tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post41918786742036402..comments2024-03-17T02:30:04.788-06:00Comments on Shallee McArthur: 5 Steps to Writing a Synopsis for your Book with as Little Pain as PossibleShalleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09907680428735740943noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-67026353323714882392020-06-16T06:25:37.973-06:002020-06-16T06:25:37.973-06:00I like your writing style really loving this websi...<br />I like your writing style really loving this website .<br /><br /><a href="http://mcphedranbadside.com/words-xx-adventurer/" rel="nofollow"> Literature </a>MC Phedran Mybadsidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12374153315119558390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-67375377265731081792012-06-19T11:36:47.238-06:002012-06-19T11:36:47.238-06:00Great tips.Great tips.Peaches Ledwidgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13406881743264774589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-40557072086558053422012-05-17T15:28:44.098-06:002012-05-17T15:28:44.098-06:00I'm coming back next week to have this post by...I'm coming back next week to have this post by my side while I write my three paragraph synopsis to submit my novel! So, so helpful - thanks!Lara Schiffbauerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13546286607078965432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-85218838060824194982012-05-16T19:09:05.291-06:002012-05-16T19:09:05.291-06:00You always have such helpful posts! This is bookma...You always have such helpful posts! This is bookmarked for future reference!KM Nallehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06714392426676743868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-52793442011780164642012-05-16T18:43:05.003-06:002012-05-16T18:43:05.003-06:00Last year I wrote three synopses for my first Russ...Last year I wrote three synopses for my first Russian historical novel—a very long one, a medium-sized one, and a short one. The longest one included all the characters and subplots, while the shortest one only included the most essential characters and events. Given that the book is just a tad bit shorter than Anna Karenina, I think it was a pretty good feat to be able to boil it all down to only 7 pages. I think the synopsis for my contemporary historical Bildungsroman, which is roughly the same length of The Brothers Karamazov, is about the same length.Carrie-Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05810154378449825641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-31651614098266456362012-05-16T15:02:09.522-06:002012-05-16T15:02:09.522-06:00I haven't written a synopsis before, but am bo...I haven't written a synopsis before, but am bookmarking this for when I inevitably have to. So, so helpful. Thanks, Shallee! :)Emy Shinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06841308748068494839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-89316261679252130502012-05-16T13:24:26.344-06:002012-05-16T13:24:26.344-06:00Thank you so much, Shallee! I'm going to need ...Thank you so much, Shallee! I'm going to need to write a synopsis soon, and this advice is exactly what I needed. Good luck with querying!Meredithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00462382909938737612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-150716833697039452012-05-16T11:00:45.832-06:002012-05-16T11:00:45.832-06:00I found synopsis a huge torture and it showed when...I found synopsis a huge torture and it showed when my CP pointed out what I had done. She then sent me a dozen links to great synopsis writing and I managed to write one with a lot of effort.<br /><br />Good luck with your synopsis and querying. Saying a small prayer for your success, Shallee.Rachna Chhabriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16900999965919504282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-61799366166912892042012-05-16T08:30:29.416-06:002012-05-16T08:30:29.416-06:00Good luck with your query and synopsis. I think bo...Good luck with your query and synopsis. I think both are more frightening ahead of time. Once you get into it, writing is writing. Fingers crossed that you get an agent or publisher.Elizabeth Varadan, Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01708206753256682635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-44140040855455937822012-05-16T06:04:48.403-06:002012-05-16T06:04:48.403-06:00this is awesome! printing it!this is awesome! printing it!Tara Tylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07587802105993889515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-74628394072243311062012-05-15T20:50:55.775-06:002012-05-15T20:50:55.775-06:00I love the 7 points - they remind me of Blake Snyd...I love the 7 points - they remind me of Blake Snyder's "Beat Sheet" in a lot of ways. I don't like writing synopsis. But I have a chapter heading/summary for each chapter while I'm drafting, too! I never thought to use that to draft a synopsis - thanks!Daisy Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17735098333414333404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-4253495607506030842012-05-15T20:09:02.973-06:002012-05-15T20:09:02.973-06:00These are great! I recently wrote a synopsis, and ...These are great! I recently wrote a synopsis, and one tip that helped me was to only use the names of three characters: the protagonist, the love interest (if there is one) or best friend, and the antagonist. This helped me narrow the focus since it's difficult to cut the sub-plots.Adriennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07258263307771178398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-57453934200775221402012-05-15T18:47:06.636-06:002012-05-15T18:47:06.636-06:00Thanks