One day, I was struggling with a synopsis, more so than usual. It suddenly occurred to me to use Turn and Burn as a template for synopsis writing. And it works. I know, I'm shocked, too.
I've shared this with a few screenwriter friends and so far, it seems to work for everyone. So if you're struggling with a synopsis, I recommend giving this a shot.
Yearn, Turn, Burn, Learn, Earn.
Five paragraphs. One page. Done.
Oh wait, need a full synopsis that's only one paragraph? Easy.
Five sentences. One paragraph. Done.
After practicing enough, and it didn't take long, I've become so comfortable with synopsis writing that I don't struggle anymore. Synopsis writing is now, for me, just a fun thing to write. Sometimes I might want to add a paragraph or two, sometimes only four paragraphs. Either way, I'm still keeping a synopsis to only one page.
Give it a try. You might be as pleasantly surprised as I was.
What is the ideal length for a synopsis ? How much detail is necessary ?
As far as I know, there's no mandatory length for anyone. Ultimately, I don't think anyone cares the length as long as it's a full synopsis. Personally, I find keeping the synopsis as concise as possible is best. I prefer a one-page synopsis myself. If someone asked me for a longer synopsis, I can always add more.
I'm so glad to read it's working for you and your friends. I use it myself all the time.
Indeed, there's no set length for a synopsis and being able to write them to suit different requirements is an essential skill. It's common for distributors to want different length synopses providing as part of a film's deliverables.
When we're sharing story ideas, Shane and I stick to a two page limit. That gives a bit of detail without being over facing.
I don't like going over two pages. It just feels unnecessary.
I'm currently using Turn and Burn to create a pitch deck. So much fun!