Yes, it's hard -- I have a much harder book to summarize that's currently out to publishers. What I did was choose the plot line that was most appealing and seemed to dominate the book. The best way to determine this is to look at the climax in your book -- what plot line is it a climax for? If all three, which does plot line does it resolve better?
I just finished explaining this in an email. Hoping that might help me understand it
There's the main thread that runs through two books, it what starts and ends the story, yet in this book, it seems like more of a subplot.
The second thread is the one (apparently) resolved at the end of book one, although it makes it sound like a romance.
And the third is the main one that concerns the main character but it comes out something like ""young man spends all his time trying not face up to his problems". A bit fancier than that but *yawn*.
Possibly I can combine the latter two, and ignore the first one. Hmm
There's the main thread that runs through two books, it what starts and ends the story, yet in this book, it seems like more of a subplot.
The second thread is the one (apparently) resolved at the end of book one, although it makes it sound like a romance.
And the third is the main one that concerns the main character but it comes out something like ""young man spends all his time trying not face up to his problems". A bit fancier than that but *yawn
You're thinking too big. Think the first book. What's the plot? Not the subplots. Not the "story arc." No, no. Just what is happening in the first book?
Then, what is happening in the 2nd book? Just the basic plot.
Then what is happening in the 3rd book? Just the basic plot.
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Date: 2006-01-09 02:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-09 02:53 am (UTC)It's a bit of a squeeze in 125,000 words too.
What does one do then :\
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Date: 2006-01-09 04:21 am (UTC)For example: Prophecy of Swords is a heroic fantasy about the return of a hero who was murdered by his closest friend a thousand years before...
That's 24 words.
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Date: 2006-01-09 11:05 am (UTC)If I was writing about, say a sentient pirate ship in need of a captain, it wouldn't be so hard
(I know I'm going to regret saying that in a year or so when I starting complaing about having to come up with blurbs & titles for that novel).
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Date: 2006-01-09 04:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-09 02:54 am (UTC)A synopsis' main job is to sell the book, not to explain everything about the book.
Having said that, I hate synopsises. :) But think of it as a sales tool, not an extension of the book itself. It helps!
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Date: 2006-01-09 03:14 am (UTC)There's the main thread that runs through two books, it what starts and ends the story, yet in this book, it seems like more of a subplot.
The second thread is the one (apparently) resolved at the end of book one, although it makes it sound like a romance.
And the third is the main one that concerns the main character but it comes out something like ""young man spends all his time trying not face up to his problems". A bit fancier than that but *yawn*.
Possibly I can combine the latter two, and ignore the first one. Hmm
no subject
Date: 2006-01-09 04:58 pm (UTC)You're thinking too big. Think the first book. What's the plot? Not the subplots. Not the "story arc." No, no. Just what is happening in the first book?
Then, what is happening in the 2nd book? Just the basic plot.
Then what is happening in the 3rd book? Just the basic plot.