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fictional_fansSo 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?
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?
no subject
Date: 2019-01-14 08:03 pm (UTC)For anyone who uses AO3, just go into your History and see what the summaries say. Here are my last 10 items that I downloaded. I'm open to hearing how others would characterize these:
"Merlin never thought getting Arthur drunk on his stag night would be anything but hilariously embarrassing for Arthur. What he never expects is a drunken confession that makes him rethink the last ten years of his and Arthur's friendship, the amount of alcohol a person should be allowed to drink, and the wedding that's taking place in less than twenty-four hours."
"Arthur's anniversary really isn't his favorite time of year for obvious reasons, but Merlin is going to fix that. Provided this pesky little cold of his doesn't get in the way, of course."
"Bond is MI6’s latest reaper — a conveyer of souls from this world to the afterlife — and he's not overly happy about his new working conditions. Q has been with the Secret Intelligence Service since the beginning, and he’s so lonely that he wants to die — except for the fact that he’s already dead and has been for a hundred years or so. M has no idea what to do with either of them and to add to all the stress, someone’s just blown up her office."
"It’s not exactly a secret that Bond and Q are dating. Most people in the agency give Bond the shovel talk; everyone who doesn’t gives Q the “are you sure you know what you’re doing?” talk. Q and Bond ignore them all and have a lovely time, right up until an exploding pen explodes."
""I like reading," Arthur said, tipping all of the little sugar packets out of their holder on the table and lining them up, soldiers in an advancing army across the formica and coffee-stains. "I just don't understand why I can't write.""
"Canon AU -- Merlin's death is only the beginning; with no-one to protect the kingdom, Camelot falls to an enemy sorcerer and Arthur is forced to serve in the court that he once ruled. When an escape attempt goes horribly wrong, Arthur is rescued by someone he never expected to see again -- and it's their destiny to put things right."
"Modern AU with magic. Arthur is relatively sure that Bear Gryllis has never had to deal with anything like the world’s most aggravating baby dragon when he was out surviving in the wilderness. Merlin thinks that Arthur has taken the whole “magic reveal” thing pretty damn well, which might have something to do with Merlin saving Arthur’s life just now when the helicopter crashed. The dragon thinks they’re both idiots."
"Toys have only a few duties in life — to love their child, to look after each other, and to play along, no matter what happens. Merlin is the newest Camelot Collectable in Johnny’s collection, and in between navigating the hoover, an invading army and the Thing under the bed, he falls in love with the other half of his limited edition run."
“Merlin.” Arthur’s voice is—well, still tinged with amusement, but ever so slightly more serious, more urgent, like he’s having to constrain himself to stay in the realm of lighthearted teasing. “Really, tell me.”
"Merlin’s heart is beating a little quicker. He can feel the same war within himself that he hears in Arthur’s voice, a possibility swimming to the surface that he could—they could—take this out of the realm of lighthearted teasing. If they so choose.
Or they could just keep going, laugh it off; that’s still an option, and if they do it now it would be fine. They’d move on, take the next bend in conversational road, easy. If that’s what they want.
It’s not what Merlin wants."
"Anon, who is feeling poorly, requests a story on the kinkmeme with Merlin, Arthur, forced marriages, knights, and the promise of internet cookies should their request be fulfilled. Anon author, who is a bit of an asshole really, obliges in their own idiosyncratic asshole way. There's rodents of unusual size, magic that only behaves sometimes, epic love, and violins, but not necessarily all in that order."
no subject
Date: 2019-01-14 08:15 pm (UTC)The interesting thing to me is that a number of these works are by the same authors, which means that writers routinely vary the way they do summaries depending on the work. Also, I rather wonder if summaries don't vary depending on either the type of work it is or the fandom it comes from? (For example, comedic fandoms would seem much more likely to use humor, right?)
#1: A bit of a plot summary with a humorous tone.
#2: Kind of the same.
#3: Definitely a sort of plot set up.
#4: Very much like #2
#5: The excerpted dialogue model, which I've noticed is often a kind of suspense style as well -- what about this conversation makes you want to read more?
