Comments on: anatomy of a children’s book synopsis

By: Catherine

Catherine — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:05:06 +0000

I have just been reading about writing a synopsis for a children’s book. You give a great advice but i have written a childrens book, aimed at a target age of 3 to 4 years but it only consists of 18 pages have you any advice on writing a synopsis for a short story book please.

By: Cynthea

Cynthea — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:16:49 +0000

Thanks so much for your feedback! Sandra, it was wonderful of you to thank me in person. Of course, it makes my day and I’m THRILLED you made it past the synopsis with flying colors. Awesome! Good luck with your writing!

By: Sandra

Sandra — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:45:27 +0000

Brilliant, simply brilliant–and fun too. You have taken something thoroughly and completely frightening–the synopsis–and turned it into something simple and unintimidating. I wrote my first with flying colors and was even complimented on it by an agent. It doesn’t get better than that. Thank you Cynthea.

P.S. I stopped by to give you a personal thank you at the SCBWI cheese and wine, but have only now found a moment to sing your praise to all the world.

By: Cynthea

Cynthea — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:10:18 +0000

Aw, thanks! I’m glad Snoop and I could help!

By: Cynthea

Cynthea — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:09:38 +0000

You’re welcome! (I think I’m behind on my comments!)

By: mermaid1110

mermaid1110 — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 02:19:42 +0000

This exactly what I’ve been looking for. I need to write a synopsis and was needing some direction. Your example really helped me to understand the need of the intro, then building, then resolving the story. Excellent. I’m loving this site.

By: R.J. Anderson

R.J. Anderson — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 18:36:52 +0000

This entry saved my life. I am not kidding. I was in utter despair yesterday, thinking I could not possibly boil my 104,000 word manuscript down to a single page synopsis, and finding none of the advice I’d read on the subject to be at all encouraging and helpful. Then I found this article and you made it so clear, so simple, and so delightfully bunny — I mean, funny — that all my anxiety flew out the window and before I knew it, I had sat down and hammered out a five-paragraph, exactly one page synopsis that captures all the important details of the main plot but doesn’t waste time on digressions. You enabled me to see the “backbone” of my story more clearly than ever before, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am.

I’ve written an entry in my LJ pointing to this essay. I hope many others come here and take advantage of your wisdom. Thank you so very, very much.

By: Cynthea

Cynthea — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 22:55:00 +0000

Yes, I am needy. I ADMIT IT! (but I hate writing for no audience. Don’t we do enough of that with our real work?) To answer your question, my BIG head knows little about NF book proposals.

By: Cynthea

Cynthea — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 22:54:36 +0000

Oh, goodness! *blush*

By: Cynthea

Cynthea — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 22:54:14 +0000

Aw, thank you!