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< The Great Hall ~ Creating the Perfect Summary |
| MagicMaker |
 Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2005 5:44 am |
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Joined: 20 Jan 2005
Posts: 8
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I have 2 chapters completed not posted any where at this time. I had them posted on other site but I took them down. I would like to have them posted on Lumos.
I have a summary for both chapter one and two. I would prefer to get a summary of the overall story and not each chapter.
My story is ...
- Harry's et al year six ...
- Starting from leaving Kings Cross ...
- What I think Canon my be like ...
- Harry's unplottable ...
- Harry's fighting back ...
- Harry is getting help from his dreams ...
- Harry is understanding and living with loss ...
- WAR in the Muggle and Wizarding world ...
- Getting help from unlikely sources ...
- Changes within the Ministry …
- Research in how to take down Voldemort …
- Somewhat distance with Dumbledore …
- Romance blooms …
- Old debts are settled …
- Harry faces his past and learn answers to unasked question …
- Death and destruction …
Can anyone help?
Here is what I have so far ...
Chapter One Summary:
Quote: Furious parents flood Fudge’s office and the Ministry, as Fudge refuses to see any visitors. Rita Skeeter is called into investigate. Will Rita’s quick quotes quill put the final nail in Fudge’s coffin or will he get away?
Harry understands why he must live at Privet Drive. However, it does not make it any easier to deal with the loathing of his Uncle Vernon, the indifference of his Aunt Petunia or the spitefulness of Dudley.
However all that is about to change when the Ministry give Harry permission to do magic at home. Will the Dursleys or Privet Drive survive?
Chapter Two Summary:
Quote: Whilst Harry is plagued by dreams, the world around him grows into a frenzy.
While Snape is still spying for Dumbledore, he is unfortunately unaware of all of the Dark Lord's plans.
The Order discovers that not even Gringotts is safe from Voldemort and by the time Law Enforcement Wizards arrive the bank in is near ruins and five are dead. The Ministry grows worried that the Goblins will go in search of their own brand of justice.
Rita Skeeter is hunting for her next scathing headline. Just when you thought, it could get no worse; death hits someone close to Harry.
Will his dreams give him the answers he seeks?
Delightedly
Samantha |
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| azazello |
| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2005 7:21 am |
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Joined: 29 Nov 2004
Posts: 183
Location: Northern UK
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First off, that sounds like a potentially great story.
Summary writing is hard, and it is surprising how many good writers actually fall down when it comes to summary writing (it's something I only got the hang of after lots of practice).
There are two parts to summaries:
1. A general summary of the whole fic. This is the most important because it is your "advert" or trailer. This is the tag that is going to make people read YOUR story as opposed to the dozens of other. It has to tease and tantalise a bit. Like a good movie trailer, perhaps.
2. Chapter summaries are a bit easier - by that time, readers should be in. Remember on most archives, your chapter one summary will be the same as your overall summary.
In writing your main summary, ask yourself what do you wish to tell the reader? And also ask, what will they wish to know?
Here's what most readers want to know these days, before they start:
1. Main characters - canon and original. For instance, I myself tend to seek out Snape stories something like a heat seeking missile. Other fans want Draco, or Ron, or Hermione. Decide who the main characters are.
2. Any ships (romances) and between who? If there is no romance, your story is "Gen" and there's a big readership for gen stories out there, so fear not.
3. Genre. Is your story romance, drama, adventure, angst, or what? What is the underlying theme?
Deciding these will help write a summary.
Now for it.
Your story summary should tell the reader what the story is about, without giving too much away.
Here's possible first go, based on what you've told us:
As Harry Potter and his friends face their sixth year at Hogwarts a series of new challenges arise for each of them, as they also learn how to deal with the aftermath of some of the shattering events of their fifth year. Now that Harry begins to understand his strange destiny, he faces some hard choices, in a wizarding world that is increasingly gearing up to all-out war with the forces of Voldemort.
Now, only you know how accurate this is. I'd add some specific things - perhaps about romance or other things, because that's what some readers look for, and essentially it's not wrong to want your fic read as widely as possible.
