Find solution
How to write a short story?

How do you write an effective two-sentence summary of your short story?

  • I'm on Fiction Press. I think I am having trouble attracting people to my stories as I write poor summaries, usualy in the form of a question. So, how do you write an effective two-sentance summary of your short story? And does anybody know any other free sites like fictionpress.com?

  • Answer:

    The essence of a summary isn't asking your reader a question--it's asking one of yourself. What happens? Think of the who-what-when-where-why of journalism. Prospective readers will want to know who the story is about--intrepid detective, clumsly princess--and they will read your story if the who is someone they can identify with or care about. They want to know the what--the main gist of what happens--clumsy princess falls into fountain in Central Park. They will want to know where--Tibet, Los Angeles, Main Street USA. When does your story take place? Is this an old west shootout? A tale from the trenches of World War I? Why can be approached in many ways, but good stories are based on conflict of some sort. Why did the princess fall in the pond? Was she trying to rescue a little girl's dog? Was she running from danger? That's a lot of info to cram into two sentences, so eliminate everything that isn't necessary--keep wordiness to a minimum. Choose words wisely, ones that will evoke a reader's curiosity about what is to come. An overweight princess with a bad perm is probably more interesting than a beautiful princess. A unique setting helps--a dry canyon in the Arizona desert is more interesting that a suburban mall. What is the basic conflict? That will be the element that causes readers to care enough to read the story. Can it all be compressed into two sentences? Sure. Elvira (who) is a princess on the run, out of shape and out of breath in Central park (where). As the ashes of the Twin Towers fall (when), she is faced with a bigger problem (what & conflict)--her bodyguard Bruno is trying to kill her (why). Hope this helps--good luck with your writing.

mbtafan at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

Was this solution helpful to you?

Other answers

well write something which would attract instant attention

yankee girl

zoetrope.com has a short story section. They also accept film scripts, so you can look at what other people write to draw potential reviews in to their scripts. Seriously, never ask a question about your overview. If you don't know, why should I? Put forth an idea that will draw my attention

dukalink6000

Sometimes it is best to have someone else summarize your story because you are too close to your own work and know it too well. A fresh reader will see the work differently and will be able to honestly get someone to read it a little easier. They may notice things you have become numb to and they are not under so much pressure for those two sentences. Keep Writing!

k_ richey

Bang your head repeatedly on a hard object until something brilliant falls out? That's my tactic, at least the first part. I have the same problem with synopses. Instead of trying for a gimmick (which seems like it isn't working for you anyway), maybe just say what it is? "Two fishermen catch the biggest fish of their lives only to find out that a demon possessed their fishing poles. They must either throw back the fish or surrender their souls." I don't know. Something like that. Just... try letting the story sell itself, you know?

lotusice

Related Q & A:

Just Added Q & A:

Find solution

For every problem there is a solution! Proved by Solucija.

  • Got an issue and looking for advice?

  • Ask Solucija to search every corner of the Web for help.

  • Get workable solutions and helpful tips in a moment.

Just ask Solucija about an issue you face and immediately get a list of ready solutions, answers and tips from other Internet users. We always provide the most suitable and complete answer to your question at the top, along with a few good alternatives below.