for the tips! I'm almost to the submiss...Thanks for the tips! I'm almost to the submission stage and I'm worried about all the new experiences. But with this great advice, maybe it won't be too bad. ;)AVDutsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06068169781166515350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-27258944801785173112012-05-15T18:37:01.122-06:002012-05-15T18:37:01.122-06:00Ooh, I missed that one, Emily! Darn! Simplifying t...Ooh, I missed that one, Emily! Darn! Simplifying the plot for both query and synopsis writing is definitely a hard thing to do, and something I could keep learning more about.Shalleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09907680428735740943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-2458643633999269812012-05-15T18:06:30.297-06:002012-05-15T18:06:30.297-06:00I'm weird because I like writing synopses. I&#...I'm weird because I like writing synopses. I'd rather write a synopsis over a query letter any day.<br /><br />At Storymakers the pitch class gave an overview of how to simplify the plot for a great synopsis. Did you get a chance to take that class?<br /><br />Good luck with querying!Emily R. Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03892444969625637064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-37901695267015665402012-05-15T15:15:20.857-06:002012-05-15T15:15:20.857-06:00Great tips! I wrote my first ever synopsis for an ...Great tips! I wrote my first ever synopsis for an editor critique at a conference and it was hard! I loved Dan Well's videos and used it to plot my book. Going back to it to write my synopsis was helpful.<br /><br />I'll be querying pretty soon too. Good luck! :)Ghenet Myrthilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12621168379560585094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-1167686983452936572012-05-15T14:13:53.886-06:002012-05-15T14:13:53.886-06:00This is a fantastic post, Shallee, that every writ...This is a fantastic post, Shallee, that every writer should read. (Also, great video.) Thank you for sharing. It hit at just the right time, when I was editing my WIP.Kittie Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07756250649095903317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-43041167546223198772012-05-15T13:36:57.067-06:002012-05-15T13:36:57.067-06:00Oh, and good luck with your querying! How exciting...Oh, and good luck with your querying! How exciting!!!A.L. Sonnichsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11358456786727534289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-85829090913772128692012-05-15T13:36:29.245-06:002012-05-15T13:36:29.245-06:00I hate synopses!! :)
These are great tips, Shalle...I hate synopses!! :)<br /><br />These are great tips, Shallee. <br /><br />It seems like pitches and synopses never go away, even when you have an agent. I still have to write them for the subsequent books I've written (since the one I signed with) ... but it does get easier with practice.A.L. Sonnichsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11358456786727534289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-65147967218265912682012-05-15T12:04:07.727-06:002012-05-15T12:04:07.727-06:00Excellent rundown. I'll have to give these tip...Excellent rundown. I'll have to give these tips a shot next time I draft a synopsis (heck - I'll try them out on the ones I have). Thanks for the suggestion! :)David P. Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17259276981865439853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-13217893752340490612012-05-15T11:37:35.288-06:002012-05-15T11:37:35.288-06:00Great info. You know what I found really helpful w...Great info. You know what I found really helpful was to get a few people who hadn't read my book to read my synopsis. That way I could find out if someone who didn't know the story could follow the synopsis.Angela Cothranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09243582290698922119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-80565329753037761742012-05-15T11:19:51.065-06:002012-05-15T11:19:51.065-06:00I had to write one last night! I think it was one ...I had to write one last night! I think it was one of the worst evenings I've had in recent memory. And I am pretty sure it sucketh, but an agent asked for it, and what was I going to say, "Isn't the query good enough?" :0.Jessie Humphrieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05950401078130239174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-13606438541276188962012-05-15T10:41:31.008-06:002012-05-15T10:41:31.008-06:00Perfect timing! I'm getting close to querying ...Perfect timing! I'm getting close to querying too, so I know I'm going to have to do this. I've been putting it off. :)Ruth Jossehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08664678990038670303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-58153301818025282292012-05-15T10:15:41.741-06:002012-05-15T10:15:41.741-06:00I've just started working on writing synopses ...I've just started working on writing synopses and I was having trouble, so this is really great advice! I love the idea of having scene/chapter headings. I'll have to try that.Laurenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15292139796803739003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-26791888736686081852012-05-15T08:54:53.437-06:002012-05-15T08:54:53.437-06:00Good post. I have a difficult time writing a snyno...Good post. I have a difficult time writing a snynopsis so this should help.Randyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16621043763559564251noreply@blogger.com