e _necessary_ detail. His third point is made through the
omission of _unnecessary detail_. His last advantage is that he knows
when to give scenes that are out of the ordinary and leaders that will
be useful to the continuity writer. He undertakes to sell no more than
an idea, and, selling an idea, he does not confound it with history
nor expect the buyer to be a mind reader. That is the great trick in
synopsis writing. Learn what to put in and what to leave out. Learn to
tell what the continuity writer needs, and learn to omit the things
that will suggest themselves to the imagination of any intelligent
plot-handler."

_6. The Form of the Synopsis_

An examination of the scripts of some amateur photoplay authors shows
that there is a frequent tendency to misunderstand the form in which
the synopsis should be written. This may be due to the writer's being
impressed with the necessity for not making his synopsis too long. At
any rate, the examples we have in mind are written--the story is
told--exactly as the scenario _should_ be written, only even more
briefly and without being subdivided into numbered scenes. Thus,
instead of writing: "Blake conceals himself behind a boulder and, as
Tom is about to pass him, steps out and orders him to throw up his
hands. He compels Tom to surrender his revolver and cartridge belt,
hastening Tom's actions, when he momentarily hesitates, by firing a
shot close to his head;" the writer may say: "Blake sees Tom
approaching up path. Hides behind boulder. As Tom is about to pass
boulder, he is held up by Blake, who makes him strip off gun and
cartridge belt. Tom too slow in actions, so Blake shoots past his
head. Tom drops belt and gun on ground, etc." Obviously, the mistake
consists in not writing the synopsis in narrative form.

It is well to note another point also. Although some manufacturers in
preparing synopses of their stories for the trade journals write them
in the past tense, it is always advisable to tell your story in the
present tense. In the scenario, you _must_ follow this custom, and in
the synopsis you _should_ do so.

In adding bits of characterization to your synopsis, and particularly
in pointing out the dramatic incidents of your plot, consider the
value of suggestive words and phrases. Not _many_ words, but words
that suggest pictures, call up whole scenes, tell entire stories, are
needed. And this is particularly true when you are writing to meet the
"synopsi