#6: Plot summary
#7: Bit of a suspenseful plot summary with some humor.
#8: Plot summary
#9: Writing excerpt that serves as an overall trope summary
#10: Origin story for the work using humor.
Thank you for this deep-dive into science
Date: 2019-01-14 10:39 pm (UTC)Re: Thank you for this deep-dive into science
Date: 2019-01-14 11:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-14 08:31 pm (UTC)Nurse Ogawa is surprised to find that Lwaxana Troi is not nearly the dragon her reputation makes her out to be.
Lore and Lal were lying on the floor together, both androids fixated on Spot.
Riker volunteers to retrieve newly-minted Ambassador Troi from Pacifica after the conference collapses around her.
OR
Riker and Lwaxana trapped in a shuttle. Threats, telepathy, and gratuitous space profanity.
The God of Thunder declares war on the Internet. Jane and Darcy try to make sure that no one dies.
Being the leader of a resistance cell was no fun at all, particularly when it was combined with childcare.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is self-conscious about his crew's feelings towards him during the night shift.
"Where did it come from?"
"I am Groot," Groot declares.
"Who would just hand you a baby?!"
While exploring an abandoned city on a dead world, Jack begins to suffer from progressive amnesia. As his memories of the past slip away, the rest of his team must find the cause - before the man they know vanishes entirely.
In which Jake texts Amy mostly stupid, occasionally funny, sometimes sweet, and never sober things in the middle of the night (and she always ends up smiling).
What in the hell kind of name for an alias is Matches?
no subject
Date: 2019-01-14 09:52 pm (UTC)Riker and Lwaxana trapped in a shuttle. Threats, telepathy, and gratuitous space profanity.
The God of Thunder declares war on the Internet. Jane and Darcy try to make sure that no one dies.
"Where did it come from?"
"I am Groot," Groot declares.
"Who would just hand you a baby?!"
no subject
Date: 2019-01-15 01:22 pm (UTC)https://archiveofourown.org/works/2740829
https://archiveofourown.org/works/2201094
(Sorry for the lack of formatting. I'm on my phone.)
no subject
Date: 2019-01-15 06:25 pm (UTC)I find that summaries actually work much better than title and author at AO3. Since I download and then return to leave feedback, I find that sometimes a work exists but it simply will not come up with a title and author. Usually it does, but oddly sometimes it doesn't, which is when I tend to plug in a line from the summary.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-15 07:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-15 12:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-14 11:01 pm (UTC)Like a country girl 'just a little pregnant'...
In which John is a ghost haunting the skull on Sherlock's mantlepiece.
If ever a people deserved tasering, it’s Holmeses.
Five billion years in the future, two characters toast the end of the world. One-shot.
They're good, sturdy, solid bones. They would have lasted Booth another forty years easily.
"Look on every exit as an entrance somewhere else." - Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
A series of entrances and exits, although not necessarily in that order.
Tony as a dinosaur turns out to be a carnivore and to have poison-spitting glands. Tony Stark decides to take a tour of alternate universes.
Olivia is more perceptive than Count Orsino.
“My dear Mr. Baggins, you cannot possibly imagine I have brought you across the boundaries of the sundered world, bending every law of gods and men, over land and over sea and through the fathomless heights, for your health? Well, I did, of course I did, and I’d do it again. But it was not for your own good only that I brought you here. I have been on this world a very long time, Mr. Baggins, and if there is one thing that I have learned about the Wise and the Great, it’s that they benefit from the company of hobbits, and it’s the wisest and greatest who have most need of them.”
The Doctor and Clara show Belle the universe, one library at a time.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-14 11:49 pm (UTC)Truth
> Five billion years in the future, two characters toast the end of the world. One-shot.
Appropriate
> "Look on every exit as an entrance somewhere else." - Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
A series of entrances and exits, although not necessarily in that order.
Intriguing!
no subject
Date: 2019-01-15 01:52 am (UTC)Summaries survey
Date: 2019-01-15 02:51 am (UTC)1. With that, the image widened and Zeb could see that Kallus was holding something in his arms, and as the Lasat inspected the image, he gradually began to realize that it was a baby – a Lasat kit.
