Wraslin' a Synopsis

I don't know about y'all, but I'm so sick and tired of this DEMON synopsis.  I've reworked it and reworked it until I want to put a bullet in it to put ME out of my pain. 

Here's the thing:

--  Synopses TELL the story, while the manuscript SHOWS the story.  It takes a different mindset to do a synopsis.  No descriptions. Simply this happens, and then that happens, etc.

--  Synopses are in PRESENT tense, while most manuscripts are in PAST tense.  Talk about UGH.  I've had to have three people look at the synopsis to see if I screwed it up.  It's very easy to slip back and forth.

--  Synopses need to give enough detail to cover the plot points of the story (romance, internal conflict, external conflict) for the main character(s).  Problem point:  I'm a pantser.  I make stuff up as I go, but I usually have a 'path' to follow.  And pinpointing the path is hard for this pantser.

--  Synopses writing takes the fun out of the story.  At least it does for me up to a point.  Guess I like the thrill of not knowing where the story is heading. 

--  Synopses give the writer, agent, and editor a road path to see if all the components are covered.  True.  And I do like the idea of a road map, but getting it on paper wasn't a pleasant process. I think I brainstormed with my bud Cyndi and wrastled it for three weeks before I wrote it.

--  Synopses must be readable and make sense.  THEY MUST BE READ BY BETA READERS WHO DON'T KNOW THE STORY I can't say this one enough.  You have to have a supply of friends/writers/ or even your mom to read the synopsis.  Why?  Fresh eyes will take the synopsis at face value.  If they are confused reading it, then so will an agent or editor.  The writer KNOWS the story so we tend to 'supply' the particulars with our mind.  And yes, this is tough.  I think DEMON went through 10 different sets of eyes to 'fix' the problems--and I still have two small things to fix.   

That's it for today.  It's my birthday weekend and I'm not messing with this story until Monday.  Tonight is date night and we're having dinner at Flemings.  I can feel the filet mignon melting on my tongue as I type this. 

Write on!