Writing the Synopsis
No MFA is required. I fumbled and bumbled into what made sense for my novel.
Author Life
Writing the Synopsis
I am embarrassed by my first query, sent in March 2024. I did not know how to write a synopsis.
The Synopsis is a brief summary or general survey of something.
My initial take, quoted below, was good for neither.
The gods created Sinha forcing him to be of two worlds, that of man and animal. He is rejected by both. As a pawn of karma, he is drawn to those with whom he has had a past. When a long-lived demon with a fierce grudge resurfaces, will he be able to protect those he loves?
As I received feedback for my work through conferences and writer’s groups, I became more confident in my topic and pitch. I participated in pitch events, hoping to unlock that magic formula and show an agent that my book was mature and worth noticing.
That my writing could use some work was evident. I am grateful to the minority of literary agents who answer queries with some advice for budding authors.
My final drafts were written AFTER I made major revisions to my work. I needed some significant elements of my story to solidify. I had to decide what stakes would be more pronounced. I began to look deeper into the story I had written.
A caution: Reading agent #MSWLs can be misleading. There are many limitations or specific wants that need to be fulfilled by an MS. For example, I have a talking cat. Some agents reject the notion of a talking animal or animal death. I had to learn what a content warning and trigger warning were. I have strong female characters, but my main protagonist and antagonists are male. Not having a female lead feels like an obstacle to getting published.
Why is it essential to read #MSWLs? To tailor the query letter synopsis to the literary agent. Some agents know the historical significance of what I write, but to some, it’s foreign.
