How do you actually write a synopsis (tense, person, and structure)?

Short answer: Donovan Levine’s advice: Donovan recommends third person and present tense, beginning with the inciting action and covering the major beginning, middle and ending beats; let themes emerge through the characters and conflict.

Answered by Donovan Levine, Associate Literary Agent, Neighborhood Literary.

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The agent’s answer

Donovan Levine describes the synopsis as a play-by-play of the main narrative arc rather than a scene-by-scene retelling. He wants third person and present tense, opening on the inciting action and running through exposition, climax and resolution. Keep the language succinct rather than decorative. He also likes each paragraph to lead into the next, because beats that jump without explanation read as confusion or contradiction, though he says he is not strict about it when the book's own structure calls for something else. Rather than naming themes outright, let them show through the characters' choices and the conflict.

In Donovan’s words

A synopsis is typically written in the third person, and present tense is ideal.
Donovan Levine, 07:34

Source: Synopsis & Comp Titles.