When writing a synopsis that has two protagonists—such as a hero and heroine, for example—make sure you separate different points of view with separate paragraphs.
This helps the reader more easily and quickly differentiate between the two points of view. Easy and quick are the key words here, because an editor or agent skimming your synopsis is going to want to be able to most easily and quickly figure out what’s going on.
And don’t kid yourself—they don’t have much time and they usually do skim that synopsis, so it has to be as clear as possible.
For example:
Shelley is run off the road by the men who want to kidnap her for ransom. She evades them on foot and runs to a darkened farmhouse at the top of a hill. Duke is sure there’s a burglar in his house, and heads to the basement with his rifle.
versus
Shelley is run off the road by the men who want to kidnap her for ransom. She evades them on foot and runs to a darkened farmhouse at the top of a hill.
Duke is sure there’s a burglar in his house, and heads to the basement with his rifle.
Camy here: By separating the points of view, the synopsis is much clearer and a quicker read. It does lengthen it a bit, so try to cut the synopsis in other ways if you’re tying to get it down to one or two pages.
This helps the reader more easily and quickly differentiate between the two points of view. Easy and quick are the key words here, because an editor or agent skimming your synopsis is going to want to be able to most easily and quickly figure out what’s going on.
And don’t kid yourself—they don’t have much time and they usually do skim that synopsis, so it has to be as clear as possible.
For example:
Shelley is run off the road by the men who want to kidnap her for ransom. She evades them on foot and runs to a darkened farmhouse at the top of a hill. Duke is sure there’s a burglar in his house, and heads to the basement with his rifle.
versus
Shelley is run off the road by the men who want to kidnap her for ransom. She evades them on foot and runs to a darkened farmhouse at the top of a hill.
Duke is sure there’s a burglar in his house, and heads to the basement with his rifle.
Camy here: By separating the points of view, the synopsis is much clearer and a quicker read. It does lengthen it a bit, so try to cut the synopsis in other ways if you’re tying to get it down to one or two pages.
Camy, I found this on synopsis writing via the ACFW forums. Here you so simply solve a silly problem for me...I am writing women's fiction, but I have two protags...hadn't ever thought about writing the synopsis for both protags, since in my mind, the heroine looms the larger of the two. Just had to let you know this clicks!
ReplyDeleteThanks!