Synopsis.
For my manuscript submission there is a dreadful accompaniment. A SYNOPSIS. Now, let me make it quite clear that I understand in principle why the world has a need for synopses but I really, really find them hard to write. Really hard. Argh. They nearly always sounds incredibly dull and boring and all "then this happened" and then "this" and "so" ooooh, "but then".
Another side issue is complicated things are almost impossible to summarise. You ask someone what they are writing their PhD on. Go on! Do you have a spare half hour? The good thing though, about having to write a synopsis is that you have to know what you are writing about. An excellent thing to know; a useful way of consolidating ideas and potentially tie-ing everything together in a little pretty bow.
Another side issue is complicated things are almost impossible to summarise. You ask someone what they are writing their PhD on. Go on! Do you have a spare half hour? The good thing though, about having to write a synopsis is that you have to know what you are writing about. An excellent thing to know; a useful way of consolidating ideas and potentially tie-ing everything together in a little pretty bow.
And that dear reader, is the ultimate satisfying reading gift.