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With any major writing project, which will include technical or creative works such as novels, one of the unique selling points of these projects will be the synopsis that accompanies it. The synopsis, as the term suggests, is a brief summary of the content of the document that has been written but its content will differ depending upon the type of writing genre. Ideally, it should comprise of between 100 and 250 words, with the former being closer to the target for creative writing.

For technical writing, particularly in the case of academic studies or large official reports, where the total document will probably not exceed more than 100,000 words, the synopsis will take the format of an abstract. This provides the reader with a brief summary relating to the content of the study, its importance and an overview of the research that has been conducted and the findings achieved from that research.

With books published in the technical, non-fiction and fiction genre, there will be a full synopsis, which is usually contained on either the back or front flysheet of a hardback book cover or on the back in the case of paperback editions. In the non-creative genres the synopsis will take a similar format to that mentioned in the previous paragraph, with the concentration in this case being upon the content of the publication and its appeal to the reader. For example, where the non-fiction book is related to a celebrity, the synopsis will provide enticing information about the individual concerned, perhaps in the form of some aspect of their life that might not be common knowledge.

With fiction and other creative genre the synopsis is intended to act as a hook or bait to arouse the interest of the reader. In this context, it will be designed to provide a summary of sufficient depth to encourage further reading, whilst at the same time not giving the conclusion of the plot away. Often in this situation the synopsis will conclude by posing questions that will catch the reader's interest or imagination. For example, with a love story, the synopsis might be constructed in a way that will see the two key characters beset by a number of problems. The final question left for the reader to discover, which can only be done by purchasing the book, is whether these two people eventually beat the challenges and end up together, happily ever after or, alternatively, if they fail in their quest to find love.

A really good fiction synopsis therefore should be constructed in such a way that within the opening few words it will immediately catch the potential readers attention. The main body of the synopsis should provide the reader with some interesting indication of the plot that will unfold during the course of the book and the ending should leave the reader wanting to learn more about what the eventual outcome of that plot will be.

Another area of importance in terms of synopsis, which has yet to be mentioned in this article, is related to that which is needed to be produced by the author aspiring to have their work accepted by a publisher. When submitting a manuscript for publication, rather than have to wade through and read the completed manuscript, most publishers and literary agents require the author to submit the first three chapters and a synopsis of the storyline or content of the finished book. In essence the same rules will apply for creating a synopsis in this situation, namely catch the attention of the reader immediately, provide enough of a hook within the body of the synopsis and a conclusion that leaves them wanting to read more and find out how the book will end.

Learn more about this author, Paul Lines.
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