Let me tell you why writing a synopsis is so important to your publishing journey, no matter if you’re outlining, drafting OR revising your memoir manuscript.

The year I got my book deal for A Letter From Paris, I didn’t actually write the book.

I didn’t even write a full proposal.

The work I spent the most time on, was getting clear on what the story actually was. And why I was the most important (and necessary) person to write it.
And the document I spent the most hours perfecting…

Was the synopsis.

Why the synopsis is so important and contributes to your book deal…

Writing a blog post that became a synopsis

In February that year, I wrote a blog post that summarised the most compelling aspects of the story. The blog post, published on a friend’s blog connecting an astrological configuration to a personal literary discovery – showed why I was the best person to write this particular story.
That’s what a synopsis for a memoir needs to do.
And that’s what any essay or article you write, in the intention of gaining interest from a publisher or agent for a book, needs to show.

The post I wrote, which was essentially a synopsis and an outline of the story, did what many major essays and articles have done, and it was the starting point for the conversations that led to my book deal. A major publisher was in the readership, she saw the story, I sent an introduction, we engaged, we met… and she offered me a publishing deal. (I’ve just simplified the conversations and questions I dealt with at the time, but it’s to give you a sense of how quickly things can move, when you’re clear on the story you want to write!)

I had an offer of publication within a month, and a high profile literary agent very soon after.

And that soon became a book deal

Within six months of that blog post going up, I signed the deal with Scribe.

While you might think the synopsis and a blog post or essay are very different things… they essentially need to do the same thing for an agent or publisher.
Which is why they very often sell a book.

What I teach writers to do, in the Art of Memoir, is to explore the prominent QUESTIONS in the synopsis (or the associated essay), without giving the full story ‘away’, and without using the repetitive and dull ‘and then’ or ‘so then this happened’ which is so common to the way people summarise the story they’re trying to sell in the all-important synopsis.

The synopsis is not meant to be dull! It’s a sales document, and it’s selling a STORY, so you need to engage the reader in this…
What better way to practise than to use the hard work of writing a 500-800 word summary of the most important aspects to the story (which forces you to clarify them) to then launch off an essay or article? Doing this can also show you what’s interesting in the story that may need more attention, too. So often the REAL hook is a blind spot to the author for memoir, because, well, it’s something we’ve just lived with (so we don’t see it). Getting published and having that feedback from readers and editors can reveal the REAL interesting aspects to the story. See memoir essays that led to book deals.

Three words that matter in Publishing

Book
Hook
Cook.

These are the 3 things every synopsis (and major essay or blog post you hope to lead to literary interest) needs to show.

That 700 word blog post I wrote for Mystic Medusa needed to be tightened up of course, because the first introduction to an agent or publisher is via email, so I emphasised the aspects I’d seen were most engaging on the blog.

I tightened it up even more for the synopsis, which I sent the publisher, then the agent who went on to represent me (and the book), and then to launch what I’d submit as the first few chapters that then secured the book deal.

If you’re writing a memoir or narrative nonfiction, the synopsis is 80% of your book deal…

Most agents and publishers won’t even want to see anything you’ve written, until they’ve first read a synopsis.
That one document – a summary of the story, the plot, and why it mattered…

✔️ Landed me a literary agent

✔️ Landed me a meeting with a major top 5 publisher (multiple publishers, actually, I went out and met with four in total – two from Big 5s, two independent presses, eventually choosing the small but mighty fine Scribe, with offices in Melbourne, London and New York.)

✔️ It also engaged a large number of people on the internet and elicited their interest in my forthcoming book (which helped me to see what would garner interest in pre-publication publicity!)

Which is why the synopsis is one of the most important – if not THE most important documents in your publishing career.

When to write a synopsis for your memoir

I encourage writers to draft a synopsis at the start of the writing venture AND again in the revision stage. Because it can reveal SO MUCH about what to focus on, where to go with the book, and what really must be the focus of the story!

Until now, you could only get my synopsis trainings inside The Art of Memoir.

But now, you can get started with your synopsis no matter WHERE you are in your drafting journey…. because I’ve created an all-new bundle that also gives you the opportunity to get precious feedback once you’ve written your synopsis! So you don’t send anything out on submission that isn’t as good as you can get it.

Why have I done this? Because this is so important to your selling your book that it’s folly to even start the writing OR submission process without knowing what it needs to show!

It can ALSO show you where you need to start your platform building, because that all-important ‘cook’ aspect needs to be clearly linked to the story itself.

Let me help you get clear on the most compelling points of your story in my NEW Synopsis training and feedback bundle

In my all new training, with a step by step guide, examples from bestselling memoirs including the synopsis I wrote for A Letter From Paris, and some bonus video extras to get you clear on the crucial 6 points you need to cover, I’m also offering the chance for you to get professional editorial feedback on your synopsis so you can make sure it’s working BEFORE you send it out on submission!
I give you the feedback on your synopsis via tracked changes on your submitted word document, as well as a recording you can review in your own time, which I upload to our private client platform.
The feedback is written and recorded, and you must submit your synopsis within 30 days of the training. Because if you can’t keep to a deadline? You won’t get published anyway!

Writing a synopsis that sells can be simple! Get the masterclass, guidebook and feedback from Louisa in this all new offer.

The training guides you step by step through exactly what the synopsis needs to show, and how you can meet the criteria for traditional publishing using the Story Star method I teach, so you can break down your synopsis and get it written alongside the training in 60 minutes BEFORE you send it through for feedback. This way, you get it as good as you can, before I look at it to send you suggestions to make it even better!

Write your synopsis with the Story Star

The training and guidebook will show you exactly how to write your synopsis, line by line, step by step. And when you finish? You get to have a professional review that doesn’t blow any of your chances with a major publisher or agent. My suggestions will help you clarify where and how the manuscript itself may need work, too.

The synopsis training is for you whether you’re starting the submissions process or you’re still revising the draft. It will also teach you an enormous amount about story structure for narrative nonfiction, and connecting the personal aspects of the story with what sells universally. I recommend a synopsis review over a developmental critique any day, because it’s such a clear diagnostic tool for the book, the hook and the cook and whether or not you’re clear on what will sell this memoir.

The training takes you through the essentials:

How to write a great synopsis with the story star, and I also walk you through the 6 elements of the story star and show you how bestselling books have them front and centre in the synopsis.With the training first, you get to send me your very BEST submission, which I’ll then help you improve, to give you the very best chance of success in your publiushing endeavours!

You only get one chance to submit to a publisher or literary agent.

Give yourself a head start on success when you go out on publication submission by having a test run with feedback, guidance and training in how it all needs to flow in write a synopsis that sells.

write a synopsis that sells your book