Five Easy Steps to a Synopsis

A synopsis for the screen can be a difficult thing to write, but it’s a great way to solidify your understanding of the story and get yourself ready to pitch - whenever the opportunity arises.

So step one is to make sure you understand exactly what’s meant by synopsis. A synopsis should summarise your story’s structure in one page. It details the who, what, when, where and how of your story. It isn’t a list of everything that happens in your story. If you find yourself using the words ‘and then’ repeatedly it means you need to do some rewriting.

Now that you know what you’re aiming to write, step two involves writing the first paragraph. A carefully crafted first paragraph captures the details and reflects the style of your story. Cover as much of the who, what, when, where and why as you can, while keeping it interesting. A good test is to think about whether you could you use your first paragraph as a standalone short synopsis.

Step three is the rest of the page. An easy method for structuring the body of your synopsis is to follow the structure of your script. The beginning, the middle, and the end – but no ‘and then’! Now you have something to work with – a road map to your story. And remember, your synopsis needs to include your ending. There is often a temptation to keep the twist or climax to yourself, but your ending should be a selling point so you want to let people know what it is.

Step four is to make sure you’ve included the characters. Stories are all about characters and your synopsis should show their journey and how it progresses your story’s themes. Remember to include small details that add a lot to the reader’s understanding of your characters. For example, if you’re writing about Jane going on a holiday you can add a word or a concise clause to add detail like: Jane goes on her first holiday (theme: getting out of your comfort zone), or Jane, determined to party after being expelled from school, goes on her first holiday (theme: misadventure).

Step five is to polish your synopsis and make it sound like the show you want it to be. If you’re writing a synopsis for a traditional Pride and Prejudice style story, you don’t want it to read like Pulp Fiction or Twilight. Use all of your writing skills to make it sound like the show you want it to be. A fast-paced story, for example, doesn’t need long explanatory sentences. Fast paced sentences match the style, and help the reader envisage your story in their mind.

Armed with a great synopsis you’re well on your way to being ADAPTABLE.