I hope that is a help. Remember a good summary pulls in readers - a bad one puts them right off.
The very worst summary of all goes like this:
I suk at summeriez, but read this, its good.
And instinctively I know it will not be, can't imagine how. Clearly, if you are being so thoughtful about summaries, that is not going to be the case for you.
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Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony ~ Monty Python and the Holy Grail |
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| liquidscissors |
| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2005 10:17 am |
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Joined: 27 Dec 2004
Posts: 164
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I'd suggest against posing questions in your summaries, as it almost always makes your few short sentences sound like a particularly bad Hollywood trailer.
Will Character A find Item B before the clock runs out?
Yeah. No good.
Then again, you probably shouldn't listen to me. I just take a set-up sentence out of the story and paste it in the summary section, and leave it at that. |
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| MagicMaker |
| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2005 7:47 am |
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Joined: 20 Jan 2005
Posts: 8
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azazello wrote: As Harry Potter and his friends face their sixth year at Hogwarts a series of new challenges arise for each of them, as they also learn how to deal with the aftermath of some of the shattering events of their fifth year. Now that Harry begins to understand his strange destiny, he faces some hard choices, in a wizarding world that is increasingly gearing up to all-out war with the forces of Voldemort.
I like this; it does not strike me as my story. It as if I need to add something to it, only I am not sure what. This also is a good case in point, I do not want to give the reader so much information that they know what is going on.
azazello wrote: 1. Main characters - canon and original. For instance, I myself tend to seek out Snape stories something like a heat seeking missile. Other fans want Draco, or Ron, or Hermione. Decide who the main characters are.
For me this is the hardest part: I will have OC but they will not all be seen throughout the book. The order members will all make appearances but again not throughout the whole book. In addition, I plan to give personality and voice too many people JK has mentioned or alluded to but we have not seen. Then we have the dreaded Death Eaters who will wreak havoc on the wizarding world or will they?
azazello wrote: 2. Any ships (romances) and between who? If there is no romance, your story is "Gen" and there's a big readership for gen stories out there, so fear not.
There is going to be some romance in my story but it not a driving plot feature.
azazello wrote: 3. Genre. Is your story romance, drama, adventure, angst, or what? What is the underlying theme?
I think of my story as a drama; with a light romance sprinkled in the story. If the story gets an R-rating, it will be for the death, violence, and war.
On another site, this is what I started out with only I was not getting any reads. Quote: Harry’s 6th yr. Time for Harry to face the truth of the prophecy; its roll in the death of his Parents, plus come to grips with the lost of Sirius.
Realizing who & what is behind all the pain & suffering in the world. Harry must NOW embrace his destiny to kill or be killed by Voldemort.
Can Harry and Dumbledore make a difference for Wizards and Muggles alike or will Voldemort be victorious in the end?
Pairing: Harry and Luna, Ron and Hermione, Dean and Ginny plus Neville and Susan
Based on some of your suggestions:
Quote: The entire wizarding world is now aware of that Voldemort has returned. Will Fudge have to face repercussion for failing to listen to Harry and Dumbledore? Will wizardkind feel safe knowing Dementors are on the side of Voldemort? Is there a possibility of Death Eaters escaping Ministry custody?
I like the thought of using question to bring the reader in to my story. Nevertheless, this just does not seem like it will draw anyone to read my story.
Does anyone else have some suggestion? |
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| Razzberry |
| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2005 1:57 pm |
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Joined: 06 Jan 2005
Posts: 82
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I used to study journalism, and one of my advisors told us to be careful using questions in a lead (which is the first sentence; the 'hook' that draws the reader in). Human nature is such that when we see a question, we feel inclined to answer it. So when I read your summary, I get this:
1. Will Fudge have to face repercussion for failing to listen to Harry and Dumbledore? (Oh, probably not.)
2. Will wizardkind feel safe knowing Dementors are on the side of Voldemort? (Not likely.)
3. Is there a possibility of Death Eaters escaping Ministry custody?
(Yep.)
