Help Please SS - Synopsis
Printed From: NYC Midnight : Creative Writing & Screenwriting
Category: GENERAL DISCUSSION
Forum Name: Questions & Answers
Forum Description: Ask any questions you have regarding NYC Midnight competitions here. We will answer as quickly as possible.
URL: https://forums.nycmidnight.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=51695
Printed Date: 02 Apr 2023 at 2:14am
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Topic: Help Please SS - Synopsis
Posted By: Carlos
Subject: Help Please SS - Synopsis
Date Posted: 25 Jan 2023 at 6:27am
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Hi all, I'm new here. I entered the 2,500 short story comp and now looking at submitting it. 1. Do I have to include a synopsis? Or is it optional? 2. Does anyone have an example doc I could look at from a previous comp? Like, will it be page 1: Title and underneath it the synopsis? Or on separate pages. Any help much appreciated, thank you. ------------- R2 G14 HORROR https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r2-g14-side-effects-horror_topic51591.html" rel="nofollow - https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r2-g14-side-effects-horror_topic51591.html |
Replies:
Posted By: slinkylink
Date Posted: 25 Jan 2023 at 9:07am
My understanding is that it is not optional. Here is mine from R1 last year. I got 2nd place: A horticulture heiress must decide between a tractor mogul and a seed store clerk. I put the title and synopsis on one page (center and middle) and started my story on the second page. If you want to see several examples go to the last year's results page, and you can read every winning story title and synopsis. https://www.nycmidnight.com/shortstory/2021-1stroundresults" rel="nofollow - https://www.nycmidnight.com/shortstory/2021-1stroundresults ------------- https://tinyurl.com/2auuhju6" rel="nofollow - R2 Rhyme 4th https://tinyurl.com/yvxwr59p" rel="nofollow - R2 250 2nd All |
Carlos wrote:Posted By: Carlos
Date Posted: 25 Jan 2023 at 9:09am
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Very helpful, many thanks. ------------- R2 G14 HORROR https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r2-g14-side-effects-horror_topic51591.html" rel="nofollow - https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r2-g14-side-effects-horror_topic51591.html |
Posted By: slinkylink
Date Posted: 25 Jan 2023 at 9:15am
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Sure! My opinion on writing the synopsis or logline (the screenplay equivalent) is don't overthink it. Be succinct but also specific enough so that when the judges try to remember which story is which, they can scan through the synopses and be like, "Which one was the seed store clerk story? Oh right...Royal Radish." ------------- https://tinyurl.com/2auuhju6" rel="nofollow - R2 Rhyme 4th https://tinyurl.com/yvxwr59p" rel="nofollow - R2 250 2nd All |
Posted By: Deschain
Date Posted: 25 Jan 2023 at 12:56pm
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is it supposed to be in teaser format ("The Johnson family vacation takes an unexpected turn...") or full summary format ("The Johnsons crash their car on the way to Disneyland and end up vacationing in The Everglades...")? ------------- https://forums.nycmidnight.com/topic51843.html" rel="nofollow - SS R1 G23 Haunted by the Truth *TW* https://forums.nycmidnight.com/author-archive_topic43498_post551825.html#551825" rel="nofollow - All Stories |
Posted By: WhistlerCrowe
Date Posted: 25 Jan 2023 at 9:49pm
So for my challenge 1 and 2 flash fiction stories from this year, these are the synopsis' I wrote for each. I really think you can go either way with it. Horror | Roadblock | Wedding Cake. "Blood Covenant A girl’s moonlit pilgrimage to lay her mama to rest is halted at a drunk driving checkpoint set up by a group of backwoods cops." Mystery | A taxidermy shop | A Beanbag. "The Eyes are Dead A string of ritualistic murders arrives at Homicide Detective Laroy Cromartie’s doorstep. Will he find the killer or only be left asking more sinister questions?" ------------- https://bit.ly/3Rm6GaY" rel="nofollow - He Who Walks on All Fours - SS R1 http://bit.ly/3Xwe31Z" rel="nofollow - All my NYCM Stories |
Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 25 Jan 2023 at 11:25pm
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Here is one I would not recommend; it was for the movie "White Noise" Dramatizes a contemporary American family's attempts to deal with the mundane conflicts of everyday life while grappling with the universal mysteries of love, death, and the possibility of happiness in an uncertain world. ------------- https://bit.ly/3Our1cI" rel="nofollow - R1 250-Word "Olympic Elegance" https://bit.ly/40f1TMH" rel="nofollow - R1 Short Story - Life's Little Speed Bumps |
Posted By: happywriter
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2023 at 7:57am
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The synopsis is a max. of 2 sentences. One is better. I find the formula 'This is a story about 'x' who does 'y' useful. ie. x =character y= action [including internal] by the character. ------------- @ |
Posted By: NYCNewbie
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2023 at 11:05am
All the forum stories from previous competitions are here on the forum and in the forum archive, so you could check out a few of those. The likes of Blake Snyder advise that a logline/synopsis should contain 3 things:
Good luck! ETA: 1st page has title and synopsis (Do a page break here) Page 2 onward is your story ------------- https://bit.ly/3ljgNBz" rel="nofollow - Rhyming Final https://bit.ly/3l0886H" rel="nofollow - R1 SSC: G144 Micro250 Final |
Posted By: slinkylink
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2023 at 11:51am
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One is better. I agree with this. The only exception I found in my NYCM synopses was for my Political Satire flash because it had an unusual premise that needed explaining. So I used line #1 to set up the premise and line #2 to give the story synopsis. With the passage of the Post-Living Personhood Act, dead citizens, known as Reborns, have secured the right to vote. Presidential hopeful Gwen Parsons has her fingers on the pulse of the dead and knows all the tricks to secure their votes. ------------- https://tinyurl.com/2auuhju6" rel="nofollow - R2 Rhyme 4th https://tinyurl.com/yvxwr59p" rel="nofollow - R2 250 2nd All |