We read your sample chapters first and if we like your
writing we will read your synopsis to see whether you have a viable story.
We like your synopsis to be about 500 words long.
Here is a template for your synopsis:
·
Give a one line definition of your novel.
•
Describe
the plot in a short paragraph
•
Say a
little about each main character
•
Describe
the plot through six stages: -
– hook
– 3 or more key incidents
– crisis
•
climax
– resolution
– stasis
•
Conclusion
- include moral, theme and / or premise.
Here are
some examples:
Give a one line definition of your novel
Spooking is a feel-good romance for young adults.
Describe the plot in a short paragraph:
(From The House on Schellberg Street)
Renate Edler finds officially a
Mischling, a mixed-race child. She has to become English whilst she worries about
her mother in London, her father in Nuremberg and her grandmother in Stuttgart.
Say a little about each main character
(From Clara’s Story. Here I only describe the
protagonist.)
Clara really existed and was according to the German race laws Jewish although
she had converted to Christianity several years earlier. She sees her
Jewishness as a religious rather than a racial matter.
Her children managed to escape the Nazi regime.
Ironically she did not because she was helping Karl Schubert to protect and
foster a special class of children with learning difficulties. This class
continued to meet at her home in Stuttgart after the Waldorf School was closed.
Develop the plot through six stages
(From A Gallery for Nick)
Barney returns from his first date
with Sophie – a girl it has taken him a lot of time and courage to ask out – to
receive a ‘phone call from Mrs Fletcher telling him that Nick has been taken
into hospital. Barney rushes to the hospital, but Nick dies minutes before he
arrives.
Barney now
becomes depressed himself and his school work suffers. He still cares for
Sophie, but cannot express this. He stops being the easy-going character who
was everybody’s friend. He is dropped from the swimming team. Sophie tries to
support him, but finishes with him because he doesn't seem to want her. He is,
however, devastated. He takes to skipping school and hanging about the harbour
where he and Nick used to take the photos.
An old friend of
the family, Jack Mitchell, befriends Barney and invites him to take part in one
of the courses at his sailing school. Jack understands that Barney is missing
Nick. Those who wept at his funeral seem to have forgotten him now and others
think it is a relief that he has died.
The crisis point
comes as Barney is so self-absorbed that he loses control of the boat almost
drowning everyone on board. He realises that he has to handle his grief
better.
Barney goes out
in a boat with Jack and he is able to cry at last, as he remembers his friend
and enjoys the sea for him. He feels as if Nick - a strong, healthy Nick - is
with them as they sail back to the shore.
Nick's mum
phones Barney. She wonders whether he would be able to help her clear up Nick’s
room. Barney agrees. They find the paintings in the drawer. Mrs Fletcher says
she would like to keep some, but agrees with Barney that the rest should be
displayed. Barney thinks of asking Jack to let him display the pictures in the
odd-shaped room at the sailing club. Sophie agrees to be the hostess at the
opening of the gallery. Jack decides to start a sailing school for the disabled
and use the gallery as a way of helping to raise funds. Barney learns to
celebrate his friend's life. The reader is left to guess whether a romance
begins again between Barney and Sophie.
Conclusion
(From A Gallery for
Nick)
We see Barney go through all the stages of grief: denial, anger, guilt, depression, acceptance
and finally celebration of life. There is hope at the end.
No comments:
Post a Comment