Writing story summaries

[st.elmo-lover]

Agree on all of the above.

I hate seeing summaries where people beg for reviews but I hate it even more when they say it's their first fic. But I ALSO hate it when they say 'I suck at reviews'. No one cares if you suck at reviews, just as long as you try. I think trying is what counts. But when you waste space to say things like the afore mentioned it really grates on my nerves. You could be using that space to say SOMETHING/ANYTHING about your story that will get people interested.

I also always thought about having a friend read my story, and then having them make up a summary. I always wondered what would happen if I did that....

This is good topic by the way.

[Des]

I just received a request from an anonymous reviewer to alter the summary for Don't Bring Me Down.

After reading their request (and after getting over my self-importance anger) I could see where they were coming from, and I changed the summary for it to fit more with the story line.

-laughs-

It's hard for me to write a summary for anything I write since I never know exactly where the story will go until it's finished.

[samanthamae]

Annoying summaries: ones with bad grammar and spelling, the "Not a Mary-Sue!", "Summary inside!", and "I suck at summaries, so I'm not even gonna try." ones.

If you say it's not a Mary-Sue, it pretty much screams, "Don't go near this story!" And how are we supposed to know what the story is about if the summary is inside? ...well, I won't get started with the last one.

For my summaries, I just scribble down the conflict. For example, in Scatterbrained Broad, Sylvia wants to get married, and Dallas wants to go to sleep. But, then again, it can be a lot easier to write one-shot summaries than long story ones.

[Des]

samanthamae said:

For my summaries, I just scribble down the conflict. For example, in Scatterbrained Broad, Sylvia wants to get married, and Dallas wants to go to sleep. But, then again, it can be a lot easier to write one-shot summaries than long story ones.

That's my whole problem with the summary thing. I have no earthly idea what the conflict is when I first start writing the story.

My characters take on a mind of their own once my fingers touch the keyboard, and then it's off from there. Most of the time, I don't even know what characters are going to even make an appearance in the story.

[Tensleep]

I HATE writing summaries. I honestly think I'll start paying someone to write them for me. Seriously...

But I still write them and try to make them interesting. I hate it when a writer puts down "Summary sucks" or "Story much better than summary!" or "Summary sucks, just read it!"

Well, Damn. If that was on the back of a book in the book store I'd be jumping to pick it up...

Honestly, this is just fan fiction, but it's the training ground for something bigger - at least I like to think so. I know you only have like 200 words or something, but there has to be something to say. Every writer can at least fabricate something on their own story. If we can't get it right here, how are we going to ever be able to formulate summaries and the like for editors?

Anyways, that's my opinion on the matter. I like seeing summaries that give a broader view of the story. They get you interested, but leave enough to the imagination. Kudos to those of you who manage that.

See ya in the funny papers!!!!

Tens

[Masquerade]

I used to start any story I wrote by typing out a summary like I would read on the back of novels (they were all very overdramatic, lol). Sounds sort of weird, I know.

Now, I just...hmm. I tell if it's just a one-shot (and yet, still you get the reviews saying, "Is this a one-shot or could you please make more?"!) and try to sum up the basic plot without, um, giving much away. Hmm.

It can be hard with the character limit, but it's nice that you can always go back and change them to fit where the story goes.

[zickachik73]

I think that writing summaries is a really difficult thing to do a story is first started. How are you supposed to summarize something that may not be complete? I think it's something that needs to be addressed several times throughout the writing process.

And I hate doing it.

[Nittanylizard]

zickachik73 said:

I think that writing summaries is a really difficult thing to do a story is first started. How are you supposed to summarize something that may not be complete? I think it's something that needs to be addressed several times throughout the writing process.

I totally agree. With my original stories, I write up something of a hook once I get the writing started, and as I'm progressing with the story and getting a better feel of where it's going, I keep tweaking my summary. Just started this with my last two stories, and I have to say, it really helps me keep focused on what the heck the story is about and where it is going. I don't go off on as many tangents.

I have noticed that recently on ffnet, some authors do change the summary at some point. I should go back and change some of mine. Maybe we should have a summary-writing challenge! I do think it's sometimes it is easier to write one for somebody else's story. I love the summary that Mars wrote on her livejournal for Ten Years Later. It describes exactly what I would like the story to focus more on.

[BlindedxxFalcon]

Thanks for this thread. I didn't realize how much my summary sucked until now.

[hahukumkonn]

I've actually spent several minutes staring at the monitor trying to figure out a good "hook" for a new fic when I write the summary. I don't want to fall into the trap of spewing out something lame "just because" - after all, saying "I suck at summaries" is definitely not encouraging to the reader.

[anotherillusion]

I really struggled writing the summary for 'For What It's Worth' I started off with the summary focusing on Evie, but as I have been writing it the focus is on Steve and the gang a lot more so I had to amend the summary to show that. I'm glad there's more of the gang in it though.
Another Illusion