Guides

How to Write a Synopsis for a Novel: What Agents Ask For, and the Order to Write It In

Published October 19, 2026

Short answer: a synopsis for a novel tells the whole story, from the first chapter to the last, ending included. It is written in the third person and the present tense, whatever the novel uses.

It runs one to two pages, and the agency you send it to sets the length. Four literary agencies say what they want on their submission pages: "A full synopsis of 250-300 words", a page, a page, "a brief synopsis".

The guides quoted here put the usual range between 300 and 1,000 words.

The order Jericho Writers, Mary Kole and Writers Online give: write the plot points first, in the order of the novel, then add what each turn does to the characters. Jericho Writers puts it in one line: go from the structure and build up, not from the manuscript and boil it down.

What a synopsis is, and what it is not

Jane Friedman, who has spent her entire career in publishing, puts it in one sentence: "the synopsis must convey a book's entire narrative arc. It shows what happens and who changes, and it has to reveal the ending."

It is "an industry document that helps an agent or editor quickly assess your story's appeal and if it's worth them reading the entire manuscript."

The guide of the writing community Scribophile draws the line with the blurb: "A blurb is a promotional tool designed to compel readers to pick up (and buy) a book."

The other side of that line: "A synopsis isn't meant for readers—it's for industry professionals. It summarizes the entire novel including the plot twists and the ending."

The word also means something shorter in some agents' mouths. Friedman: "Some agents and editors use the word "synopsis" to refer to the brief story description that's part of the query letter."

That description is the pitch. A 2009 post on the Writer's Digest site, by Chuck Sambuchino, separates the two: "You would never find a synopsis in a query."

The pitch is "a explanation [sic] of your story in 3-8 sentences" and "will not spill the beans regarding the ending."

How long: what four agencies ask for

Each line is quoted from the agency's own submission page.

Blake Friedmann says what goes in its 250 to 300 words: "the core narrative of your book, including the themes, setting, characters and plot —from the first to final chapter, ending with the resolution of the story."

The same page: "This is not a book jacket blurb, but a more practical outline of your main narrative thread".

The guides give wider ranges, and each one says the agency's figure comes first.

Friedman: "Write a one- or two-page synopsis—about 500-1000 words, single spaced—and use that as your default, unless the submission guidelines ask for something longer." And: "Most agents/editors will not be interested in a synopsis longer than a few pages."

Jericho Writers, an online writing school, in the words of its founder Harry Bingham: "Your synopsis should be about 500 words (but check agency requirements – they can be quite variable)." Its definition says "Probably about 500-800 words in length".

Scribophile: "A good synopsis is around one to two pages, or 300 to 800 words." "If they don't specify, between 500 and 600 words is a good baseline."

Writers Online, the site of a British writing magazine, in a page of 2020: "the 500- to 800-word synopsis that's an essential component of their submission package."

Mary Kole, a former literary agent, on her site Kidlit: "a one-to-four-page document that explains every major plot point and character development moment."

She lists the lengths she has seen asked for: "one single-spaced page, two double-spaced pages (roughly the same as one single-spaced page), two single-spaced pages, and four double-spaced pages."

The 2009 Writer's Digest post records where the page counts came from: "For every 35 or so pages of text you had, you would have one page of synopsis explanation."

Then: "They started asking for synopses of no more than two pages." "Some may even say one page, but two pages is generally acceptable."

Three of the guides keep more than one version ready. Kole: "a tight one single-spaced page, two double-spaced pages, and four double-spaced pages".

Scribophile: "One longer version between 600 to 800 words, and a more concise one between 300 to 500 words." Writer's Digest: "a "long synopsis" and a "short synopsis.""

Tense, person, names, layout

Third person, present tense. Friedman: "Synopses should usually be written in third person, present tense (even if your novel is written in first person)." Jericho Writers and Scribophile say the same.

Scribophile gives the memoir exception: "you can use either third or first person point of view."

