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If you’ve written a novel and want to get it published — traditionally or through a literary agent — you’ll need one powerful tool: the novel synopsis.
It’s not just a summary.
It’s your story’s pitch in prose — a compact, compelling, spoiler-filled document that shows exactly what happens, who it happens to, and why it matters.
Whether you’re preparing to query agents, hire an editor, or pitch a publisher, this blog will guide you through how to write a novel synopsis step by step — with examples, format tips, and expert strategies to help your story shine. 📚
✅ What Is a Novel Synopsis?
A novel synopsis is a 1–2-page document that outlines the main characters, plot, and key events of your novel — including the ending.
It’s not a blurb or a back cover summary. A synopsis is factual, concise, and reveals spoilers. It explains what your story is about, start to finish, to help agents or publishers assess your plot, pacing, character arcs, and writing style.
📌 Why Is a Synopsis Important?
| Purpose | Explanation |
| 🎯 For Literary Agents | They assess your storytelling structure before reading the full manuscript. |
| 🏛️ For Publishers | Editors use it to evaluate marketability and genre fit. |
| 🛠️ For Ghostwriters/Editors | Helps professionals understand your narrative direction. |
| 🔍 For Self-Publishing | Clarifies your story before launching a marketing plan. |
A well-written synopsis proves you can tell a complete, compelling story — not just write beautiful sentences. It shows your novel has a strong arc, real stakes, and satisfying closure.
✨ How Long Should a Synopsis Be?
Here’s a general guideline based on publishing expectations:
| Type | Word Count |
| Short Synopsis (Query) | 300–500 words |
| Full Synopsis (Agent) | 500–800 words |
| Extended Synopsis | 1,000–1,200 words |
For this blog, we’ll focus on writing a full synopsis (approx. one to two single-spaced pages).
🧭 Step-by-Step: How to Write a Novel Synopsis
Writing a synopsis might feel like butchering your story’s soul 😅 — but don’t worry. Follow these steps, and you’ll shape it into something powerful and professional.
🪞 Step 1: Start with the Basics
Begin your synopsis with the title, genre, word count, and author name.
Example:
Title: The Glass Empire
Genre: Dystopian Fantasy
Word Count: 92,000
Author: Aiman Noor
This makes your synopsis immediately clear and easy to file for agents or publishers.
🎭 Step 2: Introduce Your Protagonist
Start your first paragraph by naming your protagonist and establishing their normal world. Highlight:
- Who are they?
- What they want
- What’s holding them back
👉 Avoid vague descriptors. Be specific and clear.
Example:
Seventeen-year-old Elara Vale, a quiet orphan living in the smog-choked Lower Tiers of the Glass Empire, wants only one thing: to escape to the Surface before the annual purge arrives.
🌪️ Step 3: Present the Inciting Incident
Next, introduce the moment that disrupts the protagonist’s world and forces them to act. This should happen in your novel’s first few chapters.
Example:
When Elara’s younger brother is marked for extermination, she volunteers for a brutal intelligence test — unaware it’s a recruitment tool for the rebellion.
This creates tension and immediately shows rising stakes.
🪜 Step 4: Show Key Turning Points
Now we enter the meat of your synopsis — the middle of the story.
Outline the key plot twists, revelations, and complications. Each major turning point should show how your protagonist:
- Change their goals
- Encounters new obstacles
- Is forced to make difficult decisions
✍️ Keep your prose tight and in the third-person present tense. Even if your book is written in the first-person past tense, your synopsis should remain objective and current.
🎯 Step 5: Include Supporting Characters
You don’t need to list every side character. Focus only on those who:
- Change the plot
- Deepen the protagonist’s arc
- Represent major stakes (love interest, villain, mentor, rival)
Give their names, roles, and why they matter.
Example:
With help from Cassian, a rebellious Surface-born spy with ties to the regime, Elara infiltrates the capital’s data hub — risking both their lives to uncover the Empire’s real secret: the Surface is dying, too.
⚔️ Step 6: Show the Climax
This is where many writers hesitate, but yes, you MUST include the ending.
Agents and editors want to know the full arc. No cliffhangers.
Lay out the final confrontation, climax, and resolution.
Example:
In a desperate final move, Elara exposes the Empire’s lies in a hacked broadcast — igniting a civil uprising. Cassian sacrifices himself to help her escape, and Elara is elected to lead a new democratic alliance.
🌅 Step 7: End with Resolution
Conclude your synopsis by demonstrating how the protagonist has undergone internal transformation, rather than merely recounting their actions.
Example:
Elara begins the story as a terrified girl hiding in the shadows. She ends it as a symbol of hope — willing to speak, lead, and risk everything for others.
This emotional growth gives your synopsis heart. 💗
✨ Key Elements Your Synopsis Should Include
To recap, your synopsis should communicate:
| Element | Purpose |
| 🎭 Protagonist | Who is the main character, and what do they want? |
| 🧨 Inciting Incident | What disrupts their normal world? |
| 🧗 Major Turning Points | What happens as they pursue their goal? |
| 😈 Antagonist or Stakes | What’s working against them and why does it matter? |
| 🔥 Climax | What is the big confrontation or decision? |
| 🌈 Resolution | How do they change by the end? |
📚 Tips To Make Your Synopsis Stand Out
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you revise your draft:
✅ Keep it chronological — Don’t jump around in time. Start at the beginning and move forward.
✅ Use clear language — Avoid flowery prose. This is a summary, not a sample chapter.
✅ Stay objective — Don’t sell the story (“This is a thrilling tale of love and betrayal”). Just tell it.
✅ Be spoiler-rich — Agents hate vague or secretive synopses. Spill the beans.
✅ Trim backstory — Focus on action and consequence. Only include backstory if it impacts the plot.
💡 Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here’s what NOT to do:
❌ Writing in first person
❌ Using passive voice
❌ Including too many names
❌ Skipping the ending
❌ Making it longer than 2 pages
❌ Writing like a blurb (“This thrilling tale will keep readers guessing!”)
📈 Using Your Synopsis for Publishing, Editing, and Marketing
Your novel synopsis isn’t just for agents — it’s useful across your publishing journey.
Ghostwriters use synopses to align plot direction before starting drafts.
Developmental editors assess character arcs and pacing.
Publishing teams build marketing strategies around key themes.
Self-publishing authors use it to clarify their story before writing a blurb or ad copy.
So don’t just think of your synopsis as a query tool. Think of it as your novel’s blueprint for success.
🛠️ Final Checklist Before You Submit
Use this quick list before sending your synopsis:
- ✅ Is it under 1,000 words?
- ✅ Does it include your title, genre, and word count?
- ✅ Is it written in the third-person present tense?
- ✅ Does it reveal the full story arc?
- ✅ Are character motivations and stakes clear?
- ✅ Have you trimmed unnecessary subplots or side characters?
- ✅ Is the writing clean, typo-free, and well-paced?
If you said yes to all, you’re ready! 🚀
🎉 You’ve Got This!
Writing a synopsis can feel like distilling your soul into bullet points — but it doesn’t have to be painful. By approaching it methodically, staying objective, and letting your story speak for itself, you’ll craft a synopsis that sells your novel’s narrative power.
Whether you’re submitting to agents, marketing your book, or hiring a ghostwriter or editor, your synopsis is your story’s handshake — make it firm, focused, and unforgettable.
