How to Write a Romance Synopsis That Sells

Confession time…I don’t like writing synopsis. I can edit them. I can give feedback on them. But taking a 75,000 word book and condensing it to 1,000 words or less is torture.

So why do it?

The Point of a Synopsis

If you want to have your book traditionally published, you’ll need to write a synopsis as part of the query package sent to agents and/or editors. The point of a synopsis is to:

• Help agents/publishers determine if your story fits their interests
• Helps agents/publishers see the story from beginning to end
• Helps agents/publishers assess the execution of your plot
  • Does it have a coherent structure?
  • Does the story hold together?
  • Does it fit the genre?
• Helps agents/publishers understand your characters (goals, conflicts, overall arc, etc.)

What is a Synopsis?

At its essence, a synopsis is a concise summary of your romance novel’s main events, characters, and emotional beats. Think of it as a roadmap that highlights the critical moments of your story, showing how your characters grow, fall in love, and overcome obstacles. While it should be detailed enough to convey the full arc of your plot, it also needs to maintain clarity and brevity, typically fitting onto one or two pages.

Synopsis vs. Blurb: What’s the Difference?

It’s easy to confuse a synopsis with a blurb, but they serve very different purposes. A blurb, like the one you see on the back of a book or on a retailer’s website, is meant to entice readers without giving away the ending. It’s a teaser that draws readers in with hints of the romance, conflict, and stakes.

In contrast, a synopsis is not about mystery or intrigue. It lays out the entire story, including the resolution. Agents and editors use synopses to assess whether your story has a strong narrative structure, engaging characters, and satisfying emotional depth. There’s no room for cliffhangers here—be prepared to spill all the details.

👉Important!! Don’t think that by leaving off the end of your story will entice an agent/editor to ask you for more. They won’t. They’ll either think you don’t know how to write a complete novel or be irked that you’re pulling a stunt. Both will result in a rejection.

Who is Your Synopsis For?

Your synopsis is written for a professional audience, including:

• Agents: They want to quickly determine if your story aligns with what they’re looking for and if it’s compelling enough to pitch to publishers.
• Editors: They need to understand the full arc of your story to evaluate its marketability and how it fits into their publishing line.
• Critique Partners: A synopsis can also be a valuable tool for early feedback. It helps your peers see the big picture of your story and offer input on pacing, plot coherence, and emotional resonance. This is especially true if you’re submitting your critique in small chunks.
• Contests: Judges often review excerpts or partial manuscripts in contests, and a synopsis offers them a clear view of the bigger picture.

Before Writing Your Synopsis

Whether an agent/publisher takes an interest in your book depends on three things:

1. Quality of your synopsis
2. Quality of your sample pages
3. Following the guildelines

Each of these gives a first impression, and if any of them are off, you’ll be rejected. So it’s vitally important that you present your best writing from the get go. That means…

Finish and Edit Your Book

By finish, I mean revised and edited. This book is ready for readers. Don’t think, “They’re going to edit it anyway, so it’s good enough.” Good enough isn’t good enough. Not when you’re competing against hundreds of other books sitting in the agent/editors slush pile. The cream rises, if you have whole milk or half-and-half, you may not make the cut.

If you can afford a developmental and copy edit, do it. Short of that, do your own developmental edit, have critique partners or beta readers read the MS to give you feedback, and use a tool like Autocrit and/or ProWritingAid to make sure you have the best story and cleanest manuscript possible.

Understand Your Genre and Subgenre

Books are rejected for many reasons. Sometimes it has nothing to do with the quality of your writing. If you send your romance to an agent that does women’s fiction but not romance, you’ll likely get a rejection since women’s fiction isn’t the same as romance.

First thing you need to do is to make sure your book meets the romance requirement: The plot is about the couple coming together and at then end they’re happy together.

Second, determine your subgenre. Many agents/editors focus on specific romance subgenres, and don’t represent others. For example, I didn’t represent historical romance. Subgenres include contemporary, romcom, paranormal, sweet, spiritual, historical, fantasy (romantasy), LBGTQ+, erotic, etc.

Understanding your genre and subgenre will make sure you’re targeting the right agents/editors.

Prepare Your Submission

The most important tip I can give you is to follow the guidelines! I can’t tell you how many submissions I received when agenting that didn’t follow the directions that were posted on the submission page. Not following the guidelines tells the agent/editor that you don’t know how to follow directions or don’t care about directions, and both messages are bad. It takes a lot of work and time to get a book published. If you indicate you can’t follow directions from the get go, an agent/publisher might rethink how challenging it will be to work with you.

As far as what to prepare, here’s what you can expect, but again, READ AND FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES!

