Vam_V a lot of authors on Webnovel use an excerpt from their books as the synopsis. Usually a piece that is either intriguing, or (mostly)steamy. Personally, I prefer it when the synopsis gives a general outline of what to expect from the story. I have also seen authors do both: having the excerpt lead into the description of the story.
I went a bit more traditional myself, and did what I refer to as an Outline Synopsis. It lets potential readers know what to expect from the story without giving away major plot points.
Example:
Your Synopsis:
"A story about a young guy, who goes on an adventure in search of some magic stones and finds himself adrift in the dangerous events of the world around him."
Outline Synopsis:
At the budding age of eighteen, John Doe found himself adrift in the harsh world of Neverland. After a tragic incident derails the life he had always expected, Joe must build a new one for himself from the ashes of his once-promising career as a Mage. With no money and no roof over his head, Joe will embark on an adventure that will not only change him, but affect the very foundations of his world..
The Ancient Stones of Azarath are shrouded in mystery, but may be the key to his salvation.. Or lead Joe to his demise. Action, Adventure, and Intrigue await Joe around every corner as he fights for (insert his ultimate goal). What will happen when all the stones are brought together after a thousand years? Why were they separated and sent to the ends of the earth in the first place?
All the answers and more await Joe as he and his companions live, laugh, and bleed together for their futures..
This is just an example. Obviously the characters, places, and names would all be different. But these are the things you want in a synopsis that can be achieved by making an Outline Synopsis, an Excerpt Synopsis, or a combination of the two:
- Who are the MCs?
- What world/reality are they in?
- What is the general goal/elements of the story?
Without these three things being established, most readers will move on from a book. Many of the top-ranking books have a combination of the two types of synopsis; usually having the excerpt lead into the synopsis. The scene grabs the reader’s attention, then the synopsis lets the reader know what the story is about.
For more references, you can click on my profile icon and check out the synopsis for my two books, or compare the synopsis of top-ranked books. Hope this helped! ☮️❤️😁