Synopses - Don't Like 'Em

Is there anything worse than having to condense your beautifully crafted novel into a page of text? It is my least favourite part of writing.

I even enjoy writing a tag line or blurb more than I like the synopsis. I'm finding myself browsing on Twitter and Facebook or writing blog posts instead of sitting down and just focusing on the synopsis.

It's so easy to write! All I have to do is read through the book and write what happens. It's that simple. I can make the synopsis more streamlined after that and only include what's actually important to the plot, but it's just the act of doing it that I'm finding painful.

Actually, I got so into reading what I'd written that I forgot to add to the synopsis!

I suppose I'm lucky that I have an awful memory so reading my own book is sometimes like reading something brand new. I don't remember what the characters have done or said and I really enjoy finding out. I also start editing as I'm going along which I really shouldn't because I don't even know if I'm going to keep that scene or completely rewrite it all together!

Another part of writing the synopsis that I find tricky, is that the book makes perfect sense to me. I know why my hero is sulky or why the door was locked, because it's my world and my ideas, but sometimes I forget that the reader can't actually look inside my head and understand perfectly what's going on.

Also, I printed out my novel, ready to edit but while I've been going through it to write the synopsis, I've been changing things. This means, I'm going to have to print it out again.

The first synopsis I'm writing is a dry one, one that simply says what happens in the book. The next one will be an ideal synopsis, with everything happening in the correct order and all character arcs perfectly aligned.

One thing I don't think I have in my book, is a subplot. I think I do need one, but I'm not entirely sure where to put it or how to write it in. Also, I am dangerously close to the maximum word count for a middle grade science fiction novel. If I add too much, something else will have to get the snip and I don't want to do that.

I'd best get on with writing this synopsis...