TIPS ON WRITING A SYNOPSIS
The Princess Bride (A Case Study)
with credit to Kathleen Scheibling
Using the movie The Princess Bride, Kathleen took us through what a synopsis is–and isn’t. Let’s start with what a synopsis is not:
A Synopsis Is Not…
- Back Cover Copy
- Backstory
- A Step-by-Step Description
- A Chapter Breakdown
Let’s take a closer look at what each of these looks like.
Back Cover Copy Example
Join me in this rollicking tale of the love between the beautiful Buttercup and the besotted Westley, a love cruelly interrupted by Westley’s tragic apparent death at sea when seeking his fortune. But death is no barrier to True Love, and in a story filled with big-hearted giants, genius kidnappers, sadistic torturers, vile swamps, Rodents of Unusual Size, the Dread Pirate Roberts and a somewhat embittered miracle worker, the love between Westley and Buttercup twists and turns on a path filled with adventure. Will the True Love of Westley and Buttercup win the day? –credit IMBD
Backstory Example
Wesley grew up an orphan, andhas to make his own way in the world. His father, what he knew of him, was trampled by a runaway bull, which is why he sympathizes with Inigo Montoya when they meet, as his father had been killed as well. We don’t know what happened to his mother, but suffice to say, she was likely beautiful, like Buttercup.
Step-by Step Description Example
Westley works on a farm. Buttercup bosses him around but ends up falling for him. He leaves to find his fortune but is captured by the Dread Pirate Roberts. Buttercup, distraught, agrees to marry the Prince. She is “kidnapped” by the Prince’s men, who plan to kill her. The boat is being followed by a mysterious pirate, who follows them to the Cliffs of Insanity.
Chapter Breakdown Example
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3, etc.
A Synopsis Is…
A synopsis should contain three key components:
- The plot of your story, including the ending
- Intro to the main characters
- The conflict that keeps the main characters apart.
In developing your synopsis, following a basic story structure can help. The inciting incident starts characters on their path toward their goal. Next comes the development of goals, motivation and conflict, followed by the crisis or black moment. This should raise the question of how the main characters get back from this moment. Finally, the resolution or achievement of the goal. In a romance, that’s the happily ever after or happy for now!
Let’s look at each of these from The Princess Bride.
The Inciting Incident
In a nutshell, the inciting incident is simple: the main characters meet, fall in love and are immediately separated. Here are two different ways of capturing this in a synopsis, one simple and one detailed.
The Inciting Incident: Simple
Westley and Buttercup declare their love for each other, but soon after Westley leaves to find his fortune so they may marry, he is captured and assumed killed by the Dread Pirate Roberts. Buttercup is kidnapped by a group of outlaws, who, at the Prince Humperdinck’s bidding, plan to kill her and frame her murder on an enemy nation so he may start a profitable war. Westley, who has become Roberts, embarks on a quest to save Buttercup but first must find out if she truly does love him.
The Inciting Incident: Detailed
Westley, who is as smart as he is strong, wants nothing more than the love of the beautiful Buttercup, whose family he works for. He seduces her with his consistent answer to her every command of “As You Wish,” and they fall madly in love. But shortly after he leaves to make his fortune so they can marry, he is captured by the Dread Pirate Roberts and presumed dead by Buttercup. In despair, she agrees to marry Prince Humperdinck, not knowing that she is a pawn in his goal to start a war with a neighboring country. When she is kidnapped by outlaws who are ordered to murder her, she has no idea that the ship pursuing her captors is manned by Westley. But his goal is much more than just to save her—it is to find out if she still loves him.
The simple inciting incident sticks to the facts, while the detailed inciting incident showcases the author’s voice by including a few key details and descriptors.
