In a post on Jane Friedman’s blog, Allison Williams says that writing a thorough synopsis of a trouble manuscript can help you find what you need to fix. “More than just a tool to sell your book, your synopsis is a roadmap to the next, stronger draft,” she says. “After reaching the end of your manuscript for the first time, sit down and write a synopsis.”
Of course, querying agents and publishers requires that you write a synopsis. It shows that you’ve done your homework and have written a story that hangs together plausibly. However, there are other benefits. “Writing a synopsis for yourself after the first or second draft demonstrates the same elements—and reveals plot holes, unmotivated characters, and where the book gets (sorry!) boring,” Williams explains. “Then you can reverse-engineer from this simpler version of the book to fix those problems in the manuscript in your next draft.”
Williams recommends the but-therefore technique, which we’ve discussed extensively (here, here, and here, for example). “Pull out your manuscript draft and list the major events,” Williams recommends. “Then try connecting each event to the next with a ‘But,’ ‘Therefore,’ ‘So,’ or ‘Because.'” If you find yourself linking scenes or events with “and then,” take time to strengthen the causal chain from one to the next. “Figure out what the protagonist or antagonist needs to accomplish at that moment,” Williams writes. “If they need to react to something that just happened, can that reaction be an action or a choice instead of merely emotional impact? Could they initiate a new action?”
