Mary Barbera, author of Turn Autism Around, joined me to talk about writing a synopsis for her book. For those who don’t know, a nonfiction synopsis outlines how the book solves a problem for the reader in roughly 1-3 pages. Publisher(s) and agents will be making judgements about your book based on your synopsis, as well as any chapters you submit, so it must be crafted carefully.

Here’s roughly how you write a synopsis:

1. Begin by introducing the main idea of the book: Provide a brief overview of the main argument, purpose, or focus of the book.
2. Describe your expertise. This will help provide context for the reader about who is writing the book and what your qualifications are. Why you’re the person to write this.
3. Give a brief description of the book’s structure: Explain how the book is organized, including a general outline of the chapters.
4. Provide a summary of the book’s content: Explain the main points covered in the book and the evidence or research used to support your claims.
5. Discuss the implications of the book: Explain what the book teaches readers and why it’s important. What the outcome is for your reader.
6. End with a conclusion: Summarize the main points and what readers can gain from the book.

Now back to autism, the topic of Dr. Mary Barbera’s book, which is a highly polarized topic. We spoke a lot about the concerns publishers, agents, and media had, and how she dealt with it. How she continues to manage criticism from people who reject her approach.

Mary has a lot to teach about the whole writing process, and her super important topic. See for yourself.