Jay's Synopsis Formula will work on your novel.

[AliceShiki]

Oh, I liked this, I always struggled with writing the Synopsis, so I might use this as a guideline~

Thanks for sharing~

 

[Freesia.Cutepearl]

You replied to my thread. I read your post but I feel like I'm doing it wrong or something because there are so many possibilities but many of them involve spoilers, and the most simplistic answers seem misleading for what the actual long term plans are, as well as the fact there are going to be a series of things to overcome.

1. Who's the MC? Taylor/Lilith Everhart
2. What is he/she they about? (their normal thing) Depends on reference point
3. What is the conflict that broke up the normal? No sufficiently defined reference, expanding scope involves spoilers
4. How do they attempt to resolve the conflict? There is no 'singular' conflict, needs a reference point, also spoilers

Edit: Thinking a bit more, the problem I am running into is the fact that when you're trying to summarize the story, you have a whole range of time to deal with. Depending on what you pick, the results can change drastically. And I don't want to pick something that seems to misrepresent the premise. But I also don't want to make the scope large enough to involve spoilers. (this might not be a problem for some stories but it seems like it can be one when you are considering potentially many months to years of events, even more if you include influencing factors which lead to certain events. )

 

[JayDirex]

nah. you're overthinking it, lol. I tell you what. why don't you go ahead and write a full page synopsis using my formula, and then DM it to me. I guarantee you I can chop it down to blurb size.

trust me it's not your story it's just in your author's mind you have this entire world building event that spans 15 volumes that can't be summed up into two sentences.

But I guarantee you every other author up here will tell you: No worries, bro, you're just overthinking it. (The entire Lord of the rings trilogy can summed up as "a quest for a ring of power" so take it easy bro, you ain't Tolkien) @Freesia.Cutepearl

 

[Freesia.Cutepearl]

nah. you're overthinking it, lol. I tell you what. why don't you go ahead and write a full page synopsis using my formula, and then DM it to me. I guarantee you I can chop it down to blurb size.
...
(The entire Lord of the rings trilogy can summed up as "a quest for a ring of power" so take it easy bro, you ain't Tolkien) @Freesia.Cutepearl

You are definitely right about overthinking, it's a HUGE problem for me, makes it difficult to be concise. I'm terrible at figuring out the important bits in anything.

Thank you for your help. I will DM you later when I get something written. I'm not sure if you mean for me to include spoilers or not, or just, what I feel is enough to cover the initial premise without giving too much away.

I do like your template system, btw, I just feel like a dummy who- 'brain no worky', so I failed to apply it properly. Just wanted to be clear on that! It's a neat idea!

 

[OliviaMyriad]

Would you say the type of story/genre affects the formula in any way?

 

[IDreamNovels]

My novel's synopsis follows the same formula. But I was thinking of changing it a bit. Because I felt it wasn't good enough.

 

[MajorKerina]

My flaws tend to be bevity because I'll come out with an idea which is like -

---
Four high schoolers are ripped from their normal lives by a powerful being and forced to save a fantasy world that oddly reminds them of home and may bring apocalyptic consequences for everyone they love. Foretold and planned by the mysterious hand guiding them; one will make a terrible mistake, one will lose everything that matters to them, one will face a horrible choice, and one will endure the ultimate sacrifice of their life to complete the Quest.
----

That's me trying to stretch it out. Seem okay?

Another I'm sussing out is

---
It's Halloween in Frostwell's little corner of the Great Lakes and fresh mysteries abound. A young man helping out his grandparents soon finds himself suddenly sharing the life of his cousin, Lacy. These and other strange events in town will twist everything they know upside down.
---
End note I want to include for readers
[Set in the same location as <another story of mine> but not the same universe].

I feel like I'm not giving enough because just "turning their worlds upside down" is bland and stock but basically they will do a Freaky Friday and other people will change too and various magical antics and I'm just hinting at all that. Drama and light hearted antic tales tend to be harder to map out into a fulfilling synopsis, as well as those with many mysteries.

 

[Danja]

Don't tell me what to do
I'm going to have a single sentence synopsis that ends with a question and you can't make me change it

I'm with you.

I don't like giving too much of my story away.

 

[DireBadger]

This is a decent set of starting rules.

I suggest people learn them, that way when you set out to subvert them, you will know what you are doing (rubs hands together gleefully)

 

[CharlesEBrown]

The problem with formulae is that they look... formulaic.

 

[CarburetorThompson]

Bro is a legendary SSS rank necromancer

 

[OokamiKasumi]

This is actually an answer to an earlier thread, but it's best to share as a full thread. Why? Because it works. It does not matter if your story is slice of life about a GENDER-BENT BLOB OF ENERGY. My synopsis formula works. All you have to do is answer these FOUR QUESTIONS and you can create a great synopsis.

1. Who's the MC?
2. What is he/she they about? (their normal thing)
3. What is the conflict that broke up the normal?
4. How do they attempt to resolve the conflict?

____________________________________________________________________________ EXAMPLE- TWO OF MINE___________________

Story: The Villainous Lee Twins

1. Who's the MC? The Twins, Bro and Sis.
2. What is he/she they about? (their normal thing) Kick ass Bounty Hunters/wild pair.
3. What is the conflict that broke up the normal? A high-risk bounty job goes wrong, now crews trying to kill them.
4. How do they attempt to resolve the conflict? Lock-load and shoot their way out- who knows if they lives or dies

SYNOPSIS- notice how each question is answered in order below:

In this action packed shoot-em-up! (1) We meet gutsy twin bounty hunters, Bro and Sis. (2) A wild pair who thrive on snaring high-reward fugitives. (3) But one day a dangerous job goes violently wrong, and the twins become the target of two murderous crews out to kill the bounty they're transporting. (4) Now trapped between warring sides, BULLETS FLY as the siblings go full metal jacket to guard their bounty and stay alive!
Assassin girls, Baka Twins, Battle Rifles, Crime, Action Packed!!

______________________________________

Story: Rica Wants Him Dead

1. Who's the MC? Teen Ko
2. What is he/she they about? (their normal thing) Kick butt Assassin, one of the best.
3. What is the conflict that broke up the normal? He rescued a mob boss kidnapped daughter, now bad-dudes trying to kill him
4. How does he attempt to resolve the conflict? Seeks help from dangerous girl from his past- who knows if he lives or dies.


SYNOPSIS- notice how each question is answered in order below:

In this Crime/Drama/Romance- (1)We meet Teen Assassin, Ko. (2) One of the best in the business. (3) After rescuing a Korean mob boss’s five year old daughter from kidnappers he becomes a hunted man in New York City. (4) Now on the run and desperate to protect the child, Ko discovers there’s only one person willing to help him: The beautiful and deadly Rica Reyes. A villainous Teen Rifle Girl from Ko’s past, who once tried to kill him. Out of options he's forced to trust Rica and accept her aid. But Ko is no fool, and he knows that the price Rica will extract for her help could cost him everything. - Teen Romance, Tsundere, Light Novel, YA, Assassins


DO YOU KNOW WHY THIS SYNOPSIS WORKS WITH ALL STORIES? Because your story is about 1. A CHARACTER(S), 2. who does a normal thing a 3. Suddenly something abnormal happens/conflict 4. The character(s) now has to resolve this conflict.

This is Good Shit!
-- Imma gonna use it!

Thanks for posting it!