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Fanfic Summaries (kbin.social)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I was pondering this earlier in the week. People have summaries they like and ones they will scroll past without considering the story at all.

I'm rather open with summaries. I think the only ones I dislike are either when there isn't one or when the words aren't actually a summary, but author's notes. I prefer those for after I've clicked on the story.

I've read in the past people want them to be snappy, but I was considering longer works. Complicated stories. In those cases, I prefer a few paragraphs to introduce the basics of characters and plots. On the other hand, if the story is short, a longer summary doesn't make sense.

What types of summaries do you like? Which ones do you like to write? Does anyone else think writing a summary is easier than coming up with the title of the fanfic, or is it just me?

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My favourite ones are:

Make me laugh
Make me question (either breaking preconceived notions or fun new mystery)
State that its a character study/focus on making someone do something OOC but find a way to do it IC

I have no issues if its direct quotes from the story itself or just a traditional "sell" summery. Summaries that make me laugh despite the work warning that its going to be a downer does not deter me. My sense of humour is very picky and thus if someone can make me laugh I usually can safely assume that I will enjoy their style of writing even if it's main goal is here to make me cry.

However, despite me saying this I'm one of those that can forgive meh or nothing summaries as long as there is proper tagging. I will accept no summery with well written tags. However I judge HARD on "I'm bad at summaries" ones. 99% of us are amateur writers too what does stating this add? (That said, if the tagging states all of the flavours of a meal I want to eat I will check it out anyways.)

For myself I usually write traditional-styled summaries but in the briefest manner hhhhh. Suggest the question this story is here to solve and that's it. I'm not great at suggesting what the theme/genre is so I tend to lean hard on tagging for that.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I totally agree on the "I'm bad at summaries" line (I say after posting yesterday saying pretty much that about myself 😁).

Something about that line in a summary sounds very much like the author didn't want to put the effort into making the summary better but also wants me to overlook that & that combination just annoys me.