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110 THE SYNOPSIS other paragraphs as the headlines have given you. You can tell at a glance if you want to gain further knowledge of a certain bit of news and you do not waste your time reading through long paragraphs just to see if you should have read them or not. You read the head- line and stand or fall on your decision. 5. In precisely the same fashion the Editor or his assistant regards your synopsis. It is the headline of your story. It gives the leading facts. If these facts interest, then the story is read in full for com- plete details, but an Editor looking for society drama and nothing else would no more think of reading a slapstick farce than you would think of reading the news of the stock market when you wanted the sporting page. The Editor picks up a story. He starts off. "John Smith, a young trapper." He stops reading. He is not interested in your trappers. He wants people in dress clothes. Perhaps another synopsis is more promising. He reads on until he either reaches the end of the paragraph or until he sees clearly that the story has nothing new to offer. He does not waste any more time than he has to. but he will give all the necessary time to a script that gives promise. It is your business to present your story in a few words so attractively that the editor will decide to read the action. You are not telling the story, but merely telling what the story is about. If you make the headline interesting, you will have your story read. 6. There is an unwritten law that a synopsis must not exceed 250 words to the reel. This is merely because some companies copy the synopses so that each director may be supplied with a copy to study, and the overlong synopsis makes too much work for a limited staff of stenographers. Often a story will come well within the limit and it may be that you will not need more than half your allowance. It is generally a good plan to come close to it, however, as these synopses are sometimes sent to the press room for the benefit of the advertising men. ]More than one story has sold on a synopsis of a line or two, but it is better to run at least two hundred words to the reel. It is not always possible to tell the full story or scenario in this limitation, but if you will only keep in mind the fact that you are not telling the story but telling about the story, then you will have little or no trouble. 7. It is almost fatal to tell your story, for if your story is properly written you will increase the narrative value as you progress. The story starts and works up to a climax. The Editor starts to read down. Get him the moment he starts to read. Put your best foot foremost in presenting your most attractive fact. This is one of the tricks of the fiction writer who can present a startling fact and then go back and explain it. You cannot do this in action. You can in your synopsis. Do not start off, for instance, by saying: Henry Prichard is the only son of wealthy parents— What if he is? He is not the only one. The Editor has read of hun- dreds, perhaps thousands, of only sons of wealthy parents. Usually