What’s the difference between a blurb and a synopsis?
If you want to see your work published, you need more than an amazing manuscript. You need every part of your submission to shine.
While submission requirements vary, most book publishers and literary agents ask to see a synopsis. This story summary gives them an overview of your novel.
But writers often confuse a synopsis with a blurb. I’ve had countless authors send me a synopsis that reads more like a blurb — and vice versa.
This is a problem. Because if you send a poorly crafted submission, you’re much more likely to be rejected by a literary agent or publisher. Fail to give them the story details they’re looking for and you’ll struggle to attract their interest.
To help you get it right, I’ve written this post, exploring the difference between a blurb and a synopsis. We’ll look at the purpose, audience, required content and word count of these two types of story summary so you can craft a more compelling manuscript submission.
What is a blurb?
You can find a blurb on the back cover of almost every novel on your bookshelf. The blurb is a short summary of your story. It contains just a few evocative details, which entice a reader to give your book a go.
What is a synopsis?
A synopsis is something you send to a literary agent or publisher as part of a submission. It’s a full summary of your story, covering the entire plot and character arcs.
Similarities between a blurb and a synopsis
The blurb and synopsis for your novel are two very different things. But they do have some characteristics in common. Both your blurb and synopsis:
Provide an overview of your story
Are written in the present tense
Give a sense of the genre your book belongs to
Introduce your protagonist(s) and key story elements
This is where the similarities end. A blurb and synopsis are different in terms of their word count, audience, purpose and content.
Let’s take a closer look.
The difference between a blurb and a synopsis
Word count
A blurb is way shorter than a synopsis. It’s usually no more than 200 words, so it can fit neatly on the back of a book, along with the various other bits of information your publisher will want to put there.
A synopsis is longer — around 700 to 1,000 words — and usually between one-two pages long.
Audience
Your blurb is designed for potential readers of your novel, while a synopsis is written for a literary agent or publisher.
Purpose
A blurb is designed to pique the interest of a reader and get them to buy your book. So, like the trailer of a film, there’s a salesy element to it. You need to tease readers, provoking questions and their curiosity, so they want to find out more.
A synopsis has a different purpose. You’re aiming to inform, rather than entertain or excite, giving agents and publishers a feel for your novel, without them having to read hundreds of pages of your manuscript.
By reading your synopsis, agents and publishers should be able to decide whether your story has a solid plot, compelling characters and a satisfying conclusion. They’ll have a sense of whether your book is commercially viable and if it fits with their own preferences.
Ultimately, based on your synopsis, a publisher or agent can decide whether your story is something they’re prepared to pursue.
Content
A blurb provides a brief and purposefully incomplete summary of your story. It’s an opportunity to highlight what makes your novel different from the rest.
Most often, authors use a blurb to introduce their protagonist and the crux of the problem they’re facing. Sometimes, writers reference the inciting incident that disrupts a character’s status quo and sets them on a new path.
You may also like to discuss what’s at stake. Why is it so important that your character overcomes their primary problem? What will happen if they fail?
If a wider cast of characters, a distinctive setting or a strong theme are key to your book, you can mention these elements in your blurb, too. Just don’t reveal the ending or any key plot points within the story.
To write a good synopsis, however, you need to include a full overview of your novel, including key plot points, the ending and any spoilers. Having read the document, a prospective agent or publisher shouldn’t have any burning questions left unanswered.
While you won’t have space to include every subplot or supporting character in your synopsis, you should aim to include:
Primary characters and some sense of their character arcs
The key conflict of your story
A description of the beginning, middle, story climax and end of your novel
You’re aiming to give a concise summary of your whole story, in a logical sequence, giving away all the twists, turns and surprises, so an agent or publisher gets a thorough understanding of what your book is about.
While you can showcase your writing style and skill in a synopsis, this document tends to be more matter-of-fact than a blurb. It’s written straightforwardly, with story details, not style, the priority.
The content you need to include in your synopsis may also vary depending on the preferences of the agent or publishers you’re submitting your work to. So always check submission guidelines before you send anything off.
Ready to send your synopsis to a publisher? Take a look at these science fiction and fantasy publishers accepting submissions.
An example of a blurb
Here’s an example blurb based on The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit.
In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.
This blurb is short and snappy — and it echoes the tone of Tolkien’s writing. It introduces Frodo and his nemesis, Sauron. It reveals the inciting incident — Bilbo entrusting the Ring to Frodo — and hints at the trials and tribulations the protagonist will face. But the blurb doesn’t reveal any other characters or spoilers.
An example of a synopsis
Here’s an example book synopsis for the same novel. As you can see, it’s a much more detailed summary of the story, revealing plot twists and the book’s ending.
The Fellowship of the Ring is an epic fantasy set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, where long ago, a dark lord named Sauron lost a ring, the One Ring, that contains much of his power. His overriding desire is to reclaim the Ring and use it to enslave all of Middle-earth.
