How to make publishers interested?

[Dimentio]

Should I write a synopsis of my book, and I that case, what should I put my focus on in the synopsis?

[chopper]

if you want anybody to publish or represent your work then yes, you need a synopsis. try the following links/pages.

Writing a Synopsis
more romance-based, but the technical stuffis still the same and the links are exhaustive.

How to Write a Synopsis
is another informative article.

both of these come up on the first page of a google search.

[Dimentio]

Should I focus on what is happening in the book or on the deeper, symbolical meanings of what is happening?

[chopper]

i think, if you can cover the symbolism in two or three lines, then yes. any longer than that, and the publisher/agent will likely lose interest.
just my point of view - others may be along shortly to clarify or contrast.

[Dimentio]

Should I have a description of the world in the synopsis?

[chopper]

again, if you can condense it into a couple of lines, then yes. your synopsis should ideally be no more than two sides of typed A4 (the longer it is, the less likely an agent will read through to the end...)

check that second link i posted - it should give you a good starting point.

[Dimentio]

I could press it down to five pages.

[Teresa Edgerton]

You need to press it down to a three page version, a two page version, and a one page version (the one page synopsis being what most agents or editors will look at). Do not waste a single word on the deeper meanings and symbolism of the story. It sounds pretentious, it sounds like you are more interested in pushing some agenda than in telling a story, and most of all it uses up space better devoted to describing the plot. You should put in a little bit of background or description of the world that directly impacts the story, but no more than a few sentences (especially on the one page synopsis). Tell a little bit about the main character or characters, just enough to create the impression of a distinctive individual or individuals in the mind of whoever is reading the synopsis. (You should be able to do this in a sentence or two.) Everything else is describing the plot.

The first thing that an agent or an editor wants to know is: does this book have a compelling story to tell? If you can't convince them of that, nothing else matters, because without a compelling story no one is going to read far enough to appreciate the deeper meanings -- certainly not the agent or editor.

Here is an article about writing the synopsis that I wrote some time ago:

Rumblings (and Ramblings) at Madeline's -- JANUARY 2008

I'm not an agent or an editor, but I have sold twelve books to major SFF publishers, and this is how I write a synopsis -- so it seems to work quite well.

[Dimentio]

Thank you all for your help ^^

*making a deep kow-tow*

[Dimentio]

I have written an abstract for a synopsis right now. I would like to see where I could shorten it down.