No one finds the synopsis easy to write – capturing the heart of your novel in a few short paragraphs might feel impossible. But being able to summarise your plot is a crucial part of the submission process, and literary agents will often read a synopsis before looking at your manuscript.
In this masterclass, Richard Roper, novelist and former senior commissioning editor for non-fiction at Hachette, will guide you through the tricky art of writing a synopsis step by step.
From detailing major plot points to describing the motivation of your main characters and what’s at stake, you’ll learn how to write a synopsis that is satisfying, effective and entices an agent to read on.
After the live masterclass, you will receive a copy of the presentation to refer back to, including top tips and examples – all designed to help you bring what you’ve learnt to bear on your own synopsis, ensuring it’s in excellent shape for submission.
You will join up to 30 students for a two-hour masterclass on Zoom. The class will run from 7pm to 9pm on Tues 30 September 2025. The schedule is shown in UK time.
Please note that precise dates of sessions and details of course speakers are subject to change.
The 30 places on this course are allocated on a first come, first served basis. To secure your place on this course, select your preferred date and then click ‘enrol now’ and complete our payment process.
On receipt of payment, we will send you a link to our short registration form.
If you encounter any problems during the enrolment process, or have any more questions about the course, please email help@curtisbrowncreative.co.uk for assistance.
The course fee of £65 (inc VAT) per student is payable in full before the masterclass.
Students will be given the option to purchase feedback on their submission package from a CBC editor.
Richard Roper is a novelist and non-fiction editor based in London. He is published by Orion in the UK, Penguin in the US, and around the world in 20 languages. His debut novel Something to Live For was optioned for TV and was a Barnes & Noble fiction book of the month in the US. As a former senior commissioning editor for non-fiction at Headline, he has commissioned and edited numerous Sunday Times bestsellers and award-winning titles across memoir, travel writing, comedy, sport, music and gift & humour. He is now a full-time author and editor.
