summaries

[sixbeforelunch]

So here's a question I've often wondered about. What makes for a good fic summary? Is there anything that can get you to click when you might otherwise not have been inclined to?

Conversely, what types of summaries do you like least? Are there summaries that will make you skip a work even if it's tagged with all of your favorite ships and tropes?

Comments

[sylvaine]

I skipped a few from my most recent, as you did, for reasons of "I only clicked on this because of the tags" or "I only clicked on this because I know the author", "got there via a rec that didn't even show the summary", etc., but here's ten, with links to the fics:

1. "Whoa, Sammy," Gabriel murmurs. "Still getting off on what you shouldn't have?" (Draw: porn for a pairing I like!)

2. JARVIS did not want to be a real boy. He was quite happy being a building. (Draw: AI fic in a fandom I am familiar with!)

3. What if the Corellian Jedi had once been a branch of Sith who decided the best place to hide was in plain sight?
What if a plucky orphan was in fact Force-sensitive enough to be taken in by them?
What does happen when an undercover, well-intentioned Sith-hiding-as-a-smuggler gets hired by one of the galaxy's last Jedi to go to Alderaan? (Draw: canon divergence fic in a fandom I like!)

4. Lose yourself in this music, this moment. We own it, we won't never let it go. (Draw: it's a vid set to a song I like for a fandom I'm familiar with!)

5. The Empire would have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn't been for those meddling Rebels and incompetent Imperial officers. (Draw: humorous summary that references a well known quote, for a vid in a fandom I like!)

6. Natasha helps Pepper with her Christmas shopping. ;) (Draw: it's femslash in a fandom I'm familiar with!)

7. Ichigo’s been ordered to go undercover at a magic school to bodyguard a kid named Harry Potter, and this would be fine, except that he’s about as good at bodyguarding as he is at magic. And he considers it a good day, magic-wise, if he hasn’t set anything on fire. (Draw: I like both fandoms, this summary is entertaining and tells me what this story is about, and what the story is about sounds HILARIOUS!)

8. “You know, I could dance with you”

It makes Liz look up, confused slightly as Michelle just smiles back. She shrugs once, standing up and holding her hand out to Liz who is still eyebrows furrowed, biting her lip. “I’m a way better dancer than Parker anyways”

Or the one where it hurts to be left alone, and Michelle likes Liz's smile. (Draw: again, it's femslash in a fandom I'm familiar with!)

9. In one world, Kakashi awoke, felt grieved at being assigned a team he sees his own in, and he let that grief make him a lazy teacher. He saw himself in Sasuke, Obito in Naruto, and Rin in Sakura. He woke, saw himself in them, and took a large step back, regretting accepting them as his new team. In another world he was quite hands off, merely a watcher because it was so very painful to watch. He saw himself and all his mistakes in this new team of his.

In this world, Kakashi awoke, saw the similarities, and instantly panicked. He suddenly realized what he had done, passing a team. Kakashi was left scrambling not to repeat old mistakes and regrets. This team would not suffer the fate of his team.

In this world, simply put, Kakashi became a teacher. This is the starting of a new Team seven. (Draw: fandom I love! Canon divergence! Trope I love!)

10. Everyone knows that money makes the world go round - and Leonard Snart, full-time thief and part-time accountant, is going to personally kill the guy who just inherited STAR Labs if he doesn't sign his goddamn tax returns already. (Draw: not really a fandom I'm familiar with, but the concept sounds like it's going to be hilarious!)

I am on page 3 of my History by this point, so the biggest thing I can conclude from this is that I tend not to go by summaries. Regarding the summaries, I like ones that tell me what the fic is about, especially if it ends up being a trope I love.

[yourlibrarian]

. JARVIS did not want to be a real boy. He was quite happy being a building

This was clearly a popular story! I agree with you there that it's more likely the general premise of the story than the actual summary that made the difference though.

Regarding the summaries, I like ones that tell me what the fic is about, especially if it ends up being a trope I love.

Making a trope clear is probably a big help, I agree.