Blurb or Synopsis? Which Is It?

The difference between a synopsis and a blurb is that the synopsis is a brief summary of the major points of a story, while the blurb is a short description of a book and used for promotional purposes.

• The blurb is the elevator pitch for your story
• The synopsis is the summary of your book
• The blurb hints at the story and leaves you with questions
• The synopsis maps out the entire story, including the end
• The blurb is what you use to sell your book to readers
• The synopsis is what you use to pitch your book to reviewers
• Your blurb will be on the back of your book
• Your synopsis will be part of your press kit and manuscript applications

In short, you use the blurb on the back of your book to make it exciting to readers. You use the synopsis to explain your entire story to reviewers (agents, editors, or influencers). If you can write a synopsis, you have a head start on a book blurb.

So, how do you write a synopsis? It's no secret that authors can write hundreds of pages of enthralling story, but can't summarize the story to save their life!
Here are 5 tips to help you on your way...

BTW, I have listed some affiliate links to helpful books I recommend. If you purchase one of the books, you help me AND the author pay the bills. So, thank you in advance!

1. Keep it to a long brief.
The purpose of a synopsis is to give an agent/editor/reviewer a full overlook on how your story starts, carries through, and ends. Yes, that means you give away the ending and plot twists. They want to know exactly where your story is going, and how you’re going to pull it off. With that in mind, it should obviously be longer than the blurb, but no longer than 5 pages. Even if you have a 3 book series you are pitching, your synopsis should be kept between 3-5 pages.

2. Keep your characters interesting.
If you're using words like “warrior,” “dragon rider,” or “moody high schooler,” then we need to have a talk... These nouns are fine so long as they are paired with interesting identifiers, such as “knife-obsessed,” “dragon egg thief,” or “reluctant rock collector.” Describing my character as "Keegan is a cynical warrior, orphaned at a young age and adopted by a dragon" doesn't make nearly the impression as "Keegan is the daydreaming Dragon's Son who is terrified of dragons and has eye-rolling disbelief in sincerity or integrity from his fellow man". (Did I just struggle for a solid hour to write that? Yes I did. Do I like it at all? No. No I don't.) Don’t let your character be defined only by their mood, title, enemy, and quest. What makes your character—human or otherwise—unique? How can you work their quirks into a single sentence that explains them?

3. Keep it snappy!
Agents don’t need to know that “Keegan woke up from a dream, ate breakfast, woke the boys, got fishing tackle together, and went to the river only to run into a monster” Rather, they’ll need to know that your character “went to the river with the kids for the day, where they were ambushed by a monster”. Yes, you are supposed to explain your entire plot, but don't bore us with endless details. Just the important stuff! Use active voice, keep it interesting, and reveal only the major beats (and read THIS BOOK if you don't know what a beat is). Those reading the synopsis should never be bored; rather, they should be excited.

4. Keep it easy to understand.
This is SO important if your story is SciFi or Fantasy. SFF plots can be twisty-turny, character lists can be long, and magic can be overwhelming to explain. Do your best to make it clear, as if you are telling a child the quick version of your story without loosing their interest. Keep it clear. Keep it concise. Remember that your readers aren't dumb, but they don't know your story like you do. They want to be excited about your story, not confused. They want a good reason to read the entire book.

5. Keep it flowing. 
A synopsis should be an easy, fun read. Does each paragraph make you automatically flow to the next? Does it provide a memorable fact about your characters or plot? Ask yourself these questions to avoid telling versus showing. Keep your synopsis concise, but entertaining. You are a story teller! Tell us the quick story. Apply the same writing style you use in your manuscript. If it helps, write the synopsis like a letter to a friend. I once wrote a synopsis to one of my characters in the story, explaining it in such a way that they would be excited to get to the end, instead of stabbing me to death! However you do it, I recommend you read it out loud to yourself... like, a lot. Make sure it flows smoothly, makes the characters sound fun, explains the plot points clearly, and is exciting.

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Want to learn how to really break your novel down and explain it inside and out? I recommend you get a copy of Save The Cat! Writes A Novel and read it till you are dreaming about it. It comes with helpful sheets and tips, and really walks you through how to find the "beats" in your story. Trust me, this is one book you won't regret owning.
? Click the image to get it now or save it for later!

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