1. Query Letter: This introduces your book and you to the agent/editor.
2. Synopsis: This provides the entire overview of your book, with a focus on the characters, conflicts, and resolution.
3. Sample Chapters: Prepare 3 chapters, but again, if an agent/editor asks for 2 chapters or the first 5,000 words, provide that instead. You should always submit the FIRST chapters. If you think your writing is best starting at chapter five, then you’ve got work to do. You’ve either started your book early or you need to beef up those early chapters.

Essential Elements of a Romance Synopsis

Writing a romance synopsis requires a careful balance of summarizing the main events while capturing the emotional depth and relationship growth that defines the genre. It has to hook the agent/editor, so it can’t be a basic summary like you might have written in high school.

The key elements of the synopsis are:

• Characters
• Core Conflicts
• Main Plot (beginning, middle, and end)
• Resolution

Preparing to Write Your Synopsis

When I sit to write a synopsis, my first feelings are overwhelming. Because of that, I have a few exercises I do to help me the information I need to convey in a manner I can deal with it. I start by making lists and notes the incorporate the items here:

Start with the Big Picture

Before diving into the details, summarize your romance story in one or two sentences. If you started with a premise, use this. Otherwise, develop a simple one-line summary of your story.

Example:
“In a small seaside town, a jaded travel writer finds herself falling for the charming innkeeper who helps her rediscover the magic of love and adventure.”

Who are your characters? 

What are their goals, and what gets in the way? What is their personality?

Example:

Jane wants big adventure, not little stories in tiny seaside towns. She’s cynical about the world, which makes her prickly to others, so spends a lot of time alone.

Outline the Main Plot Points

If you’re a plotter, this will be easy. If you’re a pantster, figure out the major beats in your story that form your basic story.  These should include:

• The inciting incident: What brings the protagonists together?
• Key turning points: Moments of growth, conflict, or significant decisions in the romance.
• The climax/black moment: The high-stakes moment where everything is on the line.
• The resolution: How the story concludes, including the romantic payoff.

Example Outline (this is from my synopsis for Drawn to Her, which resulted in me getting an agent and publisher):

• Lexie works for Drake’s ailing grandfather as a personal live in nurse.
• They’re goals clash as Lexie wants to make Oliver’s last days peaceful, while Drake is seeking Olivers help in taking over the company from Drake’s twin brother.
• Lexie believes Drake is cold, only caring about money. Drake believes Lexie is a gold-digger.
• Forced to work together, Lexie learns that Drake is trying to save the company’s workers’ jobs and Drake discovers Lexie is sweet, caring woman who he can’t seem to stop thinking about.
• A simple affair begins to grow into more, until Drake believes Lexie is working with his grandfather to test Drake’s commitment to the company.
• Lexie gets angry at Drake when he chooses the company over being with his dying grandfather.
• In a board meeting, Drake is faced with the life he doesn’t want, and he goes to Lexie wanting love instead.
• They admit their love and create a future together.

Flesh Out the Emotional Beats

Romance is as much about the characters’ emotional journeys as it is about plot. Highlight how the protagonists grow, both individually and as a couple:

• Show their vulnerabilities and fears.
• Reveal how their relationship helps them overcome personal challenges.
• Illustrate the chemistry and emotional moments that bring them together.

For example:

“Emma’s guarded nature softens as Jack shows her kindness and trust she thought she’d never feel again. Meanwhile, Jack’s fear of failure melts as Emma helps him see the value in taking risks—for both his career and his heart.”

Write a Draft (see tips below)

Using your outline and emotional beats, write your synopsis as a flowing narrative. Focus on clarity and avoid overloading it with subplots or minor characters. Keep the tone consistent with the vibe of your novel (light and fun, heartfelt and emotional, or dark and intense).

Writing Your Synopsis

The next step is to write. Here’s a basic outline to help you get started:

👉Note that a synopsis is generally written in present tense, even if your book is in past tense.

1. Main Characters & Premise

Start by introducing your protagonists. Briefly outline:

• Who they are (names, basic background, and key personality traits).
• What they want (their primary goals or desires at the start of the story).
• What’s standing in their way (the internal and external conflicts they’ll face).

For example (here is part of my synopsis for Drawn to Her, book 1 in the Southern Heat series – this book lead me to getting an agent, and selling a 3-book deal to Penner Publishing)

Feisty southern belle LEXIE MCKENNA isn’t afraid to speak her mind, which may be why she’s unlucky in love. The only man in her life is her boss, ninety-year-old cantankerous OLIVER CARMICHAEL, for whom she’s a live-in personal nurse. That is until Oliver’s brooding, but sexy grandson, DRAKE CARMICHAEL, arrives demanding Oliver help settle the dispute with Drake’s twin brother over the family’s company’s future.

I was taught to use all caps and full name the first time a character is mentioned. After that, you can use regular letters and just the first name.

