Sometimes all you need is a nudge in the right direction.
After panicking and dreading the writing of my synopsis, and after writing a couple of terrible, long-winded drafts that broke every rule in terms of length, style, content and readability, all I really needed was a nice step by step guide. And I found it here.
http://mslexia.co.uk/getpublished/pub_wkshop3.php
Following each step described here, I now have a basic synopsis that just needs tightening and shortening slightly.
The same website has also yielded some great advice on titles – http://mslexia.co.uk/getpublished/pub_wkshop1.php – causing me to change mine from the boring/abstract Pictures of Love to the more specific (if still a bit predictable) Baby Blues and Wedding Shoes.
Now I just need to work on my first chapter. I am certain it wouldn’t pass Miss Snark’s Crap-o-meter, discovered at another great (and sadly discontinued) blog:
http://misssnark.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Crapometer-first%20pages
Miss Snark has also done a Crap-o-meter on synopsis writing, so I can check the quality of mine against an agent’s idea of excellent (or crap!).
Finally I found some lovely words of advice and encouragement on Billie Jo’s blog, here:
http://usaukwoods.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/synopsis-writing-ugh/
Hurrah for the web.
writermummy 
I have used the mslexia tips today myself and I have a skeleton to work with now. I think it still needs a little meat on it but at least it is a start. Thanks again for that link.
If you want a different pair of eyes to read through your synopsis I’m more than happy to help.
Thank you for that offer. I may take you up on it. At the moment I have not even looked at it in a couple days because I just felt like everything was still wrong with it. Perhaps when I look at it again next I will see things more clearly and be more productive.
Hello you’ve been nominated for the Kreativ Blogger Award. See my most for details: http://novelsgroundup.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/thrilled-and-honored/
Thank you so much for the nomination! Having read the rules I need to get working as, until today, I wasn’t even following seven blogs (and many of the ones I follow have already been nominated). Leave it with me, I will pass on the Kreativ Blogger Award when I can do it justice (I’m slow off the mark with this blogging lark).