Have you ever been stumped by the dreaded request for a 1 page synopsis?

The first time I had to write a synopsis, it ended up being a long back cover blurb. Too much tease. The absolute wrong thing to do, but I didn't know that until after a few lovely rejections, and a few wonderful classes.

Now, I can write a pretty good 5-7 page synopsis, but unless I'm writing a synopsis for a short story, writing the 1-2 pager still takes a bit of time, and a number of rewrites.

Margaret West has dropped by Romancing the Pen to discuss shortcuts to writing a strong synopsis.


Margaret West is the author of The Heart of a Warrior,and she’s been writing over 20 years and has numerous short stories, novels and articles published. Margaret writes romance and paranormals. Incorporating her spiritual experiences, into her books.

For more visit Romancing the Pen.

Game, Set, Match!

Off the court, tennis star Jason Cartwright's playboy image is taking a public beating. On the court, he's down forty-love. A knee injury is shutting down his game, and the paparazzi are splashing his love life on every magazine. A comeback is in order, but the makeover he needs to save his faltering career is in the hands of the woman he loved and left fifteen years ago. While single-mom, Izzy Connors, sees people for who they really are through the lens of her camera, even without it, she knows Jason isn't the star he appears to be. Although his charm and good looks haven't dimmed since he broke her heart, all she sees is his wasted talent and playboy lifestyle. Can Izzy put the past behind her and help Jason get his game, and his image, back on track? Or will the click of her camera shatter his world as well as his heart?

Author Nana Malone drops by Romancing the Pen to discuss that oh so elusive muse. Drop by to find out more about what she thinks, and don't forget to leave a comment.