Introduction: What Is a Book Synopsis—and Why Should You Care?
So, you’ve written a novel. Maybe it took months. Maybe it took years. But you’re finally ready to get it out there. Before you can publish it, pitch it, or promote it, you need to conquer one of the least-loved steps in the self-publishing journey: writing a book synopsis.
If the word synopsis makes your eye twitch, take a breath. You’re not alone. Most writers find summarizing their complex, layered story in just a few paragraphs more stressful than writing the actual book. But here’s the truth: a well-crafted synopsis is more than a gatekeeper to agents or publishers—it’s a cornerstone of your entire marketing strategy.
In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to write a synopsis that sells—especially for Amazon KDP—and how to reuse it to create blurbs, ad copy, meta descriptions, hashtags, and more. We’ll also talk about how ScribeCount can help you track what’s working and where, so your synopsis pulls its weight long after it’s written.
What Is a Book Synopsis?
Think of your synopsis as the elevator pitch of your novel’s entire plot. It’s not your blurb. It’s not a teaser. And it’s definitely not vague. A synopsis tells the story—all of it—from beginning to end.
Written in the third person, present tense, a good synopsis introduces your protagonist, outlines their journey, and shows how the story wraps up. Yes, even the ending. Yes, even if there’s a twist.
Traditionally, there are two types:
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A short synopsis (about 500 words) typically used for Amazon metadata, query letters, or brief overviews.
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A long synopsis (up to 2,000 words) usually requested by agents, editors, or traditional publishers.
Both are essential tools in your author toolkit—and once you’ve written one, you can mine it for content across your entire publishing process.
Why not start with the blurb?
It's much easier to start big with the long-form synopsis and then edit it down to the short-form, blurb, description, tagline, and hashtag than it is to start small and work up. Or worse, start with the blurb and then edit in both directions.
Why Writing a Synopsis Matters for Amazon Authors
Let’s talk Amazon. When you upload your book to Amazon KDP, you’ll be asked for a description. This isn’t technically your synopsis—but if you’ve written one, you’ll already have clear, concise story content you can shape into a compelling blurb.
Amazon isn’t the only place your synopsis helps. Here’s how authors are using them:
For Agents and Publishers: Synopses help traditional publishing professionals quickly assess if your book fits their needs.
For Marketing: Once created, your synopsis is a goldmine of keywords, character arcs, and story hooks you can reuse across ads, author bios, sell sheets, and a zillion other marketing avenues.
For Readers: A clean, well-written synopsis gives readers confidence. Even if they don’t see it directly, the marketing derived from it is sharper and more targeted.
The Five Key Plot Points to Include in Your Synopsis
A synopsis is not a list of events. It’s a story arc. And good story arcs have structure. Here are the five essential elements you’ll want to cover, no matter your genre:
1. The Setup
Introduce the protagonist, the world they live in, and what they want before everything changes.
2. The Inciting Incident
Describe the moment that upends your character’s normal life and kicks off the plot.
3. Rising Action and Obstacles
Show the major conflicts, challenges, or choices the protagonist faces as the story unfolds.
4. The Climax
Reveal the critical turning point—the moment of greatest tension when everything is on the line.
5. The Resolution
Explain how the conflict is resolved and how the character has changed (or not) by the end.
These elements create a flow that makes your synopsis feel like a cohesive summary—not just a list.
How to Actually Write Your Synopsis (Without Losing Your Mind)
Let’s break it down step-by-step.
Start with an Outline
Before writing a single sentence, map your story’s major beats. Jot down the five key plot points above and fill in one or two sentences for each. This will give your synopsis a logical structure before you start drafting.
Focus on Your Protagonist
You may love your villain or sidekick, but your synopsis needs a clear central character with a distinct goal. Stick with one POV, even if your novel shifts between characters.
Always Write in Third Person, Present Tense
Even if your book is in first-person past tense, your synopsis should sound like this:
“When Jack discovers the key to an ancient vault, he unleashes a curse that threatens his entire village.”
This keeps it professional, accessible, and consistent with publishing standards.
Trim the Fat
Cut subplots. Ditch side characters unless they’re crucial to the main arc. Keep it focused and under 1,000 words for most use cases (Amazon metadata prefers 500 or fewer).
Punch Up Your Verbs
Use active, dynamic verbs that reflect your book’s tone. Instead of “goes to,” say “races to.” Instead of “thinks about,” say “questions.”
Short vs. Long Synopses: Which Do You Need?
A short synopsis (300–500 words) is ideal for self-published authors creating descriptions for Amazon, metadata, or submitting to contests.
A long synopsis (1,000–2,000 words) is typically required when submitting to agents or traditional publishers. Some even ask for both.
Always check submission guidelines. Some platforms limit character count, not word count. Amazon KDP, for example, allows up to 4,000 characters in the book description field.
From Synopsis to Sales Copy: Repurposing Your Work
Here’s where it gets fun.
Once your synopsis is solid, you can use it to create:
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Your book blurb
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Ad copy for Facebook or Amazon ads
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Meta descriptions for your book page
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Taglines and hashtags
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Keywords for SEO
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Content for your author website
And if you use ScribeCount, you can track how those elements perform across platforms like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Apple Books. ScribeCount’s dashboard helps you see which books are selling best and where—so you can test which version of your synopsis-driven content actually converts.
Sample Prompt to Turn Your Synopsis into Marketing Gold
Here’s a prompt you can use with ChatGPT or another AI tool to generate marketing content from your synopsis:
"Turn the following book synopsis into a high-converting Amazon book description (blurb), 10 marketing hashtags, a 160-character meta description, and a 1-sentence tagline: [Insert your synopsis here]."
You can also ask it to create SEO keywords, ad copy, or blog post hooks. Just plug in your synopsis and let the AI do the heavy lifting.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many new authors make these blunders—don’t be one of them:
Mistaking a synopsis for a blurb: A synopsis tells the whole story. A blurb teases it. Different purpose, different structure.
Including too many characters: Stick to 1–3 major characters max.
Overwriting or getting too flowery: Keep it professional, clear, and to the point.
Leaving out the ending: It’s not a cliffhanger. Your reader (agent, editor, or metadata engine) needs the full picture.
Final Thoughts: The Power of a Strong Synopsis
Writing your synopsis isn’t just an annoying hurdle. It’s the foundation of your marketing and submission strategy. Get it right, and you’ll find it far easier to create blurbs, ads, bios, and even pitch letters.
It’s your story’s blueprint for the outside world. It deserves care and attention—and once you’ve got it, you’ll wonder how you ever launched a book without it.
In future articles, we’ll show you how to turn this synopsis into a killer blurb, build a metadata strategy, and use ScribeCount to track your results across platforms.
Until then, start outlining, tighten your verbs, and remember: a great synopsis can sell a great book—before a single page is read.
