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A Synopsis Template

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

Take my 100,000-word novel and condense it into a few pages? No thank you. It feels like I’m taking a brand new outfit and dicing it up until only the buttons and a string of fabric remains.

Despite my lack of love for the synopsis, every novelist who writes for publication needs to know how to write one, and how to write one well.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been spinning two potential story ideas through my brain. In order to flesh them out, I decided I would write the premise, back cover blurb, and a synopsis for each of the two ideas. I was floundering with my first synopsis. Until last week.

Stories have structure. At least they should. So I took a hodgepodge of structure points from Jim Bell’s book, Plot and Structure, Susan May Warren and Rachel Hauck’s blog, My Book Therapy, and Dwight Swain’s book, Techniques for the Selling Writer, and used these points to create a synopsis template.

After I created the template, writing the synopsis got a whole lot easier.

Here it is, for you to use if you’d like. Keep in mind, I write romance. Also keep in mind, that while every story has a structure, it is not this rigid thing. You’re allowed to move around the paragraphs to best fit your story. I find that paragraphs nine through eleven are particularly fluid.

Synopsis Template for Romance:

First paragraph:
Introduce the heroine (include the lie she believes, her greatest fear, and/or her greatest dream) and her disturbance. What event interrupts the status quo of her normal life?

Second paragraph:
Introduce the hero (include the lie he believes, his greatest fear, and/or his greatest dream) and his disturbance. What event interrupts the status quo of his normal life?

Third paragraph:
The first doorway. What hurls hero and heroine into the story to the point where they can’t turn back?

Fourth paragraph:
Heroine’s statement of story goal and her motivation for the goal

Fifth paragraph:
Hero’s statement of story goal and his motivation for the goal

Sixth paragraph:
Turning point. How do things get worse and how does the goal matter even more for hero or heroine?

Seventh paragraph:
Another turning point. How do things get even worse and how does the goal matter even more for the hero or heroine?

Eighth paragraph:
Second doorway. What is the catalyst that hurls hero and heroine into their black moments?

Ninth paragraph:
Heroine’s black moment and epiphany. The point where the lie she believes is overwhelming, her biggest fear comes true, which leads to her discovery of the truth (freedom from the lie).

Tenth paragraph:
Hero’s black moment and epiphany. The point where the lie he believes is overwhelming, his biggest fear comes true, which leads to his discovery of the truth (freedom from the lie).

Eleventh paragraph:
The climax. What situation will force hero or heroine to choose between two concrete, alternative, irrevocable courses of action? One way leads to hero or heroine accomplishing his/her goal. The other leads to hero or heroine sacrificing goal for the sake of love and/or principle.

Twelfth paragraph:
The Resolution. What results because of the hero or heroine’s choice? Since I write romance, this typically involves a kiss and a profession of love.

And there you have it. Twelve paragraphs to sum up an entire novel. I hope you find it useful!

Questions to Ponder: How do you feel about writing synopses? Do you write them before your write the novel or after? What’s the best tip you’ve ever received when it comes to writing one?removetweetmeme

3 C’s – It’s Friday

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

Cares:
I have a care. I have lots of cares. Probably the most pressing one is keeping my eyes focused on Jesus, no matter what season I may be passing through.

Concerns:
My son has somehow become a Hawkeye fan. The other day he woke up and pointed to the footballs on his bedspread and said, “Go Hawkeyes!” I raised my hands in the air and said, “Go Badgers!” He looked at me for a little bit and said, “Go Hawkeyes!” Then I started chanting, “Bad-gers, Bad-gers, Bad-gers…” He interrupted my fourth Badger with a very determined, “No.” My family has brainwashed him.

Celebrations:
Got a very encouraging email this week.

Where does time go? Almost two years ago, I was busy doing this:

A year later, I was celebrating this:

And now, we have this:

I can’t believe my little man will be two whole fingers tomorrow. We’re bringing him to the pumpkin patch in the morning (he’s obsessed with pumpkins) and then we’re celebrating with family later in the evening with pizza and a Thomas the Train cake. The Badgers also play the Hawks, so it’ll be funny to see who he cheers for.

Question to Ponder: What are your cares, concerns, and celebrations today?removetweetmeme

What Would you Trade?

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’ve heard those words a million times, but not until last week did I let them roll around inside my head.

During my twenty minute commute to work, while listening to music and letting my mind sway along with the corn bordering the black-topped road, I pondered that saying for the first time. And I got to thinking. Are there things I’d trade if I could?

Like, if I could trade the past six months of waiting, would I? Or, if I could trade this passion for something less emotionally taxing, would I? Or, if I could trade the rejections I’ve received on my writing journey, would I?

I thought about all these things. How my book was supposed to go to pub board in April and how much less stressful it would’ve been if my agent had called six months ago with great news. I thought about all the rejections I’ve received since I started and how much less painful it would’ve been not to get any of those. I thought about the passion God’s given me for telling stories, and how much easier life would be if He’d given me a different calling – like basket weaving. I bet basket weavers don’t deal with the same level of stress and heart ache that writers do.

I imagined a scenario where God came down from heaven, planted Himself in my passenger seat, and offered me another life. An easier life. A life with no waiting and no rejections. A life without this passion that burns so hot that sometimes – okay, often time – it hurts. It scalds. It makes me jerk back with a blistered heart. If God offered me this easier life, would I take it?

I turned off my radio and looked at my son in the rear view mirror, bouncing his feet, waving his pudgy hand at an abandoned tractor. Seeing him back there made me think about parenting. One of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. But also one of the hardest. And I got to thinking. Sometimes it’s the hard things that make life worth living. Those are the things that keep us on our toes. Or maybe on our knees.

I thought about how an easier life doesn’t necessarily make for a better one.

Because of writing, I’ve spent the last two years kneeling in prayer. Because of waiting, I’ve learned to trust God with the unknown. Because of the rejections, I’ve gotten better at putting my hope in the God of the universe, instead of the changing winds of the publishing industry. Because of this passion, I know what it’s like to feel alive, to feel energized with a sense of purpose, to feel in awe of God’s grace. That He would give someone like me this amazing, challenging gift.

Nothing about writing is easy. Not one single part. But you know what? I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Question to Ponder: What about you? Are there things you’d trade? What have the hard things in life taught you?removetweetmeme