The Sizzling, Scintillating Synopsis

You’re in need of a synopsis. I can hear the moans and groans echo through cyberspace.

But do not fear.

This class is here to help you . . .

give your synopsis the attention it deserves.
learn what to include and what to avoid in a synopsis.
create a synopsis showcasing your best writing.
add the intriguing emotional twists of your novel to the synopsis.
fill your synopsis with your unique writer’s voice.
give clarity, succinctness, and pizazz to your synopsis.

The goal of this class through lessons, assignments, and plenty of feedback is for you to come away with a sizzling, scintillating synopsis. A synopsis that will get the attention of an agent, editor, or contest judge and prove you’re a professional and talented story teller.

This class is for anyone who would like a surefire way to plot your novel with all the necessary beats, characters arc, relationship arc, and the added bonus of a finished synopsis.

No more moaning.

Learn how to create a stellar synopsis.

What You Will Learn

how to give your synopsis the attention it deserves
what to include and what to avoid
how to showcase your best writing
which emotional twists to include in the synopsis
how to fill your synopsis with your unique writer's voice

Who Should Take This Class

anyone in need of a synopsis for submissions to agents and editors
those wanting a surefire way to plot a novel

Course Overview

Lesson One: What’s a Synopsis and WHO - introducing your character

Learn why you need a sizzling synopsis
Learn what a synopsis is and what it is not
Learn how to craft your synopsis opening with the WHO of the synopsis
Review many examples of character introductions
Create your own character(s) introduction
Receive experienced feedback and helpful tips and a chance to revise and resubmit

Lesson Two: WHERE, WHEN, WHAT - setting, situation, adding emotion

Learn how to add the situation (What) and setting (Where and When) to your synopsis
Analyze many examples of the What, Where and When in a synopsis
Learn the importance of emotion in a synopsis and how to create it
Add to your own synopsis the what, where, and when and revise any parts of the synopsis so far
Receive experienced feedback and helpful tips

Lesson Three: WHY and HOW - inciting incident, first turning point

Learn how to add the Why and How to your synopsis
Analyze many examples
Create the Why and How to your own synopsis and revise any previous pieces of your synopsis
Receive experienced feedback and tips on your growing synopsis.

Lesson Four: conflicts, characters, midpoint

Learn who stays and who goes in a synopsis
Learn the importance of showing conflict throughout your synopsis
Learn the next plot point to add
Create your next sentences or paragraphs, as well as revising your growing synopsis.
Receive experience feedback and helpful tips

Lesson Five: adding the next plot points

Learn the next important plot points to add
Study and analyze several examples
Learn the common pitfalls of a synopsis
Craft your next plot points as a paragraph or two and submit
Receive experienced feedback and helpful tips

Lesson Six: climax, resolution, character arc

Learn how to add the all important climax and resolution
Learn how to insure your character arc is shown in your synopsis
Analyze several examples
Craft your final paragraphs and submit
Receive experienced feedback and helpful tips

Lesson Seven: putting it all together, relationship arc, romance plot points

Learn the importance of showing a relationship arc and the romance plot points if you’re writing romance
Learn how to put together all the pieces
Submit your full synopsis for experienced feedback

Lesson Eight: writing tight, voice, hook, checklist

Learn about a “hook”, if you need one, and some examples
Learn the importance of word counts
Learn techniques to writing tight
- Analyze examples of tight writing
- Learn the importance of voice with examples
- Learn a checklist for synopsis writing
- Another chance to submit your synopsis for review and create a shortened versions based on the lesson to submit
- Receive experienced feedback on your full synopses

Wrap Up: summary and submission Tips

Learn a summary of steps for building a synopsis.
Learn tips and tricks for submissions

Teacher

Suzanne Purvis is a transplanted Canadian living in the Deep South, where she traded “eh” for “y’all.” An author of long, short, and flash fiction for both children and adults, she has won several awards including those sponsored by the University of Toronto, RWA, Bethlehem Writer’s Roundtable, and Women Who Write. You can find her work in print anthologies, magazines, ezines, and ebooks.

Visit her at www.suzannepurvis.com , www.suzannepurvis.blogspot.com, Facebook, Amazon Author’s Central.

Reviews

Sizzling Is Right

March 1, 2022

Suzanne took my synopsis from a very difficult task to something I'm proud of. I would start each assignment with "I can't do this" and answer her questions and edits with wow, I did it! So glad I took this course. Best money spent on writing.

Thanks Suzanne.

Lynne Smiley

Took Me From Blah to Sizzling

July 24, 2020

I took Suzanne's course a while back, but the information I learned from her have stuck with me and have helped me polish my synopsis to have gained a publisher! My novel is now in their hands, going through the process. Suzanne is amazing in how her feedback is detailed, guiding and pointed to your work.

Kathy Sechrist

Suzanne is the Master of Synopsis Writing!

March 4, 2020

Suzanne’s class is fabulous! She breaks the synopsis down into manageable bites—like eating an elephant. Converting an 80K word manuscript into a a two, maybe three-page synopsis is one of the most daunting tasks any writer can face. But Suzanne led me through the treacherous forest that is the synopsis. She patiently assisted me through each step of the process. I couldn’t be more grateful. Now, with each MS I write, you can bet your laptop—I’m will take this class and have Suzanne’s help.

Danys Castillo

Mastering Synopsis Writing - Made Easy!

February 27, 2020

This class is awesome!! Not only does it help to tackle the dreaded task of condensing a complex novel (120k words in my case ?) into a few hundred words, but Suzanne makes it fun to do. The class also provides a great framework for helping to analyse the big picture of your WIP – checking through all the major plot points and character arcs. The class is very interactive, with tons of help and support from other class members, and especially from Suzanne herself. Suzanne has a knack for turning prose from mediocre to fabulous, suggesting how and where to tighten and how to add power and clarity to her student’s work, while maintaining the individual author’s voice. Synopses need never be boring again! I can thoroughly recommend – I’ve taken the class twice and intend to do it again for my next WIP.

Becky Rawnsley

Suzanne Helps Take a Synopsis from Luke Warm to Sizzling Hot

February 26, 2020

Suzanne makes the impossible possible: she makes synopsis writing easy. Step-by-step, she walked me through the process of condensing a 90,000 word manuscript into only a few pages, all while maintaining my voice. Suzanne is amazing.

Brenda Spears

Margie Lawson

Make your writing soar