Read current recipient instructions
A synopsis can be an attachment, proposal section or form field. The same term does not mean identical format or length. Aculei Edizioni specifies a maximum of two cartelle, also stated in characters; Edizioni Cinque Terre has its own character threshold. Save the relevant instructions with the file. A detailed agency synopsis and brief publisher version require distinct content, not simply renamed attachments.
Establish the unit
3,600 characters equals two cartelle of 1,800. If “two cartelle” is undefined, find or ask for the size. Two word-processor pages do not prove two cartelle: font, spacing and margins affect pages. A visually short synopsis may exceed characters; a spaced one may occupy more pages without more words. Use the character counter or calculator with a known divisor and retain the original character total.
Measure the right components
Book title, “Synopsis” label, author and contacts may or may not count. Check scope and anonymity rather than excluding them by default. A form can limit everything in the field, including an introductory line or signature: keep administrative data in designated fields. For unclear attachments, retain body/service-line subtotals and identify the measured selection in a precise question.
Maintain versions
Label extended, short and form versions by recipient or ceiling rather than “new” or “final”. A 3,600-character version does not automatically suit 2,000. Record file, limit, unit, count and manuscript version described. A correctly counted synopsis of a discarded ending is still wrong. After revisions, cross-check names, key events and conclusion across versions.
Calculate the reduction
2,340 characters against 2,000 exceeds by 340; remove at least that much using the same method. This identifies the problem, not the least important information. Shorter wording may keep word count while reducing characters; removing a short word may barely help. Recount substantial edits and retain necessary spaces and clear language. Passing a number should support the synopsis’s communicative purpose.
Content and minimums
A maximum does not require a mysterious promotional blurb. If a complete description is requested, do not automatically hide decisive information. This measurement guide supplies no universal narrative formula. Measure draft sections to assess space without fixed percentage allocations. If a minimum is given, check both boundaries: shorter is not necessarily better or detailed enough.
Inspect the attachment or field
Check beginning and ending for incomplete selection and avoid pasting two versions together. Line breaks/separators may change between editor and form. This site excludes line breaks from battute; a destination may differ. Compare the form’s own count and investigate discrepancies. Remove “shorten this” comments and provisional alternatives, then measure the clean complete proposal.
Preserve the submitted version
Save recipient, applicable instructions, file, version and count without unnecessary personal data. Recheck current instructions before sending, especially if the proposal was prepared months earlier. Once content, scope and total are checked, retain the delivered copy and revise another copy for later proposals. New work should not retroactively alter the file described in the submission record.
Three hypothetical synopsis versions
| Destination | Stated maximum | Measured draft | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form A | 2,000 characters | 2,340 | 340 above maximum |
| Attachment B | 2 × 1,800 characters | 3,420 | 180 characters remaining |
| Page without a defined unit | Two pages | 3,420 characters | Page convention missing |
Sources and checks
- Aculei Edizioni, invio manoscritti · The recipient’s own synopsis threshold.
- Edizioni Cinque Terre, invio manoscritti · The recipient’s own synopsis threshold.