Capitals on a first mention. Friedman: "it's common to put the name in all caps in the first instance, so it's easy for agents or editors to see at a glance who the key figures are."

Jericho Writers: "in bold or CAPS". Scribophile notes that the habit "is becoming less common today."

Four or five names. Jericho Writers: "Four or five is the maximum an agent wants to deal with. If you need to refer to other characters, just say, "the CIA agent" or "the beautiful doctor"."

Writers Online: "no more than five". Friedman: "if a waitress enters the story for just one scene, call her "the waitress.""

Title and name on the document. Jericho Writers: "Make sure you have both the title of your book and your name up at the top of your document." Scribophile: "In the top right hand corner of each page, write the title of your book and your full name."

The 2009 Writer's Digest post describes a header on every page from the second: "Author/TITLE/Synopsis", with the page number on the right.

One block of text. Friedman: "In most cases, the synopsis should start and end without any breaks, sections, or other subheadings."

Her exception is a novel that moves between times or places: "you may want to begin each paragraph with a bold lead-in ("Paris, 1893"), to establish where we are."

Spacing. Blake Friedmann prefers 1.5. Jericho Writers: "line spacing no narrower than 1.5." Scribophile: "one- or one-and-a-half point line spacing".

The 2009 post said double-spaced. The agency's page decides.

The file name. Jericho Writers: "Your file should be in the format title-synopsis. So: farewell-to-arms-synopsis.doc, for example." Blake Friedmann asks for the book title and the author's name in the file name.

What goes in, in the order of the novel

Friedman, Jericho Writers, Scribophile, Writers Online and Kole give the same structure, and each names it a little differently.

Friedman: "In most cases, you'll start the synopsis with your protagonist. You'll describe her mindset and motivations at the opening of the story, then explain what happens to change her situation (often known as the inciting incident)."

Then "each paragraph ideally moves the story forward (with events unfolding in exactly the same order as in the manuscript)".

By the end, "we should understand how that conflict is resolved and how the protagonist's situation, both internally and externally, has changed."

Jericho Writers gives five headings: "Status quo", "Inciting incident", "Rising action/Developments", "Crisis", "Resolution". Writers Online gives the same five in other words: "opening, inciting incident, developments, crisis, ending."

Scribophile places them on the page in ten steps: protagonist, status quo, inciting incident, "the first key plot point, which happens around 25—30% of the way into the book", the midpoint, "the second key plot point", the climax, the resolution.

Its last two steps are "Fill in the gaps" and "Revise, revise, revise!" Of the midpoint: "it should happen at roughly the middle of your synopsis."

The order is the novel's, not the calendar's. Jericho Writers: "if, for example, you have a novel with two intertwining time-strands, your synopsis would follow the order of events as presented in the novel. Your novel's structure trumps any chronological issues."

Two tests decide what stays. Friedman: "If the ending wouldn't make sense without the character or plot point being mentioned, then it belongs in the synopsis."

And: "Any character that merits placement in a synopsis should have at least two to three mentions. If you can get away with only mentioning them once, they probably don't belong at all."

The plot alone is not enough. Friedman's formula: "Incident (Story Advancement) + Reaction (Color) = Decision (Story Advancement)".

Jericho Writers reserves 200 of its 500 words for it: "The remaining 200 words are where you can express yourself with protagonists, emotions and character arcs."

Friedman shows the difference a sentence makes. "Very Wordy: At work, Elizabeth searches for Peter all over the office and finally finds him in the supply room, where she tells him she resents the remarks he made about her in the staff meeting."

Her rewrite: "Tight: At work, Elizabeth confronts Peter about his remarks at the staff meeting."

What stays out

Friedman's list starts with themes: "Don't spend time explaining or deconstructing your story's meaning or themes."

Then structure talk: "Avoid talking about the story construction. This is where you add things that describe the book's structure, such as "in the climax of the novel," or "in a series of tense scenes.""

