The worst part about querying just got easier 🙌

Answering your questions about writing a compelling book synopsis

The most frustrated, confused, and frantic emails I get from querying authors aren’t about rejections, about how long agents are taking to respond, or about the dire state of the publishing industry.

Nope. They’re about the bane of every author’s existence: the synopsis.

Why is writing a synopsis harder than writing the book itself?

As much as they suck to write, a well-crafted synopsis isn’t just a bland summary — it’s a strategic tool that helps agents and editors understand your story’s arc and impact. Whether you’re confused about handling multiple storylines, whether to reveal a plot twist, or the purpose of the synopsis entirely, I’m here to help.

Today, I’m diving into what makes a strong synopsis and how to craft one that highlights your story effectively.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why do agents ask for a synopsis?

• How long should a synopsis be?

• What’s the proper format?

• Should you give away everything?

• How do you write a synopsis for a novel with multiple POVs and flashbacks?

• Should you mention sequels in your synopsis?

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Why do agents ask for a synopsis?

Not every agent requests a synopsis, but the ones who do use it to assess the overall viability of your plot. That way, they can evaluate from a bird’s-eye view if the story feels engaging and effective without having to read the entire manuscript itself.

Reading the synopsis gives them the gist of your story in a matter of minutes, whereas reading the full manuscript is an hours-long investment.

If the plot sounds interesting, fresh, and holds up from beginning to end, they’ll likely request to read more. But if the synopsis reveals major issues in the manuscript — for instance, if the story completely shifts focus halfway through, or the plot twist comes completely out of left field — they may not request to read the manuscript.

I know what you’re thinking: but it’s impossible to summarize my novel in a short (especially *gasp* one-page) document. But agents know that the synopsis is only covering the broad strokes and isn’t capturing all the nuances of your story. It isn’t meant to be a replacement for reading your story, but a tool to understand what it’s about at a high level.

Who are they key players? What are the main beats? What’s the sentiment of the ending?

How long should a synopsis be?

One reason there’s so much confusion around the synopsis is that there isn’t a standard length. For a novel or a query letter, there are clear length guidelines, but for a synopsis, the expectations vary widely — or aren’t stated at all.

Because of this ambiguity, I encourage authors to create two versions of their synopsis: