So I hope...

[kellifer]

If I was doing something constantly in my story summaries that was annoying... someone would tell me, right? (I am asking here... honestly). I've just reformatted slightly the way I do them because I saw someone else's way I liked.

Is it me or does the following just make you want to throw heavy objects about -

-> You can see the pairing if you squint - Argh! Either it's gen or it's ship or it's that weird murky land of pre-ship, but it shouldn't be "gen" with an appeal to shippers to read it too because they might be able to read between the lines... We have to do that enough with the actual shows.

-> Secks - Who started this?? I keep seeing it! Whoever it is, I want to staple things to your head.

-> I suck at summaries, please read - You might as well write "I like ponies, please read" or "Whip, whip, snokity whee!" There was a little while there where I didn't see this as much but there seems to have been a resurgence. Also - the any summary will spoil the story thing. What? Unless your story is one of those six-line things floating around, I don't think it will.

I'm just saddened that I am finding myself filtering out communities more often. I *like* reading new stories by new people. Help me out here people!

Bah... I think I'm just cranky. Maybe I need a nap.

Comments

[libra-traveller.livejournal.com]

Honestly I get annoyed with people who use a line from their story as a summary. Take the time to explain what the story is about people. Yet it seems everyone is doing this now, sigh.

[lark_ascends]

I'm one of those people that you get annoyed it, so I just wanted to say why I often do it ;-) My random five cents worth.

I usually write a style of story that largely doesn't have a plot, or really any transition from A to B, which often makes it hard to write a summary for it. Other than that, sometimes one of the lines from the fic really does summarise what the story is about, without giving too much away. Usually if the story is longer (i.e. it most likely has some sort of plot...) then I'll give a proper summary, otherwise I will often use a line which summarises the fic. However, I think I've become better at doing that over time, with really picking a line that does summarise it, or altering the line so it definitely does.

[libra-traveller.livejournal.com]

That I can understand, and if it summarizes the fic that's good. Even if it's just a line that's meant to intrigue. But often times the line has nothing to do with the story, and it's out of context hanging out there. It just bugs me.

[lark_ascends]

*nods*

Yeah, that is the thing. Using that sort of summary you do need to be careful what you use.

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. I do like it though because it kinda sometimes gives an indicator of the writer's style...

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

Nah, me too... but I've changed the way I'm formatting my summaries lately... doing a summary and then using a line from the story as the link.

[stargazercmc.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I've decided now that all of my summaries should include "Whip, whip, snokity whee!" :P

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

As you should! How else are we going to know what it's about? Hehehee...

[stargazercmc.livejournal.com]

I still don't have a ton of experience with fic just yet (6 stories and counting) but I use this one-line summary technique as well. I don't do it unless there's a single line that sums it all up. But part of my writing style is based in that -- it's usually one line that sticks in my head that gets me going and the rest falls in place around it.

I suppose it could be annoying if an outside person didn't get the same sense of things being summed up in that thought. I'm definitely going to be self-conscious about it in the future now (which may not be a bad thing).

[surreallis.livejournal.com]

Eh, I'm fine with the one line from the story. I actually think that all those people who say, "I suck at summaries" should just use a line from the fic. If it's a really horrible line, well, then you know to stay far, far away. :P