I always tell people that if they're confused as to how a novel synopsis should look, simply go to Wikipedia.  Search any movie made in the last five years and the first thing on the page is the long "Plot" section, which is essentially a front-to-back synopsis.  A lot of them are too long; a lot of them are poorly written; but some are good - and you will start to get a sense of how they work.

Or - you could just let me do that for you. The first great synopses I showed readers were Starman (see that one here) and Peggy Sue Got Married (see that one here). This time it's Proof of Life, a good example of a thriller/action story.  Look at what this synopsis does right. I like how the story starts quickly. Alice is a big character and she is unhappy with her situation. Her husband is kidnapped and the story is in motion. The climax (a battle) is told quickly, and there is no blow-by-blow of the gunshots.

ALICE BOWMAN moves to the (fictional) South American country of Tecala because her husband, PETER, has been hired to build a dam. Though their marriage is strained with yet another move, Alice agrees to again hit the ground running. Mere weeks later, Peter is in the city when a convoy of automobiles - including his - is ambushed by guerilla rebels of the Liberation Army of Tecala (ELT). Believing that Peter works for an oil company, ELT soldiers abduct him and lead him into the country’s jungles to hold him for ransom.

TERRY THORNE, an ex-Australian Special Air Service Regiment soldier, arrives in Tecala to assist in the situation. Thorne, fresh from a successful hostage rescue near Russia, is an expert in kidnapping-and-ransom cases. He is hired by Peter’s company to bring about Peter’s safe return. Unfortunately, it turns out that Peter’s company actually has no insurance coverage for kidnapping, so they cannot afford Thorne’s services nor pay a ransom. Despite Alice’s pleas to stay, Thorne leaves the country. Alice gets teamed up with a local hostage negotiator, who immediately suggests a questionable money payment. Not knowing what to do, Alice agrees, but the transaction is stopped by Thorne, who, following his conscience, has returned to help. He is aided by DINO, another ex-military man.

Over the next several months, Thorne uses a radio to talk with an ELT contact, and the two argue over terms for Peter’s release - including a ransom payment that Alice can afford. With much downtime between conversations, Thorne and Alice bond, and an attraction between the two grows. Thorne's colder exterior begins to melt, and Dino warns him that his budding relationship can have no happy ending.

Meanwhile, Peter is led through the jungle by a group of younger rebels before arriving at the main ELT camp. There, he meets another hostage: KESSLER, a missionary and former member of the French Foreign Legion who’s lived in the camp for nineteen months. The two immediately conspire to escape.

After much negotiation, the ELT agrees to release Peter for a sum of $650,000. But before the deal goes through, Peter and Kessler make a run for it into the jungle. Kessler falls into a river and evades the rebels, but Peter steps on a trap and is recaptured. Kessler is found and hospitalized. In the hospital, he meets Alice and, having heard a gunshot, confesses to Alice that her husband is dead. Thorne refuses to believe this, but is unable to contact his ELT negotiator. Acting on a tip, Thorne visits a high-ranking Tecala government official, who turns out to be the ELT contact he was communicating with this whole time. The contact confirms that Peter is indeed alive, but has seen secret ELT maps and will likely soon be killed. 

Thorne, Dino, and several associates decide to risk a rescue. Before leaving, Thorne shares tender words and a kiss with Alice. In the jungle, Thorne and his men travel by helicopter and attack the ELT base. They free not only Peter, but other hostages held there as well. Peter returns to Alice, emaciated but alive. Thorne and Alice have a final moment together before Alice thanks him and leaves to be with her husband. Thorne watches her leave, and talks with Dino about what might lie in store for them next.

Want more on this topic?

• How to Write a Novel Synopsis.
  
• Buy the book Give 'Em What They Want.
  
• Read the Starman synopsis - a great example of a summary.
• Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.
  
• Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.
• Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Q: When submitting to agents, 1) Do sample chapters need to be consecutive or should they be random? 2) What is a proposal package? 3) Why send a synopsis and bio since both are in the query letter?
                           - Randy L.

A: Sample chapters do not have to be sequential unless you want them to be or the agent requests this. In fact, some agents will specifically ask for your book's first chapter, a chapter from the middle of the book, and then the last chapter. They do this to see if your writing quality is consistent throughout the first, second and third acts. Bottom line: It's up to you.

A proposal package (or a "proposal/outline") is a full book proposal—sent in place of a nonfiction manuscript. If you want to write a nonfiction book, you don't have to write the manuscript before querying an agent. (Seriously.)
      A novel is sold on the quality of the writing, which is why the entire book has to be completed and polished before querying an agent. Nonfiction books, on the other hand, are usually sold on 1) the book's concept/idea, 2) its place in the market, and 3) the author's platform and promotional abilities. With that in mind, a nonfiction book does not need to be complete when you pitch the idea. 
      What's sent in place of the manuscript is a book proposal, which essentially details what the book is, why it should be written, how it will be structured, and all the means the author has to reach prospective markets/audiences. Proposals can be lengthy (say, 20-25 pages on average) and they are difficult to write, but plenty of resources exist to help you through them. The new 2008 GLA has an article on writing a proposal; also check out Bulletproof Book Proposals by Pam Brodowsky and Eric Neuhaus.

      Next, and very importantly: A synopsis is not a pitch. In your query letter, you will have 1-2 paragraphs to summarize your story for the agent. This is called "a pitch."
      A "synopsis" is a long, detailed explanation of what happens in a novel. They are anywhere from 2-12 pages usually. The synopsis allows you to take the agent/editor through the story from beginning to end, introducing all the major characters, their backgrounds and motivations, as well as the twists and turns. The ending is fully revealed and all is laid out on the table. The synopsis immediately lets an agent know what the entire story is, who the characters are, and how it ends. If that gets them intrigued, your writing will have to carry you past the finish line.
      Synopses have very specific formats, so make sure you read up on them before writing one. (In the near future, I'll post much more on how to write a book synopsis. I'm critiquing several now.)

Lastly, the bio. Although you will have some space on the query letter to write a bio, you will likely need to have a separate section within the book proposal called "About the Author," where you detail who you are, your accomplishments, and your credentials that allow you to be the best author to propose this book. For example, in the query, you may mention that you're an "award-winning short story writer." In the true "bio," you will list all your short story accolades—the publications names, the dates, the specific stories, and the exact awards.

Bulletproof Book Proposals