Does anyone know what the line spacing should be on the synopsis when submitting a Future Shock, single, 1.5, double? They don't mention it in the submission guidelines, and it's a pretty big deal, as obviously single spacing would afford you twice the room. Thanks in advance.
Brevity.
I don't know if it still applies , but when I applied to write one of the Dredd Virgin novels way back when , I was told to leave double spacing on the synopsis. Sure it takes up more room but it's clearer for the Editor to read.
Incidently it was a Dredd/Durham Red crossover that was called The Law of Red! I still have the synopsis and first three chapters but I'll never show them :-[
Make it short and impactful, and easy to read - no hard and fixed rules beyond that. You could send a synopsis typed at 1point, which would afford you oodles of room, but good luck getting anyone to read it!
-pj
Double-spacing is good: it allows the editor space to make in-line notes!
Most important is The Shark's advice: brevity!
The purpose of a synopsis is to demonstrate to the editor that you have a solid, coherent story - so make sure that you tell the whole story in your synopsis, including the twist ending... Definitely avoid writing it like the blurb on the back of a book that's designed to intrigue and tease the reader!
[Wait a second... What the heck am I doing? The competition is already tough enough without helping other writers!]
OK, forget all that. The true secret to a good synopsis is to make sure it stands out from all the other submissions, so print it orange ink on dark-green paper, one sentence per page, in 64-point type. Unless you have crayons: crayons are a great way to grab the editor's attention, especially if you write every letter in a different colour!
Don't forget to end your synopsis with a jovial, good-natured comment along the lines of "This is the best story what anyone has ever wrote and I want a million pounds for it and if you don't like it then you're an idiot and my mate Angry Dave will show up at your house with his dogs and anyway I don't ever read comics but everyone knows it's easy to write them because it's not like proper stories like what you get in books and stuff."
Luckily, letters posted to comics are treated as special by the post office, so it should arrive on the editor's desk within an hour of you mailing it. To check that it's arrived safely, it's best to phone the editor every ten minutes and ask him. He'll appreciate your enthusiasm!
In the very unlikely event that your story is rejected, that just means that the editor didn't actually receive it, so send two copies the next day. The day after that, send four, then eight, then sixteen, and so on. Also, to ensure delivery, each letter should be taped to something unmistakeable like a bowling-ball or a bicycle wheel or a bucket of dead rats.
-- Mike the helpful
Genius :D