The story of The Lord of the Rings begins with several events that take place in the prequel, The Hobbit. While lost in a deep cave, Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit—one of a small, kindly race about half the size of men—stumbles upon a ring and takes it back with him to the Shire, the part of Middle-earth that is the Hobbits’ home. All Bilbo knows of his ring is that wearing it causes him to become invisible. He is unaware that it is the One Ring, and is therefore oblivious to its significance and to the fact that Sauron has been searching for it.
The Fellowship of the Ring opens with a party for Bilbo’s 111th birthday. Bilbo gives his ring to his heir, his cousin Frodo Baggins. When the time comes to part with the ring, however, Bilbo becomes strangely reluctant to do so. He gives up the ring only at the urging of his friend, Gandalf the Grey, a great Wizard. Gandalf suspects the ring is indeed the One Ring. After confirming his suspicions, he tells Frodo that the Ring must be taken away from the Shire, as Sauron’s power is growing once again.
Frodo sets out from the Shire with three of his Hobbit friends—Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Along the way, they are pursued by the nine Ringwraiths, servants of Sauron who take the form of terrifying Black Riders. The hobbits spend a night in the company of wandering Elves, who promise to send word ahead to friends who will protect them.
The hobbits make it to an inn in the town of Bree, where they meet Aragorn, a Ranger who roams the wilderness and who is the heir of the Kings of the ancient Men of Westernesse. A letter Gandalf left at the inn months before advises the group to head for Rivendell, a realm of the Elves. Aragorn sets out with the hobbits and with his help they avoid the Black Riders for some time. However, at the top of the hill Weathertop, the Company is forced to defend itself against the attacking Riders. Frodo is wounded during the skirmish, but they continue on.
Near Rivendell they meet the Elf-lord Glorfindel, who has been out looking for them. At the last ford before Rivendell, Frodo, riding Glorfindel’s horse, outruns the ambushing Black Riders, who are swept away in a flood created by Elrond, the master of Rivendell. Elrond heals Frodo and then holds a meeting to discuss what to do about the Ring. During this Council, Frodo learns the full history of the Ring. Frodo accepts the burden of taking the Ring to the only place it can be destroyed—the place where it was forged. It promises to be a long, nearly impossible journey, as the Ring was forged in the Cracks of Doom, part of the fiery mountain Orodruin in the very heart of Sauron’s realm of Mordor.
The Council creates a group to help Frodo in his quest. In addition to Frodo, the Fellowship of the Ring includes Sam, Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Gandalf, an Elf named Legolas, a Dwarf named Gimli, and a Man named Boromir.
The Fellowship heads south and attempts to pass over the Misty Mountains via the pass of Caradhras. Their way is blocked by snow and rock, and they are forced to divert through the Mines of Moria—the ancient, underground realm of the Dwarves. During the journey, Gandalf falls into the chasm of Khazad-dûm while protecting the Company from a Balrog, a terrible demon.
The rest of the party continues on to Lórien, the forest of the Galadrim Elves, where the Lady Galadriel gives them gifts to help them on the quest. Frodo, spellbound by Galadriel’s power and wisdom, offers her the Ring. She refuses, saying that, despite her intentions, the Ring would corrupt her and ultimately, she would only replace Sauron.
Leaving Lórien, the Fellowship travels by boat down the Great River, Anduin. At night, they spot Gollum—a creature that had once owned the Ring but then lost it—following them. When they reach the Falls of Rauros, the Fellowship must decide whether to head toward Mordor on the east or toward the safety of the city of Minas Tirith to the west.
Boromir, overcome by the Ring’s power and desiring the Ring for himself, confronts Frodo. Frodo fends off Boromir and decides that he must go on to Mordor rather than to the safety of Minas Tirith. However, Frodo cannot bear the thought of imperilling his friends on the dangerous journey or allowing the Ring to corrupt them, so he attempts to leave secretly and continue the quest alone. Frodo does not, however, manage to elude Sam, so the two of them set out together for Mordor.
Final thoughts
A book blurb and synopsis are two very different things.
You write a blurb to entice potential readers. You write a synopsis to showcase the entirety of your story to literary industry professionals.
Generally, authors find themselves crafting a synopsis or a blurb when they’ve finished their novel. But I think it can help to write a draft version of each document towards the end of the writing process.
Writing a synopsis, particularly, can highlight issues with your story. By taking a big-picture view of your manuscript, you may identify areas that require more work.
Perhaps you struggle to describe a particular character arc. Or maybe there are chapters that you don’t reference in your synopsis. It could be that these parts of your story need to be cut or edited.
If you want help editing your story before you submit it to an agent or publisher — or before you craft your synopsis — take a look at my manuscript editing services.
I can provide a critique and copy-edit for the first 10,000 words of your story, giving you extensive comments on elements like point of view, pacing, character, setting and structure.
You can then implement the recommended changes, write your synopsis and make your submission, feeling much more confident about the manuscript and supporting documents you’re sending.
Take a look at my pre-submission critique and copyedit service to find out more.