Backstory goes, "unless it's tied to the character's motivations and desires throughout the book." Dialogue: "Avoid including dialogue, and if you do, be sparing." And: "Don't ask rhetorical or unanswered questions."

Scribophile names six mistakes: editorializing, ending too soon, going on too long ("without going over two pages (three, max)"), the leading question, flowery language, superfluous worldbuilding.

On the leading question: "Agents want answers, not teasing questions."

Setting takes a line. Jericho Writers: "If you were writing a synopsis for a Jane Austen novel, for example, you might simply say: "This novel is set in a small village in Regency England." You don't need more."

Invented words take none. Friedman, on science fiction and fantasy: "try to avoid proper terms or nouns that have to be defined or explained unless such terms are central to your story".

Telling is allowed here. Friedman: "it's OK to just come out and say your main character is a "hopeless romantic" rather than trying to show it." Jericho Writers: "it's fine to tell not show: this is a business document, not the novel itself."

The way to write one: from the list of plot points up

Jericho Writers states the method in one line: "Instead of going from your manuscript and boiling it down, you need to go from your structure and build up." Then: "Without looking at your manuscript, sketch out your plot using those headings in about 300 words."

Kole starts the same way: "Open a blank document and jot down all of the major plot events of your story. You can start in bullet points, if that helps, but eventually you'll want to write them out in narrative format."

Writers Online sizes the three parts: "If you allocate 150-200 words to each paragraph you're on the right track, lengthwise." Its parts are the character and their problem, the major developments, and how the conflicts are resolved.

The document also reads the novel back to its author. Friedman: "A synopsis will reveal any big problems in your story—e.g., "it was just a dream" endings, ridiculous acts of god, a category romance ending in divorce."

She goes on: "It can reveal plot flaws, serious gaps in character motivation, or a lack of structure."

Kole calls this its "Fair Warning": "If you write a synopsis and have trouble filling it with actual plot points, it might mean that your plot is too thin."

The other way round: "If you can't possibly omit any plot points and your synopsis is five pages, that might mean that the scope of your novel is too broad."

Her test for the finished page: "Show it to someone who doesn't know your story, and then have them explain your book to you. If they kinda sorta get it and are able to hit the major points, you've written a successful synopsis."

Not every agent reads one. Friedman: "Some agents hate synopses and never read them; this is more typical for agents who represent literary work."

Kole: "Some agents and publishers pay a lot of attention to the synopsis. Some glance at it. Others don't even request one."

Scribophile: "Not all publishers and agents ask for a synopsis with a submission, but a large number of them do."

An outline is the list the synopsis is built from: what happens, in order, written before the draft or rebuilt after it. Outline and structure are not the same thing, and the synopsis wants the first.

How Scrin does it

Scrin is a home where pages grow into books: you keep writing, from an untitled line to a chapter, and Scrin keeps the rest.

It serves long writing of every kind: a novel, an essay, a screenplay, a run of articles. For a novel going out to agents, the list of plot points the guides above start from is already there, if you have been writing one scene at a time.

Each scene carries a synopsis of its own: one line, written in the scene's side panel, that shows on the scene's card. The cards view is "one card per scene with its synopsis; drag them to reorder."

The view named "Synopsis in sequence" reads them as one text: each chapter's title, then the title and synopsis of each of its scenes, in the order of the manuscript.

A scene with no synopsis shows its first sentence, marked "first sentence", so the list has no holes. A synopsis is edited where it is read.

When a scene changes after its synopsis was written, the line is marked "changed since". "Still true" keeps it; "only what changed" shows the scenes to reread.

That view has a button, "export as text", which writes a Markdown file named after the book.

The export sheet offers the same choice for any format it writes: "the book", "the book with synopses", or "just the outline", described as "the titles and synopses, not a word of the text". The outline alone comes out as Markdown, Word, EPUB or HTML.

Scrin does not write the submission synopsis. What it does and does not do puts the map among what it does: "Ask for the map of a manuscript and Scrin draws it: an outline scene by scene, a synopsis, the characters and places with their scenes, the threads that run through it. The text leaves this device for that, and only once you have said yes, every time. Not on phones."

