I've been working on a synopsis for The Enemy Within lately, and geez...it's hard! It's about as hard as writing a query letter. Although I find that there is slightly less pressure since all of my hopes and aspirations are pinned to the query letter. If a potential agent gets to the synopsis, then I feel like I've passed the first test--I've interested them.
Most recently, I've been working on paring down my three page synopsis to only one page, since that seems to be the standard that most agencies ask for. It's extremely difficult to totally gloss over the various sub plots in my beloved novel...and in some cases, I've had to cut out all references because to leave them in would mean additional words and explanations.
A positive thing is while mercilously cutting sections out of the synopsis, I've decided that some of my sub plots can be mercilously cut from the novel itself. Since I am sitting at 110,000 words over all, cutting out these random "rabbit chasers" means less editing for an editor, and potentially more marketability. So while this process has basically reduced my brain to a pool of a mush, I'm killing two birds with one stone.
So...have you tackled the synopsis? Did you learn anything in the process?
I've written two--and the second is UGH so much harder than the first! The first had a straighforward storyline. The second--multi-plotline, multi-POV, and writing the synopsis is a mess! I think I'm going to have to pretend the story is simpler than it is and just get the gist--probably for the best, anyway!
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