How to Write a Book Synopsis with AI

A synopsis is an industry document that helps an agent or editor understand what happens in a book and whether the story holds together. For fiction, it generally summarizes the full narrative arc, including the ending; it is not back-cover copy designed to preserve suspense. Some agents use “synopsis” to mean a shorter query pitch, so read the submission instructions carefully. AI can help extract events, shorten passages, or compare a draft with a chapter outline, but language models may drop the cause of a character’s choice, merge two characters, misstate chronology, or invent a motive. Start with your own outline of the protagonist, goal, conflict, turning points, and resolution. Ask AI to compress or flag unclear transitions, then verify each sentence against the manuscript. Keep names and roles consistent, and ensure that the ending follows from the preceding events. A synopsis often uses present tense and third person for fiction, but follow the requested format for each agent or publisher. Length requirements vary; Jane Friedman’s publishing guidance notes that requests differ and recommends following individual submission instructions. A synopsis should not conceal the ending when a full plot summary is requested. For memoir or narrative nonfiction, distinguish documented facts from recollection and preserve the central arc without inventing scenes. AI can reveal gaps in a summary, but the author decides what is essential and whether the synopsis faithfully represents the book.