How to Summarize Your Story

November 13, 2014 by David T. Allen

Agents and publishers want a synopsis of your book. Even if you self publish, it’s useful to be able to tell your entire story in as few words as possible.

Leslie and I had to summarize Dream Eater’s Carnival for a writing community. It felt overwhelming, at first, because I was thinking about everything at once.

Then I took a step back. I broke the story into 2,000 word blocks, then summarized each block in forty words or less. All the sudden, it was easy.

If your summary is still too long, start cutting words. If you’ve cut an entire block’s summary, then maybe that block isn’t necessary, or it could be slimmed down further.

Curing The “I’ve Read My Manuscript Too Many Times” Blues
We’ve been editing and re-reading our manuscript for days now. Leslie is a machine; she can pour over the same words all day, every day, and make significant improvements. I, however, am weak. I’ve had a hard time contributing lately because all I see are negatives. But, this morning, I found a way to cure it.

Star’s Reach by John Michael Greer
Star’s Reach is a post apocalyptic book that follows Trey, a ruinman who scraps pre-war buildings as he searches for, essentially, the Lost City of Atlantis of his time. Along this journey he accrues a number of friends and followers, sees countless cities, and discovers some of the biggest questions of his age, though whether or not he can find answers hangs over him throughout the book.

#writing