The sequence of scene synopses is the list of plot points in the novel's order. The 300 words of plot and the 200 words of character are yours to write from it, in the agency's length.

Which export format does which job and what separates a manuscript from a working file are on this site.

Questions

How long should a synopsis for a novel be? As long as the agency asks: Blake Friedmann "250-300 words", Janklow & Nesbit UK and Felicity Bryan Associates a page, RCW "a brief synopsis". Without a figure, the guides give 300 to 1,000 words on one to two pages; Friedman's default is "about 500-1000 words, single spaced".

Does a synopsis give away the ending? Yes. Friedman: "it has to reveal the ending." Blake Friedmann asks for "the full story in brief, including the ending". Scribophile: "you need to tell the story all the way to the end."

What tense and person is a synopsis written in? Third person, present tense, whatever the novel uses. Friedman: "Synopses should usually be written in third person, present tense (even if your novel is written in first person)." For a memoir, Friedman and Scribophile accept the first person.

What is the difference between a synopsis and a blurb? The blurb sells and withholds; the synopsis tells everything. Scribophile: "A blurb is a promotional tool designed to compel readers to pick up (and buy) a book." Jericho Writers calls the synopsis "A 500-word long spoiler for your entire novel."

Do all literary agents ask for a synopsis? No. Scribophile: "Not all publishers and agents ask for a synopsis with a submission, but a large number of them do." Friedman: "Some agents hate synopses and never read them". The four agency pages quoted above all ask for one with a fiction submission.

Should character names be in capitals? It is a common habit, not a rule. Friedman: "it's common to put the name in all caps in the first instance"; Jericho Writers accepts "bold or CAPS"; Scribophile: "this is becoming less common today." None of the four agency pages mentions it.

Sources

• Jane Friedman, "How to Write a Novel or Memoir Synopsis", revised 11 September 2025, https://janefriedman.com/how-to-write-a-novel-synopsis/ (read 17 October 2026).
• Chuck Sambuchino, "How to Write a Novel Synopsis", Writer's Digest, 9 July 2009, https://www.writersdigest.com/publishing-insights/how-to-write-a-novel-synopsis (read 17 October 2026).
• Harry Bingham, "How To Write A Novel Synopsis (With An Example)", Jericho Writers, https://jerichowriters.com/how-to-write-a-novel-synopsis-with-an-example/ (read 17 October 2026).
• Fija Callaghan, "How to Write a Synopsis For a Novel", Scribophile, https://www.scribophile.com/academy/how-to-write-a-synopsis-for-a-novel (read 17 October 2026).
• Mary Kole, "How to Write a Synopsis", Kidlit, https://kidlit.com/how-to-write-a-synopsis/ (read 17 October 2026).
• Writers Online, "How to write a novel synopsis", 24 February 2020, https://www.writers-online.co.uk/how-to-write/how-to-write-a-novel-synopsis/ (read 17 October 2026).
• Blake Friedmann, "Submissions", https://blakefriedmann.co.uk/submissions (read 17 October 2026).
• Janklow & Nesbit UK, "Submissions", https://janklowandnesbit.co.uk/submissions (read 17 October 2026).
• Felicity Bryan Associates, "Submissions", https://felicitybryan.com/submissions/ (read 17 October 2026).
• RCW Literary Agency, "Submissions", https://www.rcwlitagency.com/submissions/ (read 17 October 2026).
• Scrin, "How to Outline a Novel", https://scrin.app/guides/how-to-outline-a-novel/; "Outline vs Structure", https://scrin.app/guides/outline-vs-structure/; "Manuscript Export Formats, and What Each One Is Actually For", https://scrin.app/guides/manuscript-export-formats/; "Manuscript vs Working File", https://scrin.app/guides/manuscript-vs-working-file/; "Open Scrin", https://scrin.app/download/ (read 17 October 2026).