<– (That’s what I looked like while I was writing my synopsis)

So, after much angsting on my part (ok, that isn’t a word, but it should be) I’ve decided to enter the “Put Your Heart In A Book” contest through the NJ Romance Writers.   The finalists in the category I’m entering are judged by people that I would love LOVE to work with.   While it is presumptuous to think I’ll even make it that far, I figured now’s as good of a time as any to get myself started.  So, I decided to dive in.

The only problem with this decision is that I had to write a synopsis.

Ugh.

The mere thought of writing a synopsis has filled me with terror.  I’m writing a book that will end up somewhere between 90-100K long.  How in the name of all that is good in the world am I going to condense that into a few pages and still make sense?

*shudder*

But, the deadline for the contest is June 15 so I needed to get going on it.

What does one do when they are faced with a task so enormous they don’t feel they can do it on their own?  Why, of course!  I checked the internet!

Here are a few websites I found useful, for your future synopsis writing needs:

1)      http://lirw.org/synopsis.html - This site was by far the most beneficial to me.  The author broke down the synopsis writing process into an exercise in answering 10 questions (hey, I can even answer 10 questions).  Then, the darling person gave me an example using “Beauty and the Beast.”  Ten easy questions and an example from a children’s movie?  That’s right!  It was as if they were writing right at me!  I went through and answered the questions and though it gave me a bare bare bones outline of my story, it was a great beginning. 

2)       http://www.writing-world.com/publish/synopsis.shtml - This site suggested creating an outline first, then instilling the outline with more enthusiastic description.   It also contains a list of don’t dos that helped me.

3)      http://www.fictionwriters.com/tips-synopsis.html  - This site included a checklist that helped me out and some basic guidelines.  It was a short article which I found beneficial because I get ADD when I read how-to stuff

After reading through these sites, I had some direction and started plugging away.  But, my first draft was, well, boring.  Really boring.  Then, one of my darling pirate wenches told me that my voice was one of my strengths and I should try to add that in there.

What, my synopsis should reflect me?  Revolutionary, I say!

But, it definitely helped, though I think I should check it out again, now that a day has gone by since I read it last.

It has helped that I started writing the thing a week ago.  Giving myself some time to leave it and come back a few times has helped me because I keep finding places to revise.

My last suggestion for you all is to check the contest website for any scoresheet/guidelines they give you.  I know that sounds self-explanatory but the PYHIAB contest has a part of their scoresheet devoted to the synopsis.  Referencing it helped me to focus my synopsis.

Have you written a synopsis?  If so, how was the process?  Any suggestions you can add to mine?  Any websites you found particularly helpful?  Did you just read my post and stick your fingers in your ears mumbling, “la la la, I can’t hear you, la la la!!”?