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  Christmas Screenplay Synopsis - help needed...
  - 8 replies in total
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  "Bite me and Die" Small Synopsis
  1 reply in total
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  Brief Synopsis For "The Four Swords"
  1 reply in total
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  Synopsis of 'In search of dad' - a novel aimed at boys aged 11-14
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  The Treasure that found me- Working Synopsis
  1 reply in total

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151 Member

35 Wall Posts

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  by MinxieAD 1 year ago

  I've posted a synopsis that started off around 4 pages! I've edited it down but I think it isn't flowing well and I'm not sure if the storyline comes across properly. Any help would be very welcome
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  by Drew 1 year ago

  Just posted a synopsis in 'General - Critique' area on the forum. Hope that's ok - I'm a newbie here!
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  by Weens 1 year ago

  I'd find that really useful too Mel. Looking forward to seeing what you have to say.
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  by Mel 1 year ago

  Thanks Tony - will do. Still feeling my way around this site at present so leaving comments in the wrong place all the time, sorry!
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  by Tony 1 year ago

  Thanks for the advice, Mel. I'll certainly look forward to hearing (almost) direct from the horse's mouth, when you get a moment. (Use the Forum here - Create Topic).
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  by Mel 1 year ago

  I used to work for a literary agent and he gave me very specific advice about the content of a synopsis, and also of the covering letter. Will try and post it on here when I get a moment, in the hope that it helps you guys. In meantime, quick advice is probably obvious: to check and double-check grammar and spelling of both before sending out - as you wouldn't believe the poor quality of the stuff some people submit to publishers and agents!
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  by Avis HG 1 year ago

  Yes - it seems you use a pin and a blindfold to choose! Maybe best to have a long and short version polished up - try and second guess the buggers?
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  by Spangles 1 year ago

  That's interesting about the York one-to-one advice on synopsis length. One of my book doctors told me that my three-page double-spaced synopsis was wrong and should consist of one page of single-spaced copy. Yet in Carole Blake's From Pitch to Publication she says she wants synopses of up to 10 pages! It seems that everyone has their own ideas about what they want.
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  by Avis HG 1 year ago

  Interesting. Maybe I'll feel free to expand!!!
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  by Tony 1 year ago

  Charmed, it sounds like you've got it about right. It may be when you come back to it after a day or two you may be able to tighten it just a little further here and there, but, from the sound of it, the contents is right. I was glad to hear of Ancient's 1-to-1 advice, because depending on where you look, the advice varies from one page up to five!
  
  I think there are two main criteria: a) you must include everything that's important and b) it must be as concisely written as possible. Length, in itself is not the issue. However, if your synopsis is less than a page, I would look carefully at (a) again; if it's more than five pages, go back and consider (b) very carefully.