Goals, Motivation, Conflict
In every story, the main characters must have an internal conflict, motivation and face an external conflict or obstacle. Here’s a rundown of these key components for Westley:
| He doesn’t know if he’s good enough for her – is he worthy of her love? | External | Internal |
| Goal | Return Home to Buttercup | Find out if Buttercup still loves him (she is engaged to the Prince) |
| Motivation | He must prove himself as the Dread Pirate Roberts | He must prove himself to Buttercup |
| Conflict | People want to kill him Buttercup thinks he is dead | He doesn’t know if he’s good enough for her – is he worthy of her love? |
Let’s see these reflected in a paragraph:
Goals, Motivation, Conflict: Westley
Trapped on a pirate ship, Westley stays focused on his main goal—returning home to Buttercup. When his captor retires and makes Westley the new Dread Pirate Roberts, Westley sails for Florin, only to find the seemingly cold-hearted Buttercup engaged to an evil Prince. Before he confronts her, he must save Buttercup from a band of outlaws. Once he has proved himself smarter and stronger than a practiced, revenge-filled swordsman, a friendly giant and a self-styled genius, he has Buttercup’s full attention and it is time to discover the truth: Does she still love him?
Now let’s look at Buttercup’s goals, motivations and conflicts:
| External | Internal | |
| Goal | To be reunited with Westley | Happily Ever After |
| Motivation | True Love | Happiness |
| Conflict | She is kidnapped She must sacrifice herself to save Westley | She doesn’t want to live without true love |
Goals, Motivation, Conflict: Buttercup
Buttercup found True Love and then lost it. What is there to live for? Before she has time to answer that question she finds herself a captive, first of a band of outlaws, and then of the Dread Pirate Roberts himself! But her beloved Wesley cannot disguise himself for long—it is he, come to save her! But then she must save him by giving herself up to Prince Humperdinck in exchange for Westley’s life. Just when they are reunited, they are again separated. They must believe in True Love to save them…perhaps with a little help from their friends.
Crisis/All Is Lost: Buttercup
In a nutshell, Buttercup’s crisis moment is when Westley is dead and she must marry Humperdink. Or, in other words…
Westley is tortured to death (well, he’s mostly dead), and Buttercup is being forced to marry Prince Humperdinck. When you’re mostly dead it’s hard to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. Happily, Westley has some great friends who bring him to Miracle Max, who in the name of True Love, revives Westley. It’s off to the castle to save Buttercup! She’s about to stab herself when she sees Westley on the bed—reunited again! But it’s not over. Following a witty exchange of threats and Prince Humperdinck surrenders.
And finally, the resolution…
In this movie, it’s simple: Westley and Buttercup literally ride off into the distance.
By putting the whole thing together, we arrive at:
The Princess Bride Synopsis
Westley and Buttercup declare their love for each other, but soon after Westley leaves to find his fortune so they may marry, he is captured and assumed killed by the Dread Pirate Roberts. Buttercup is kidnapped by a group of outlaws, who, at the Prince Humperdinck’s bidding, plan to kill her and frame her murder on an enemy nation so he may start a profitable war. Westley, who has become Roberts, embarks on a quest to save Buttercup but first must find out if she truly does love him.
Trapped on a pirate ship, Westley stays focused on his main goal—returning home to Buttercup. When his captor retires and makes Westley the new Dread Pirate Roberts, Westley sails for Florin, only to find the seemingly cold-hearted Buttercup engaged to an evil Prince. Before he confronts her, he must save Buttercup from a band of outlaws. Once he has proved himself smarter and stronger than a practiced, revenge-filled swordsman, a friendly giant and a self-styled genius, he has Buttercup’s full attention and it is time to discover the truth: Does she still love him?
Buttercup found True Love and then lost it. What is there to live for? Before she has time to answer that question she finds herself a captive, first of a band of outlaws, and then of the Dread Pirate Roberts himself! But her beloved Wesley cannot disguise himself for long—it is he, come to save her! But then she must save him by giving herself up to Prince Humperdinck in exchange for Westley’s life. Just when they are reunited, they are again separated. They must believe in True Love to save them…perhaps with a little help from their friends.
Westley is tortured to death (well, he’s mostly dead), and Buttercup is being forced to marry Prince Humperdinck. When you’re mostly dead it’s hard to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. Happily, Westley has some great friends who bring him to Miracle Max, who in the name of True Love, revives Westley. It’s off to the castle to save Buttercup! She’s about to stab herself when she sees Westley on the bed—reunited again! But it’s not over. Following a witty exchange of threats and Prince Humperdinck surrenders.
Westley and Buttercup literally ride off into the distance.
For 2024 Fiction and Creative Nonfiction books, we are asking for a one-page synopsis to accompany your manuscript. We hope this helps. Write on.