I’m doing my synopsis.
Again.
Of course I am. The day ends in a Y.
I’ve been doing this synopsis for the past two months now, ever since I left work. The first hurdle was in sitting down to write it. The second was trying to stop crying when I pasted it into Word and found out it was eighteen pages. The third was trying to edit it down to ten pages and getting only as far as fourteen. The fourth was having a tantrum, realising it wasn’t working, and trying to rewrite the whole thing in five pages. The fifth was in calling the inevitably ever-persistent sixth page all names under the sun as it refused to be flushed away, more self- assertive than a retrovirus. The sixth is today, having discovered one of the agents I’m targeting (that is if they’re still in business by the time I get this finished) requires a three page synopsis rather than a five.
Have you ever tried to reduce a 110,000 word novel into three pages? It’s like asking Lisa Riley to wear a bikini. If it was meant to happen it would, but since it isn’t it just looks wrong and unnatural and watching the process makes you want to cry. I need an underwriter so I can do what I quit full time work to do in the first place. The longer I spend trimming the fringe of this novel rather than curling its locks, the more it becomes an unwanted child. “I’m going to quit my job so I can write synopses, again and again.”
I need more coffee. Instant coffee turns my stomach but so does editing. Let’s put the kettle on, put another Kirsty on, and pluck a few more feathers off this albatross.
Midday. Oh goddess.
Ben
When I studied the Holocaust in the Fall of 2006, my professor made us write "Precis" that were no more than 1500 words based on reading "Chapters" of material.
He was very strict on word count, When I read this, I was reminded of the subject of "Precis" a short synopsis based on poited material from the reading. Leaving all non-sensical informaiton out and focusing on the meat of the reading.
You might try this and see if you cannot come inside your word count. Do not despair and keep writing.
Jeremy
Alas, if only it were an academic piece, or even genre fiction. The novel is literary fiction, and thus much more dependent on character than plot. Thus it’s difficult to know what’s critical and what’s superflous because the whole novel is about the emotional journey the characters go through.
Thanks for the advice though, and particularly the encouragement – much needed. I’m at three and a half pages now, but I fear I’ll be having to continually edit this until it’s on the back of a Kit Kat wrapper.
I’m just not a big picture person. I like details, exquisite little details.
Get drunk. Do it to a copy of the synopsis. Look the next day to see if any of the more ‘mind-liberated’ reductions are worth keeping.
hey ben
If you need another set of eyes I’d be happy to look over anything and be your virtual underwriter !
SX
Tempting my dear, thank you! I may very well take you up on that.
I’ve been working on this so long I can’t see the Ts for their crosses anymore.