Write your Synopsis
A hands-on, half-day workshop
to turn your story into a compelling one-page synopsis.
Saturday 7 November 2026, 2–5pm UK
Live on Zoom
Who is this for?
This workshop is for novelists and memoirists working on a project where you already know how your story ends. You might need a synopsis for querying agents, or you might want one as a planning or diagnostic tool: writing a synopsis is one of the best ways to test whether your book's structure and plot is actually working.
(This one isn't designed for subject- or argument-led non-fiction, self-help, business books, popular science, how-to etc. If that's your book, get in touch and I'll point you somewhere more useful.)
Does this sound like you?
You know you need a synopsis but have no idea where to begin!
You know every subplot and side character matters, but when you try to fit it all in, you end up with thousands of words. You just cannot condense your story.
Your synopsis reads like a list: this happens, then this happens, then this happens. It’s technically accurate, but completely lifeless.
Your book has multiple POVs or main characters, and you can't find the single narrative thread a synopsis needs.
You're ready to query agents, but you're not sure how to write a synopsis, so you keep putting it off. Or you keep redrafting and getting into a mess.
You've got a messy first draft and aren't sure it's actually working – writing the synopsis might be exactly the diagnostic tool you need.
Wherever you're starting from, you'll leave this session with a draft synopsis for your book.
You'll leave with...
A working one-page synopsis of your book, drafted in the room.
Clarity on the essential story beats – what stays in, what gets cut, and why.
A practical grip on the craft of synopsis-writing: cause-and-effect, identifying your protagonist's throughline, and the language that makes a synopsis compelling.
But this isn't just a webinar with theory to take away and apply on your own. You'll do the work in the room, on your own project.
What we'll cover...
I'll walk you through what a synopsis actually is (and isn't), then show you how to condense your story into a tight chain of cause and effect that keeps your protagonist front and centre.
We'll work through:
What a synopsis is for, and why it's not doing the same job as your blurb or your opening pages.
Finding the essential story beats that make your synopsis work.
Keeping your protagonist's throughline clear, even if your book has multiple POVs or timelines.
The language and craft of a synopsis: emotive language, linking phrases, and revealing all (including your ending).
Real examples, from my own novels and others, showing these principles in practice.
Small-group sharing: get feedback and meet other writers.
Live feedback and Q&A with me.
What you need
A work in progress – partial or complete – where you already know (or think you know) how it ends. You don't need a finished manuscript, and you don’t need polished prose. A messy first draft is great – this session works well as a way to sense-check whether your plot is holding together.
You do need a sense of your whole story, beginning to end, even if it’s not written yet, and even if bits of it are unclear.
An open mind and a willingness to think about your story differently!
About your host
I'm a novelist with four books published, including The Coffin Path, an Amazon bestseller and HWA Gold Crown nominee. I'm a Fulbright Fellow, a Royal Literary Fund Fellow, and a qualified writing coach. I've spent well over a decade teaching and coaching writers through all stages of the book-building process. Helping writers find and refine their stories is 100% my thing.
'My main challenges were writing a synopsis and sorting out the plot line of my story... Her submission package advice was excellent and really helped me hone and improve not just the first pages and letter but the dreaded synopsis!'
Vikki Biram, Writer
'Katherine helped me think through difficult plot points and encouraged me to rely on my own instincts as a writer... She has a wealth of writing and publishing experience and gave me so much reassurance to build up my self-belief.'
B.N. King, Author of Wolfboy, published 2027
This workshop is part of a series
Write your Synopsis is the second of three linked workshops running this autumn.
Each stands alone, but together they take you from clarifying your story shape, through drafting a working synopsis, to writing a pitch paragraph to help you talk about – and sell – your book with confidence.
1. Structure Your Story — Thursday 8 October 2026
2. Write Your Synopsis — Saturday 7 November 2026
3. Write Your Pitch Paragraph — Thursday 3 December 2026
Pricing
£65 per workshop (£195 for all three)
Inkwell members save 33% on any number of workshops — access your discount code via email.
Simply enter the code at checkout.
With Inkwell discount:
1 workshop: £43
2 workshops: £86
3 workshops: £129 (pay for two, get the third free)
The Inkwell is my newsletter and online writers' community, hosted on Substack. It costs £80 a year to join (or £8 a month). We gather weekly for Coffee & Co-writing sessions, and regularly for group workshops covering common challenges for writers, such as dealing with rejection, or breaking through creative blocks. The Inkwell Podcast gives members the chance to have writing questions answered directly by me.
Join The Inkwell to unlock your discount. You'll get your discount code in your welcome email.
FAQ
What if I can't make it live?
The session will be recorded, and you'll get access to the replay.
Will I get feedback on my own work?
You'll share and get feedback from other writers in small groups (if you want), and I'll be giving live feedback and answering questions during the session too, though with a live group this size, I can't promise individual feedback on everyone's project. The value is in doing the work live, with support, so you leave with real progress.
I'm already an Inkwell member – how do I get my discount?
Current members will find your code in emails sent about this workshop, and relevant posts on The Inkwell website. Simply enter your code at checkout. If you can’t find your code, get in touch.
I want to join The Inkwell and get the discount – how do I do that?
Subscribe to The Inkwell here. Choose an monthly or annual paid membership. If you don't have a Substack account you may be asked to create a free account and enter your card details. (All payments for The Inkwell go through Substack.) You'll get a welcome email, which will include your discount code and the link to book your spot. Simply enter the code at checkout to get 33% off. If you don't get your welcome email, please check your spam/junk folders, and your Promotions tab if you use Gmail. If you still can't find it, contact me here: https://katherineclements.co.uk/contact
I don't have a finished draft yet – is this for me?
If you have a work-in-progress, a main character and a sense of their story – beginning to end – this will work for you. You don't need to know all the details and you don't need a finished draft. Writing a synopsis can be a useful diagnostic tool to check your plot is working. I often write one early and use it as a live working document.
I'm writing a memoir, not a novel – is this still for me?
Yes. The principles apply whether your protagonist is invented or is you, and this will still be useful.
What's your cancellation & refund policy?
Cancellation Policy for Workshop Bookings
1. Bookings for online workshops may be cancelled up to 7 days before the date of the workshop. Cancellation requests must be made directly to me by email, by the person named on the booking. A refund will be issued to the original payment card, minus a £5 admin fee to cover transaction fees.
2. Cancellation requests received after the deadline will not be eligible for a refund.
3. Refunds are not available for participants who do not attend the event.
4. I reserve the right to cancel any workshop due to low enrolment or other circumstances that would make the event unviable. In such a case, participants will receive a full refund.
Are you in?
3 hours. Come with your story, your ideas, and an open mind.
Leave with a working one-page synopsis of your book.
