aww thanks guys =)



that's some great tips i would use. Easier said than done.



I sometimes do take an excerpt from the latest chapter and use that as my summary,

and then change it during every update.


is that a good idea at all?

Here's a few hints on how to make better summaries.

1. (And most important really) never put 'I suck at summaries but read anyways', it's a major turn off for readers.

2. Use K.I.S.S. Keep it simple stupid, you want enough to get their interest without giving too much away.

3. Use a hook, something that gets a reader's attention and makes them want to find the answer.

4. Use a question such as 'what will happen to our hero?' at the end, but don't fill the entire summary with questions.

5. If the story is too hard to write a summary for, and some can be, either would give too much away or what not, try using an exert from one of the chapters.

6. Do not use nicknames: Kag, Inu, Sess. When writing a summary as it tends to make it look choppy. If you don't have the space without using the nicknames, use a shortened summary and then put a full one at the beginning of the first chapter. This of course is not including the sess/kag part where you let the readers know the pairing.

And just in case these hints aren't enough help, I'll give ya a few examples...

Example 1: For Of Time Kept Frozen

'During winter vacation in her last year of high school, Kagome stumbles upon something that's been hidden for 500 years.'

Very short, but I noticed most of my summaries were exerts and wanted to try and get both kinds of summaries lol. This one gives readers a hint of what is going to happen without really telling them anything. It leaves them with questions, what's been hidden for 500 years?, what happens after she finds whatever it is?. Readers are more likely to read a story to find out the answers.

Example 2: For The Void

'One minute everything is perfectly fine and the next? In the next you are transported to an endless nothingness, pulling from the depth of your soul a relentless fear that can never truly be described.'

This one is an exert. I don't think I really need to explain how this one catches a reader's attention, it's pretty self explanatory.

Hope this post helps.

I think if I was writing a story, I'd ask myself what the story was basically about before thinking up a summary for it. I have quite a few summaries on the computer that tell the basic idea of the stories I want to write, but I never get the time to go further than that... I also think that the genre of your story plays a part in writing one, too. Like if I were writing a comedy story, I'd include something funny in the summary. Or if I were writing a mystery, I'd try to keep the summary as vague as possible. But I don't really know what I'm talking about. And since I haven't written a story yet, I think you'd be better off listening to the pros.

I find working with a summary is tricky too sometimes because you want to be broad with the idea of the story as a whole without giving away too much. Of course stories tend to change as you write them but there has to be some plotline that you know will remain the same so focus on summarizing that. So Honey-Bee is right when stating to keep the summary vague. If you keep this in mind there shouldn't be too much issue with the summary not fitting the story later on.
Other thoughts might include leaving a sense of mystery to the summary. So an example is to pose a question: Kagome takes a walk through the woods one night and who does she meet? This type of summary is quite obvious but you get the drift. From here because of the vague summarization you could move anywhere with the plot.
Of course if you really are worried your summaries won't cut it you could do what a friend of mine did. Instead of worrying about the summary herself she allowed her beta to assist her. In having someone else point out ideas she was soon able to pick up on different concepts to use to catch a person's attention.

ooh thanks ^_^


but hmm... tally mark you make it sound so easy >_<


for BIA i changed summary at least 3 times now.. i still don't like it.

for AAC, i changed it more than 3 times as well... gahh!!



i wish i know how to make a catchy summary that's short and sweet...

It's the same general principle as the blurb on the back of a book, you just have a lot less space to work with. There's a lot of ways to do it...as you said, stories do morph and change, and it's surely impossible to capture the entirety of your story in one sentence. But you don't have to. People often seem to feel you have to encapsulate the whole story in a summary, but it's just a lead in, the gist of it is fine. A summary can be as simple as an interesting sentence. Something catchy.

Like, I did a story about Kagome getting a vibrator as a birthday present and losing it in the woods. The summary could have been "Kagome's new vibrator has gone missing. Who, oh who, will find it?" Or it could be less specific, like "When birthday presents go wrong." (I chose the latter. Either would probably be fine, but I like brevity). I won't say these are great summaries, but they do their job: pique someone's interest.

Don't fuss too much over the summary. Sometimes the first thing you come up with is best.

Ummm.... Usually what I do is just to state the whole point of the story without giving away away secret tidbits (isn't that the whole point of a summary?)

Actually....I think I suck at summaries too now that you mention it O.o how many people that read the summaries of my stories alone actually have a shred of interest in what insanity I managed to type up?

hey again, sorry for intruding for the upteenth time this week =)



but title says all, how to make a good summary?

i mean, stories can weave a plot of it's own while we write it, so it changes and changes and changes...

stories are aliveee!

heh..


anyhoo... how to make a good summary that will attract readers?

to be honest, i suck at summaries... big time..


please and thanks!