So, in other words, you asked me three questions and I didn't even miss a beat in answering them, and no matter how good the story is, this summary doesn't even slow me down when I'm skimming the summary page. Even if my answers are wrong, the summary didn't even make me pause.
I'm reminded of a journalism competition I was in where we had to write a story about these two kids who spent the summer picking up roadkill. The person who won began with a question. "How do two teenagers get rid of a dead horse in broad daylight?" You read that, and chances are you're stumped, and it's piqued your curiosity, and you're going to read the next line at least.
If you ARE going to ask questions (and frankly, I wouldn't ask three. One *maybe* but not three) leave them open ended.
1. What repurcussions will Fudge face for...
2. How will wizardkind ever feel safe again...
3. How long will the Ministry cells hold the Death Eaters...
Even so, I wouldn't recommend the questions unless they're really good
(edit: note to self, do not try to post while at work... cleared up a number of stupid errors that resulted from being interrupted five times in the course of writing a short post.) |
Last edited by Razzberry on Fri Jan 21, 2005 4:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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| azazello |
| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2005 3:45 pm |
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Joined: 29 Nov 2004
Posts: 183
Location: Northern UK
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Alright, you have a lot of characters.
Who's the main one? Like I said, I tend to look for Snapefics. He's my favourite character by a million miles, and although I most write in SS/HG, I also seek out Snape in any number of combinations I find believable.
If it is about Harry Ron Hermione (I really hate the term "trio", sorry, seeing as it is never used in canon) then say so - loads of potential readers there, who adore those three.
Whose point of view? The main point of view is the protagnonist. My work in progress is a Snape/Hermione story, but it's heavily slanted to Snape's point of view. He's my main guy - and much of the psychology is about him. Making him the protagonist. It helps to have that made clear in a summary.
I agree about the questions - they can seem boring to the outsider. Many "question" summaries appear cliched up the old wazoo! For example (Ss/HG again):
When the Ministry of Magic orders that all pureblooded wizards must marry a Muggleborn witch immediatley, how will Hermione react when she discovers she is paired with her Potions Professor, Severus Snape?
Here's my answers:
1. Who gives a rat's arse?
2. Zzzzzz. Where did I put that exciting catalogue on vinyl flooring?
3. No doubt by throwing a tantrum and then by having umpteen bouts of increasingly weird sex, and millions of bloody brats.
(sorry, you might just get the idea I do not like MLC fics, and you would be right). Generally, "questions" are hugely cliched. |
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Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony ~ Monty Python and the Holy Grail |
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| MagicMaker |
| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:57 am |
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Joined: 20 Jan 2005
Posts: 8
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Harry et al sixth year: The dynamics between Harry, Ron and Hermione changes when five more are adding into the mix. Harry’s conviction of his fight is given life when he learns that Ron, Neville, Susan, Luna, Dean, and Ginny have all found the courage to say Voldemort’s name. Not only can his friends say Voldemort’s name they are ready to take up the fight to defeat him.
Rita Skeeter is wielding her deadly quill at the Voldemort and the Ministry alike. Her quill may put an end to Cornelius Fudge and herald the New Minister. Voldemort and the Death Eaters are brisk for her muckraking mill.
The wizarding world is at war: the Order wins a few battles while the Death Eaters gain new followers while others languish in prison. A new prison, one not guarded by Voldemort’s supporters. The Muggle world suffers when angry Death Eaters go on a killing spree across the UK. When Dumbledore discovers a Voldemort spy nearby, he welcomes them into the fold; hoping that this will give Voldemort a false sense of security.
Harry’s dreams tell him to look to his friends. Therefore, in a moment of sorrow Harry gets a little help from his friend when he tells them of the prophecy, and his dreams of Legacy Order Members and various others murdered by Voldemort or his Death Eaters. |
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| aphrodeia |
| Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 1:53 pm |
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Joined: 06 Dec 2004
Posts: 46
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liquidscissors wrote: I'd suggest against posing questions in your summaries, as it almost always makes your few short sentences sound like a particularly bad Hollywood trailer.
Will Character A find Item B before the clock runs out?
... I like it.
Hee!
Aphrodeia  |
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