"Zeb...help me."
"Oh, karabast."
<<< this one I chose because I am a sucker for accidental baby-acquisition, and I was curious about the pairing involved
2. Following the events of Ezra's sacrifice over Lothal, he wakes on a strange planet with only hazy memories and a blue-skinned Chiss named Thrawn. Though neither are able to remember the details of their crash landing, they must trust in one another if they ever hope to get back to civilization.
<<< this one I picked because I liked the author and I was interested in the topic already (continuation after the show's close)
3. Part Two of the "Not to Yield" series. Caleb Jarrus, the fifteen-year-old Padawan of Ezra Bridger isn't perfect, but he's trying to be. This story details the struggle in Caleb's life as he tries to become the Jedi he was meant to be. It's probably best read after "Not to Yield." Not that it wouldn't stand on its own, but I recommend reading "Not to Yield" first.
<<< this one I picked because I had read the previous story, and it's for a pairing that I like
4. He was secrecy and shadows. She was blasters and battle. Neither could win this war without the other.
<<<< this one I picked because I am subscribed to the author and I liked the pairing
5. Iden couldn't pinpoint the moment it began. It was small things that built up throughout their lives.
<<<< Again, one I picked because of the pairing
6. Governor Tarkin contemplates whether to give in to his aide’s wishes and have something sweet with his tea.
<<<< Picked because it was for a rarepair and sounded titillating
7. Tarkin caters to a subordinate’s needs.
<<<< Picked because it was for a rarepair and sounded titillating
8. "Mr…" Her lips pursed, as if she had had a particularly distasteful task to do, such as scrubbing the blood out of her robes, and then she looked up at him in eagle-eyed clarity. “Palpatine. The things you are asking for are restricted. Few Jedi would ever have access to such …seditious material.”
<<<< Picked because it was for a rarepair that interested me
9.
Ben Solo meets his online arch rival, Rey Sanderson in a Waffle House on the third night of Dragon*Con.
The fact that two people attending Dragon*Con end up at the same Waffle House isn't terribly surprising, given that there's really only one within walking distance of the convention and at 2:30 AM after three straight days of partying and con-going, there are very few places that make more sense for drunk nerds to end up.
The fact that they – that is, Ben Solo (aka the r/StarKiller mod known as KyloRen) and Rey Sanderson (aka reddit user ReyOfLight, the eternal and yet un-bannable thorn in his side) end up at the same Waffle House at the exact same time is really just a comedy of errors.
(A Play To Win Waffle House AU in which instead of being professional gamers, Ben and Rey are just your average nerds who hate each other online until a fateful encounter during Dragon*Con brings them closer than they ever thought possible.)
<<<< Picked this because it sounded hilarious
10. Will a gentleman's secrets change John and Margaret's world forever? A plot-twisted, tropey, fluffy, smutty North and South continuation.
<<<< Picked mainly for the pairing, but premise was intriguing
Re: Summaries survey
Date: 2019-01-15 05:35 am (UTC)Re: Summaries survey
Date: 2019-01-15 12:13 pm (UTC)The Colder the Winter, the Warmer the Spring
and
The Not To Yield Series
Re: Summaries survey
Date: 2019-01-16 05:37 am (UTC)Re: Summaries survey
Date: 2019-01-15 06:45 pm (UTC)At the same time I am thinking of one pairing that I would be glad to read and which, in fact, begs a in-depth exploration given the canon. Yet I have tried story after story and have yet to find one I've enjoyed (or even been able to finish). The common element seems to be a summary and first page that is a lot of exposition and no snappy dialogue at all.
> Ben Solo meets his online arch rival, Rey Sanderson in a Waffle House on the third night of Dragon*Con.
Actually I thought the summary should have stopped right there, that's all I needed to hear. It immediately made me think of Kyloki which I wish had more episodes.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-15 05:21 am (UTC)"Just a couple vampires enjoying the holidays, vampire-style."
"How dare they?"
"The OT3 of Champions."
