Aimé Badjam Yan-Tchamsi

Aimé Badjam Yan-Tchamsi is a writer and Managing Director of Éditions le Souffle in Chad. He has set out the following editorial guidelines aimed at authors wishing to publish their literary and academic works. They draw on his seven years editorial experience at Éditions Toumaï and having published seven works and several articles himself.

Submitting a manuscript to a publishing house is a decisive step for any author, but also a true obstacle course. Faced with an influx of proposals, editors have little time to dive into every work. This is where the proposal plays a crucial role. In a couple of pages, it should summarise the story from beginning to end, demonstrate its structure, and illustrate the narrative control of the author. More than a simple summary, it is a strategic tool, both a window onto the narrative and an indication of the professionalism of the author. A well written synopsis can open the door to a full reading of the manuscript. A poor synopsis can, on the contrary, exclude it definitively.

What purpose does it serve?

The synopsis should not look to seduce the reader, but to reveal the entirety of the narrative from the first to the final major event. It is evaluated on the basis of what it says about the book, but also about the author: his or her capacity to tell a story, to write clearly, and in a structured and professional way.

This is what the editor wants to read in it:

• What is the narrative thread of the story?
• Who are the central characters? What is at stake for them? How do they evolve?
• Is the story coherent, original, and commercially viable?
• Does the author have control of the narrative, the dramatic progression, and the structural choices?

How to structure a good synopsis? A simple method

• Reveal the story is its globality, chronologically.
• Be simple and direct.
• Use the present tense.
• Eliminate all redundant material.
• Be technical – not novelistic.

Recommended format

• Length: 1–2 pages maximum, 500–1,000 words.
• Use a clear font (Times New Roman, 12), and standard spacing.
• Present a flowing text – no chaptering, no titles, no dashes.

Tips on method: work in three stages

1. Begin with summaries of each chapter (one sentence maximum per chapter).

2. Combines these points into a continuous narrative.

3. Re-write for fluency, eliminating repetition, and avoid overloading the text.

What not to do

• Do not leave the reader in suspense: this is not a teaser.
• Do not use metaphors, stylistic phrases or literary effects.
• Do not write in the first person (except when this is the narrative voice of the novel).
• Do not use an emphatic or lyrical tone.

Do not forget the cover letter

A good synopsis does not replace the cover letter, although this can be short. It is your first contact with the editor. It must:

• Present the author succinctly.
• Situate the project (title, genre of the work, length, status of the manuscript).
• Show why you are sending it to this publishing house.

A good cover letter orientates the reading of the proposal. A missing or sloppy letter can be sufficient grounds to reject the manuscript.

Tips on method: visualise the WWWWHHW

To write a genuinely complete synopsis and covering letter, refer to the classic seven question scheme:

Question	What the editor wants to know
What?	What is the story, the plot?
Who?	Who are the principal protagonists?
Where?	Where does the plot take place?
When?	In which epoque, in which temporal context?
How?	What in the narrative mechanism?
How much?	How many words, pages, characters?
Why?	What’s at stake dramatically or morally in the story?

By responding clearly to these questions, you are showing that you are in control of your text and are facilitating the editor’s work.

Express summary: five keys to an effective synopsis

• Be exhaustive from beginning to end; ensure nothing essential is missing.
• Be well organised: present a clean, logical and clear structure.
• Be neutral, with no embellishments or literary effects.

• Short – one or two pages; no more.

• Show care – impeccable presentation.

Do you need support?

Professionals can re-read, correct or edit your synopsis clearly and effectively. This is often more worthwhile than collecting silent rejections.

The synopsis is much more than an administrative formality. It’s the first real test of the manuscript on the way to publication. By respecting rules of clarity, concision and structure, the author is giving his or her text every chance of overcoming the barrier of the first editorial triage.

Every word counts. Every omission counts against you. To present a complete and fluid story, free from superfluous effects, is to show the editor that you are in control of your account from beginning to end. An effective synopsis, together with a strong covering letter, constitute the best passport for the journey of the manuscript – perhaps to reach the hands of the final reader.

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Translated from French by Stephanie Kitchen. A French version of the article is available at https://wp.me/pgjIDO-5r.