any ideas on how I can FINALLY write a synospsis for a story I would like to write?

Question

for years I have wanted to write and I am told I am good at it. i write quirky factual stuff for a magazine in the UK but I can NEVER work out a synopsis for a story.

I'd like to write a crime caper based in San francisco with all the quirky characters I have met here. Crime = non violent crime like the theft of a valuable diamond necklace or something.

I can always thing of good scenes and conversations and I have the characters sorted out but can't work out a good plot or even how the crime could be solved!

Doesn't have to be a crime caper so any ideas on how to get a story started greatly appreciated!

Ideally I'd like the story to be 20 - 30 pages

Answer 1

I have a couple of suggestions.
Invest heavily in your characters. Write biographies and short character studies for all of them. Some of this can be extracted into the story, some can serve as background for your comfort with the characters and some can be discarded if they just are not working out.
I would also suggest either a story board like movie producers use or some kind of flow diagram to weave your plot on. In addition to an outline, a flow diagram can keep things logical and coherent.
If you are using San Francisco in your story, work real hard on food facts, weather, and local politics. John Lescroart is a master of novels using SF as a backdrop.
Good Luck!