required to read your manuscript.

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A FEW EXTRAS:

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A quick checklist

Before submitting your synopsis, verify that it:

• Maintains third person, present tense throughout

• Includes all major plot points and turning points

• Reveals the ending and resolution

• Demonstrates character growth and story logic

• Stays within the requested word count (typically 500-800 words)

• Focuses strictly on what happens in the story, not thematic discussions

• For multiple POV novels: shows how storylines interconnect and each character resolves their arc

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Articles I read a few years ago that you might find helpful:

How To Write a Synopsis of Your Novel by Glen C. Strathy

How to Write a Novel or Memoir Synopsis by Jane Friedman

(Originally written in 2020, I noticed it has been recently updated this year – so I’ll have to give it another read myself)

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Here’s a quick synopsis example

This is only meant to illustrate the process, yours will be longer with more plot points.

Thriller:

Detective Mary Smith, haunted by her sister's unsolved murder fifteen years ago, is assigned to investigate the strangling of socialite Catherine Grant in affluent Oakridge. The crime scene mirrors her sister's murder—same ligature marks, same positioning of the body, same missing piece of jewelry. But the original killer, James Porter, has been in prison for unrelated charges for the past decade.

Mary’s new partner, Det. Jon Jones, warns her against seeing connections that aren't there. The department brass, eager to solve a high-profile case, pressure Mary to focus on Catherine's estranged husband, Martin Grant, who stands to inherit millions. When Mary discovers Catherine had been receiving threatening notes quoting lines from the same obscure poetry found at her sister's crime scene, she becomes convinced the cases are linked.

Against department orders, Mary visits Porter in prison. He taunts her with cryptic hints about having a protégé who "carries on his work." Meanwhile, another wealthy woman is killed with the same signature. The department removes Mary from the case, citing her emotional involvement, but she continues investigating unofficially.

Mary discovers both victims volunteered at the same charity where Porter once worked. She identifies another volunteer, Thomas Wells, who corresponded with Porter in prison. When Mary searches Thomas's apartment, she finds a shrine to Porter's crimes and evidence linking him to both recent murders. Before she can report her findings, Thomas attacks her.

During their violent struggle, Thomas reveals he's actually Porter's son, seeking revenge against the women who testified against his father. Rachel manages to signal her location to Jon using her phone. As Thomas prepares to kill her with the same method used on the other victims, Jon arrives and subdues him. Thomas is arrested, and DNA evidence confirms his guilt in all three murders.

Mary finally achieves closure for her sister's death while forming a deeper partnership with Jon, who proved his loyalty despite her breaking protocol. She visits Porter one last time to inform him his son will spend his life in prison, finally breaking Porter's psychological hold over her.