"It’s almost a year and a half since Sunnydale fell into a crater. Now retired from slaying, Buffy’s been voluntold to go to Wesley Wyndham-Price’s memorial service, where she finds a few familiar enemies. Everything’s so surreal anyway, Buffy decides she might as well just give into it and see if lunch with Drusilla and Harmony might be one of the better things she does that year. The day keeps getting weirder, but the year might just be unsurpassable by the end of it."
"A bit of self-indulgence in the form of a character-study vignette about Spike's love for Buffy. Written right after the musical episode, it probably will contradict all upcoming canon, but c'est la guerre."
"Buffy gets a glimpse of different aspects of Spike's personality, and finds that the things she thought she knew about him -- and how she feels about him -- might not be everything she believed."
"What if Spike had actually saved Dawn, and thus saved Buffy, in The Gift? Does being a reluctant hero change your status with the people who are reluctant to admit your heroics? And would Buffy know it if the ending of her story was supposed to be different? Short novel/long novella length."
"The monks turn the Key into something they feel certain, after some rather brief magical research, that Buffy will protect with her life: her loofah."
no subject
Date: 2019-01-15 08:36 pm (UTC)Also, while finding an author or artist one enjoys means one's likely to look up their other works, I find that summaries still are important to me. This is particularly true if, say, that author (or vidder) creates work in other fandoms or for characters I'm not so interested in. I'm lucky enough to have lots of choices since I'm in large fandoms so I do need to be convinced to try out something outside my main choices.
What you said about titles was intriguing though because I very rarely remember a story's title (and given all the fic searches going on everywhere, I'm clearly not alone). Plus if one searches at someplace big like AO3 it's clear that there are many stories using the exact same title across fandoms (or sometimes even the same ones). I have sometimes been pleased when reading a story to click with what the chosen title was, but right now I can only remember one story title that helped me remember the fic. It was a line from the Beatles Come Together and other lines from Beatles songs were used as chapter titles in a lengthy fic, generally quite aptly. Overall I think I'm more likely to be grabbed by the summary than title and at least some authors I've worked with as a beta hated having to choose titles, so I daresay the average writer would rather be challenged by the summary ;) But I could be wrong about that!
That last summary made me laugh.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-22 05:56 pm (UTC)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.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-22 08:15 pm (UTC)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.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-23 06:25 am (UTC)If I were to point out the intrigue of the summaries you listed (apologies for length?):
no subject
Date: 2019-01-23 04:39 pm (UTC)So what caught my attention about that one is that, normally, that trope would indicate a h/c fic centered on illness (which is not my thing). However from the sound of it, it's either not going to be Arthur taking care of Merlin or it's going to be Merlin maneuvering him into it. And that is a bit different, so I was curious.
That's also very true about #3. In that case two things interested me about it -- the fact that they were doing a supernatural AU but still in an office setting, and M was going to be an important character. In the various Q/Bond fics I've read so far they are set after her death, and I quite like her character so I wanted to see a story with her in it.
With #5 this was actually not a setup interest (because does anyone need another coffee shop AU, though in this case it's not) although I have read a few stories in the past where Merlin, Arthur, or both are writers and I've enjoyed them so I shouldn't say that this aspect wasn't a draw. But the fact that this line was chosen for the summary suggested to me that there was some factor of a frustrated professional aspiration there, which is not something I've seen in almost any fic. (It's almost like one rarely ever sees a story about unrequited love). I also liked the writing of the line, with the description of the sugar packets.
Break anything & I wanna see the process they go through to set it right
Yes, #6 definitely seems to be following the advice of "describe the conflict in the story"
I agree with you about #9 -- the trope is clear, though what sets it apart is not. However this was probably just enough to get me to click through and look over the first page which must have gotten me to download.
The key phrase to me for #10 (besides the fact that it was a Princess Bride fusion which I have actually already seen in this fandom) was "obliges in their own idiosyncratic asshole way." That made me curious -- how was this canon going to be adapted? The setup of the summary suggested to me that this was going to be a story about the fandom itself as well as Merlin and I tend to like those meta-ish tales.