2. The Setup (Opening & Inciting Event)

Describe the story’s initial setting and inciting incident. Provide just enough detail to orient the reader while driving the plot forward. The setup should:

• Establish the world where the story takes place (small town, bustling city, fantasy realm, etc.).
• Show how the protagonists meet and what circumstances spark their interaction.

For example:

Lexie isn’t intimidated by Drake’s size or fierce gray eyes and tells him Oliver’s condition means he can’t work. Drake isn’t a man to let a petite, pixie-faced woman stop him from his goal or charm his grandfather out of money. The compromise is Drake will stay with them in Oliver’s house and be given limited time to consult with Oliver. Although Lexie doesn’t like Drake’s attitude or the way her body responds when he’s around, she’d thrilled Drake will be spending time with Oliver during his last days. Drake is baffled and annoyed at the way Lexie stirs his libido but agrees to the arrangement to save his family’s company and to ensure Lexie doesn’t swindle his grandfather out of money.

3. The Conflict

Romance thrives on tension, and your synopsis should highlight the key obstacles keeping the couple apart. Address:

• External Conflicts: Situations, events, or people that create challenges for the couple.
• Internal Conflicts: Emotional wounds, fears, or beliefs that cause personal and relational struggles.

For example:

Initially, Lexie’s dislike of Drake makes ignoring the chemistry that sizzles between them easier. However, as the days go by, she discovers Drake’s effort to control the company isn’t greed, but an effort to protect the jobs his brother wants to cut. Underneath his cool, hard facade is a man who cares about people over profits. Drake fights to hide his compassion, especially from Oliver, who raised him to care only about the business and success. But Lexie knows Oliver has regrets over how he lived his life and wants Drake avoid making the same mistakes he did. Lexie works to help Drake prove compassion and success can go hand-in-hand in business and assist Oliver in showing Drake there’s more to life than business.

In Lexie, Drake discovers a woman without guile or agenda, a refreshing change from the manipulators, including his grandfather, he normally encounters. He learns Lexie isn’t after his grandfather’s money and, in fact, her influence may have changed Oliver for the better. But Drake is torn between the priorities his grandfather instilled in him growing up and the lessons the dying man is introducing now. Drake wonders if his grandfather has really changed, or is he testing Drake’s commitment to the business.

4. The Romance Arc

The heart of your synopsis lies in capturing the evolution of the romantic relationship. Focus on:

• How the characters’ feelings change over time.
• The key moments where their connection deepens (the first kiss, a moment of vulnerability, etc.).
• How their love challenges them to grow as individuals.

For example:

Drake’s quest is made more difficult by Lexie who, for reasons he doesn’t understand, distracts him with her beguiling smile and effervescent spirit. Lexie, too, finds it difficult to continue to resist Drake’s appeal. Once their guards are down, the passion erupts, fierce and unquenchable. Their agreed upon one night together extends through the week until Drake has to return to New York, where his brother has forced a meeting that can impact the company’s future. When Oliver convinces Drake to take Lexie with him to New York during her weekend off, Drake is at first angry, believing his grandfather and Lexie are colluding to test his business fortitude. But after spending a day with Lexie in the city he grew up in, Drake begins to wonder if maybe his grandfather is right; love and business can mix.

Lexie tells herself she and Drake are too different to have a future, but after a magical day with him in New York, she allows herself to believe perhaps they can have a future. But all that changes when she gets a call that Oliver is in the hospital and Drake doesn’t return to Virginia with her. She lashes out at him, accusing him of choosing a petty competition between he and his brother over attending to his dying grandfather. When she arrives back in Virginia, Oliver is back home and upset at her for leaving Drake during the most important time in his life.

After Lexie leaves, Drake reminds himself why love is a farce and recommits his efforts to save the family’s company.

5. The Climax and Resolution

A romance synopsis must reveal the ending. Romance readers—and the judges of your synopsis—expect a happy or hopeful conclusion. Cover:

• The turning point or climax where the characters overcome their biggest challenges.
• How the external conflicts are resolved.
• The resolution of the romance, with a clear commitment or happily-ever-after moment.

For example:

As Drake prepares to deliver his business presentation, he takes a good look at his brother and the other board members with money and power, but not happiness or contentment, and glimpses a future he doesn’t want. Realizing love and family should take priority over business, he returns to Virginia, willing to disappoint Oliver by choosing family and the possibility of love over business. Oliver admits he was wrong to raise Drake and his brother to care only for business and is thrilled at Drake’s desire to win Lexie’s heart.

Lexie realizes she’s been too hard on Drake, and when he returns to his grandfather’s home, she hopes for the chance to apologize and let him know she’s willing to move to New York for a chance to be with him. But Drake surprises her, confessing his love, saying he’ll stay in Virginia, and asking her to marry him. Overwhelmed and in awe of Drake’s love, Lexie says yes. They pull together a quickie wedding so Oliver, the man that brought them together, can attend.

