I’m currently marking some of my students’ work. They have had to plot a Young Adult novel and then write a synopsis of it. This is slightly artificial as one normally writer the synopsis after the novel is finished. Yet the plot can be key.
Different writers of course spend different amounts of time planning. Some hardly plan at all. Others go into tremendous detail. It is useful to have the bare bones of the plot always visible – it can stop the characters running away with the story. It is remarkable how many of my students have commented that they have realised that.
I’m looking for two things as I mark this work: a well crafted plot and the successful condensing of that plot into a synopsis. I’m seeing two major difficulties: the resolutions in some of the plots come too easily; the plot as presented in the synopsis loses its balance.
Other common problems with the plot have been:
· Too much set-up time
· Inciting incident coming too far in.
· Over-complexity so that we do not know to whom the story belongs.
Pleasingly, all the submissions have been fast-paced and have had a feasible Young Adult protagonist.
Problems in the synopsis have been:
· Going over word length
· Spending too little / too much of the word count on plot / character
· Not showing enough of the emotional life of the characters.
On the whole, though, the students have written fluently.
The amount of reading they have done has been a little disappointing. Lets hope that improves.
I am incredibly pleased with what they have managed to do. They all found it hard, but I think they would all acknowledge that they have grown through it. In every case, I have been impressed by an honest attempt at crafting a plot and with crystallizing that into a competent synopsis.
Showing posts with label synopses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label synopses. Show all posts
Friday, 3 April 2009
Sunday, 17 February 2008
Synopses
Synopses
There has been quite a bit of debate about this on Wordpool recently. Or was it SCBWI? Well, many of the same people on both. I’ve actually been on several courses, and had almost as many different versions of what makes a good synopsis.
I do struggle with them myself. I often feel that I’ve not go everything into them that the potential editor or agent needs to know. It isn’t just a matter of telling the plot. You have to get something of the atmosphere, the characters and the form of the novel across.
Only twice do I think I have got it absolutely right. Once was for “Nick’s Gallery”. The other was the Harry Bowling competition that I am entering. The latter needed 500 words and I wrote 480. The former was two sides of A4, double-spaced.
Some writers and editors will ask for specific things. But if you’re on your own, and you want to second guess what the potential editor wants to know, this is what I recommend.
First, you must get your story into one sentence, not more than two lines long – though you can have several clauses if you must. You should use this in your query letter anyway. I always find it a useful tool in keeping me on track as I write anyway. More often than not, the premise is hidden in that sentence as well.
One writer who talked to me about writing synopses suggested that you keep a chapter by chapter one as you write. You’ll have to edit down later, but it will remind you of what happens. And just a few publishers and agents do want a chapter by chapter account.
Always use the present tense. This is not a blurb. You do need to tell your reader what happens. Make sure what you describe has the right emphasis and the full story arc is revealed.
Remember also to mention something about the atmosphere you create and the personalities and motivations of the characters. Include also who you see as the reader and give a rough idea of word count.
There has been quite a bit of debate about this on Wordpool recently. Or was it SCBWI? Well, many of the same people on both. I’ve actually been on several courses, and had almost as many different versions of what makes a good synopsis.
I do struggle with them myself. I often feel that I’ve not go everything into them that the potential editor or agent needs to know. It isn’t just a matter of telling the plot. You have to get something of the atmosphere, the characters and the form of the novel across.
Only twice do I think I have got it absolutely right. Once was for “Nick’s Gallery”. The other was the Harry Bowling competition that I am entering. The latter needed 500 words and I wrote 480. The former was two sides of A4, double-spaced.
Some writers and editors will ask for specific things. But if you’re on your own, and you want to second guess what the potential editor wants to know, this is what I recommend.
First, you must get your story into one sentence, not more than two lines long – though you can have several clauses if you must. You should use this in your query letter anyway. I always find it a useful tool in keeping me on track as I write anyway. More often than not, the premise is hidden in that sentence as well.
One writer who talked to me about writing synopses suggested that you keep a chapter by chapter one as you write. You’ll have to edit down later, but it will remind you of what happens. And just a few publishers and agents do want a chapter by chapter account.
Always use the present tense. This is not a blurb. You do need to tell your reader what happens. Make sure what you describe has the right emphasis and the full story arc is revealed.
Remember also to mention something about the atmosphere you create and the personalities and motivations of the characters. Include also who you see as the reader and give a rough idea of word count.
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