Hatrack River Writers Workshop: A question on synopses

This is topic A question on synopses in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Omega (Member # 8502) on :

Okay, so I'm thinking about the synposis I'll have to write down the line for my book when I send it to the publisher(s) and I have a question.

When writing it, I obviously want to talk about everything going on in that book, but its also a series. Do you think that in the synopsis I should talk about the series very briefly? The only reason I ask is because the real...unquie qualities of my series don't necessarily show up (they're hinted to and set up but you can't see the ultimate goal from the first book). I don't want the publishers to reject my book because it sounds too run of the mill or something like that.

Obviously I'd just put it there with the left over space I'd have from my first book. I wouldn't take too much space to do it so that they still understand as much about the book as possible without actually reading it.

Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :

A synopsis for a novel sent to a publisher, like any other marketing pitch, a query letter, a book proposal, a review, should cover the salient points of the plot, characters, setting, genre, target audience, and MICE in such a way that the publisher wants to read the novel. In fact, a synopsis is a key portion of a book proposal. The distinguishing difference is that a book proposal is commonly intended for an in-house publication. An outside originating publication synopsis is a part of a submission package, typically requested, though not unnecessarily part of an unsolicited submission.

A synopsis ideally should be in the same narrative mannerisms as the novel. Some synopses are chapter by chapter summaries, some are story encompassing. However, like all pitches, a synopsis shouldn't give away the plot. Leave 'em wanting more.

For a series synopsis, a story arc is a fundamental feature, what unifies the series. If a series is the purpose of a proposal, then the synopsis should focus on the larger story and how the individual novels relate to the larger story, rather than on a detailed chapter-by-chapter summary.

Unless there's preexisting interest, excess detail will spoil a synopsis. Brevity is best. The "elevator speech" pitch phenomena is no longer than two minutes, about 300 words at most, what an acquistion editor can remember and summarize for his or her colleagues in the time it takes for an elevator ride to an acquisition meeting.

[This message has been edited by extrinsic (edited March 22, 2009).]

Posted by Omega (Member # 8502) on :

well I'm not exactly sure. I plan on sending it to Tor first so maybe looking at what they want will help

"A synopsis of the entire book. The synopsis should include all important plot elements, especially the end of the story, as well as aspects of character development for your main characters. The synopsis should run between three and ten pages in standard manuscript format. "

So, with that in mind, should I talk about the first book and then continue on with what will happen in the next ones? That seems to make the most sense I think. The goal is to have them want me to write the series, but right now all I have is one book. Am I making any sense?

Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :

Tor has exacting submission standards, at least from their perspective of what they want, which are not as clear to an unsolicted submitter.

A series is a hard sell for a first-time writer, for the writer as well as the house. First-time authors have an unfortunate reputation for not selling through on first novels and failing to earn out their advances. Why buy more than one novel until a sales track record is established?

The strategy I suggest is to pitch the first novel and construct the synopsis in a way that is obvious it's part of a series, but also show that the novel is a complete story. That's why Tor places emphasis on including the ending in the synopsis. I imagine they've seen too many novel manuscripts that don't end completely enough to be good stories.

Let them ask for the series, and be ready to deliver. They'll respect you for your preparation and foresight.

[This message has been edited by extrinsic (edited March 22, 2009).]

Posted by Omega (Member # 8502) on :

mm, that's all very true. As far as "making it obvious its meant to be a series", should I just throw on a "leaving it open for future exploration in another book" or do it in a more subtle way?

Also, this book definitely stands alone (which is good for me anyways).

And when you say be ready to deliver do you mean have something more actually written or have it all planned out?

Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :

If a stand-alone novel has series-selling legs on it, Tor will want the series. I think even being subtle might be too much. Just leaving the protagonist and other essential focal characters alive at the ending with a larger extrinsic story arc in place should be enough if the novel is part of a series, or by having another MICE characteristic that perpetuates the series. A trilogy, on the other hand, typically has a more intrinsic story arc that I imagine a publisher would want to see complete before considering a first novel.

Ready to deliver? A novel typically has a three-month selling season. Anymore, a publisher takes at least a year average to bring a manuscript from first submission all the way to distribution. A one-two-three series punch that would captivate audiences would have a series of three out on the market over three consecutive seasons.

Posted by Omega (Member # 8502) on :

okay, i gotcha. The only problem is that the direction the series takes is a huge twist that a person wouldn't expect which is what makes it so interesting, and if I hint to that in the first book it can't stand alone anymore. I guess I'll just have to take my chances and roll the dice.

Oi, so you think that I should have all of my books written as I send them off? @.@ Four books would take a long time to write without even sending the first one off to publishers xD

Posted by WBSchmidt (Member # 8533) on :

quote:
Oi, so you think that I should have all of my books written as I send them off? @.@ Four books would take a long time to write without even sending the first one off to publishers xD

On this, I don't know that you necessarily need to wait until the entire series is written before sending out the first. However, once you have polished Book One sufficiently for submission, you would begin on the next book. Then, by the time you get a response back, you ought to have the next book in the series. So, even if you get an acceptance on that first submission, you will somewhat "ahead of the game" since you will have the first two of four books in your series completed.

Just my thoughts.

Posted by Omega (Member # 8502) on :

okay, thats more along the lines of what i was thinking and planning as it is. Thanks for clearing that up

Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :

I abhor being told what I have to do, so I avoid telling others what to do. Ultimately, we make our own way as we make our own decisions.

Tor says;

quote:
Please send only one proposal in each submissions packet. If you have written a series, send a proposal for the first book only. If we like what we see, we'll ask for the rest.

Looking at the track record for serialized novels, in general, new episodes come out a year apart. However, the ones that came out in subsequent seasons didn't risk losing as much audience interest.

Me, I'd pitch the stand-alone wherever it might fly and work hard on the follow-on series in the interim. Proposals, queries, synopses, pitches simultaneously submitted aren't prohibited by publishers, only the actual manuscripts are. However, because Tor's submission guidelines require sample chapters, it would not be good form to pitch simultaneously elsewhere even though they don't explicity prohibit simultaneous submissions.