Query or Synopsis--or Both?

In a query, should the synopsis tell the whole story in a short form or should it leave mystery to the story like on the back of the book?

Queries and synopses are different things. A query should never include a synopsis.

A query is a one-page letter that explains what you’ve written, who you are, and why the agent or publisher should consider your work. A query letter will contain a pitch, which is an explanation of your story in 3-8 sentences. It’s like the text you see on the back of a DVD box. It’s designed to pique your interest. A pitch, like the back of a book or DVD, will not spill the beans regarding the ending.

A synopsis is a front-to-back telling of what happens in your story. It’s like sitting down with a 12-year-old and explaining your entire story in about five minutes. You explain who the characters are, what the conflict is, the three acts and, finally, what happens at the end (e.g., the villain dies). So, in a synopsis, you do indeed give away the ending. You would not do so in a pitch, and a pitch is what appears in a query. A publisher will probably ask for a synopsis IF your query has grabbed their attention.

Remember: First the query then and only then, IF REQUESTED, the synopsis.

Query (Pitch) vs. Synopsis

In a query, should the synopsis tell the whole story in a short form or should it leave mystery to the story like on the back of the book?

Queries and synopses are different things. A query should never include a synopsis.

A query is a one-page letter that explains what you’ve written, who you are, and why the agent or publisher should consider your work. A query letter will contain a pitch, which is an explanation of your story in 3-8 sentences. It’s like the text you see on the back of a DVD box. It’s designed to pique your interest. A pitch, like the back of a book or DVD, will not spill the beans regarding the ending.

A synopsis is a front-to-back telling of what happens in your story. It’s like sitting down with a 12-year-old and explaining your entire story in about five minutes. You explain who the characters are, what the conflict is, the three acts and, finally, what happens at the end (e.g., the villain dies). So, in a synopsis, you do indeed give away the ending. You would not do so in a pitch, and a pitch is what appears in a query. A publisher will probably ask for a synopsis if your query has grabbed their attention

Query/Pitch/Synopsis

Queries, pitches  and synopses are different things.

A query is a one-page letter that explains what you’ve written, who you are, and why the agent should represent you or publisher should consider your book. In a query letter will be a pitch, which is an explanation of your story in 3-5 sentences. It’s like the text you see on the back of a DVD box. It’s designed to pique your interest. A pitch, like the back of a book or DVD, will not spill the beans regarding the ending.

A synopsis is a front-to-back telling of what happens in your story. It’s like sitting down with a 12-year-old and explaining your entire story in about five minutes. You explain who the characters are, what the conflict is, the three acts, and finally, what happens at the end (e.g., the villain dies). In a synopsis, you do indeed give away the ending. You would not do so in a pitch, and a pitch is what appears in a query.

What is a synopsis?

 A synopsis is an outline of the plot of a book that is 2-5 pages with from 500-1250 words. If your synopsis is 25-30 pages long, the agent or editor might lose interest after the first 5, so be succinct. You don’t want your reader to fall asleep.

When you write a synopsis, first start with your pitch summary from the blurb on the back of your book cover. After the pitch summary, then write the full synopsis using a paragraph for each plot point and tell the ending.

Pointers for your synopsis:

1. Keep your language clear and active, and focus on telling the story. As your plot unfolds, write it the way you would tell about a movie to a friend, skip the dull parts and hit the main highlights.
2. Start at the first scene in the book with the main character: “From the moment she woke on that chilly February morning, Savannah Smith knew without a doubt that she would divorce her husband.”
3. Show the beginning, middle, and end with main character conflicts and resolutions. Don’t get bogged down in details. Stick to a few main characters – perhaps the protagonist and antagonist and make their core conflicts and their emotional ups and downs, with their twists and turns.
4. When you introduce a new character, give a quick character sketch: “Burly Jones is a 36-year-old workaholic whose biggest joys in life are horseshoes, women, and his motorcycle, not necessarily in that order.”
5. Include, perhaps, one piece of dialogue between the protagonist and the antagonist to give evidence of the tone of the story.