Drawn to Her is just under 70,000 words. This synopsis condenses it down to 847 words, a page and a third in length.

Revising Your Synopsis

My first drafts sound more like a book summary than a synopsis. As you revise your synopsis to get under two pages and ensure you’ve got all the elements you need and none you don’t, here are a few additional tips:

Write in your voice and style, and in the tone of the book: If you’re book is a romcom, your synopsis should have the same vibe. If your book is dark and scary, your synopsis should read dark and scary.

Drawn to Here is a regular contemporary romance. Check out this opening to the synopsis for my quirky, humorous cozy mystery to see the difference:

SOPHIE PARKER is book smart, but she’s not wise to the ways of the world, especially to the complex process of clipping, matching, and stacking coupons she’s been forced to learn since her wealthy father ended up in jail for running a Ponzi scheme with her brother, and her mother ran off with a personal trainer. Falling from riches to rags, Sophie is forced to move back to her hometown to make her own way in the world and take care of her curmudgeonly great aunt. She has a college degree, but no employer in the small rural Virginia town needs an employee with a degree in Mythology and Folklore, nor do they want to hire the daughter of a crook. Trying to make the best of a bad situation, she gets a job as wench waitress at a pirate-themed restaurant and joins a couponing group. Hopeful that the only way to go is up, Sophie is dealt a new blow when an innocent airplane ride with her former teenage crush, AJ DEVLIN, leads to their being picked up by the police for the murder of the plane’s indebted owner, JOESEPH CULLEN.

Use concise language, strong verbs, and active voice: Writing a synopsis is one of the best exercises for learning to write tight.

Edit: Like your manuscript, using tools like Autocrit or ProWritingAid can help you find spelling and grammar errors, overused words, passive voice, and more.

Feedback: Find someone who’s successfully used a synopsis to get an agent or publisher and ask them to review your synopsis.

Formatting Your Synopsis

Now that you’ve written an exciting synsopsis, it’s time to format it. The synopsis is formatted differently from the manuscript:

1.Your book’s title, by your name (include writing as if using a pen name), Genre, and word count at the top and centered on the page:

2. Single space

3. Times New Roman 12pt Font

4. Paragraph indent 5

5. No space between paragraphs (everything single space)

6. First time a character is introduced, put first and last name in all caps.

7. Two pages or less. If you go over 2 pages, edit. The shorter the better! Trust me, agents/editors don’t have a lot of time and the quicker they can read the better. Just make sure your prose is engaging and you tell all the important bits of the story.

Dos and Don’ts for Writing a Romance Synopsis

A well-crafted synopsis is your chance to showcase the best of your romance novel in a concise and professional way. To ensure your synopsis shines, follow these dos and avoid common pitfalls.

Dos for Writing a Romance Synopsis

1. Keep It Concise
   • A synopsis is typically 1-2 pages, single-spaced. Stick to the essential plot points and emotional beats that define your story.
   • Less is more—prioritize clarity over complexity.
2. Write in Third Person, Present Tense
   • Even if your novel is written in first person or past tense, the synopsis should always be in third person, present tense.
   • This creates a professional and consistent tone.

   Example:
   “Emma plans a lavish wedding, but unexpected chemistry with Jack forces her to confront her fears of love.”

3. Focus on the Emotional Journey
   • Romance is about more than just events; it’s about feelings. Highlight how the relationship evolves and how the characters grow emotionally.
   • Show why readers will root for the couple to end up together.

Don’ts for Writing a Romance Synopsis

1. Don’t Include Every Subplot or Minor Character
   • While side plots and secondary characters may add richness to your story, your synopsis should stick to the main storyline and protagonists.
   • Focus on the romance arc and any major external conflict directly tied to it.

   Example:
   Instead of mentioning a best friend’s subplot, say: “Emma struggles with trust issues as she navigates challenges at work and in her personal life.”

2. Avoid Vague Language
   • Be specific about key events and turning points. Ambiguity makes your synopsis feel incomplete or confusing.
   • Replace generic phrases like “things happen” or “problems arise” with concrete details.

   Example:
   Instead of: “They face challenges that test their relationship,”
   Write: “Jack’s fear of commitment drives him to pull away after Emma asks for more than he’s ready to give.”

3. Revealing the Ending
   • A synopsis is not a blurb; you must reveal the ending, including how the romance resolves. Agents and editors need to know the full story arc to evaluate your novel’s potential.
   • End on a high note, showing how the couple overcomes their obstacles and finds happiness.

   Example:
   “Emma takes a leap of faith, and Jack finally confronts his fears, leading to a heartfelt proposal and their happily-ever-after.”