How to Write a Synopsis That Reflects the Book You Actually Wrote
If you’re preparing to query literary agents, your book synopsis is one of the key components to your submission package but it’s also one of the most challenging. Writers are told to summarize their books but are rarely taught what that means. Often what they send ends up sounding like a different story entirely. It’s either too vague, too voicey, or too focused on the wrong plot beats.
The result is that many manuscripts get passed over because the synopsis doesn’t clearly show cause and effect, character motivation, an escalation of stakes, and strong narrative control.
In this 90-minute OnDemand webinar, literary agent Jessica Berg teaches you how to write a synopsis that aligns with the manuscript you’ve written. Together, we’ll break down how to translate a full novel into a concise, professional synopsis that preserves the core of your story and helps you get it onto the page. You’ll leave with a repeatable framework you can use for any novel as well as a clear understanding of what industry professionals are evaluating when they’re reading synopses.
What You'll Learn:
- What a synopsis is really meant to do in the publishing process
- How to identify your story’s true core (instead of summarizing every subplot)
- The best ways to structure a synopsis around cause-and-effect
- How to show character arcs
- The most common synopsis mistakes that trigger passes and how to fix them
- How to adapt your synopsis by length (1-page, 2-page, and longer requested versions)
- How to revise your synopsis so it reads like a coherent story, not a list of events
Who Should Watch:
- Writers preparing to query agents or submit to small press publishers
- Writers who’ve been asked for a synopsis and aren’t sure how to build one
- Writers whose synopsis feels flat, generic, or disconnected from the manuscript
- Writers who struggle to choose what to include (and what to cut)
- Writers who want to improve clarity around plot, stakes, and character arc
- Writers who have received passes and suspect package misalignment
- Writers who want to sound professional and publishing-ready in submission materials
- Writers who need a reliable process for drafting and revising future synopses
- Writers who want a stronger understanding of how agents evaluate story summaries
- Writers who want their synopsis to reflect the power of the book on the page
Instructor:
Jessica Berg is agency director and founder of Rosecliff Literary. She works closely with authors across fiction and nonfiction genres and is known for practical, transparent guidance on querying, positioning, and submission strategy. Jessica teaches writers internationally through workshops, intensives, and live training programs. Her approach is direct, encouraging, and focused on helping writers present their work with clarity and confidence in a competitive market. Find out more about her process at jessicaberg.me and more about Rosecliff Literary here.
