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[RokofAges75]

This is sort of an author question, but more of a reader question, so I'm posting it here and not on the Author Inquisition board.

I've noticed that some authors post summaries to all of their chapters in the Author's Notes part.  How do you feel about that as a writer and, more importantly, as a reader?  Do you think it helps to have an idea of what a chapter is going to be about going into it, or does it give too much away?


(I'm reaching for discussion topics here; this board is too boring lately LOL.)

[mare]

Do they? I haven't noticed that lol

I know I tend to post longish authors notes but it's never to actually summarize what's in the chapter.

I wouldn't want to know what's in the chapter before I read it lol

At first I thought you were talking summary summaries and I was about to go on a mini rant about those. lol

[honey]

I know Mel did it in just one quick sentence for every chapter of "Under My Skin". I liked it because it helped me remember where I was without having to actually search through the chapters to find my place. And it's just one sentence so it really doesn't give much away. I've never done it though and that's the only time I've ever seen it done.

[RokofAges75]

^ Hers is one I was thinking of, but I've seen it for others too.  I saw it the other day, and that's what made me think of it again for a thread.

[mare]

i'll throw another question about summaries out there.

I know we've talked about this here and there as well lol but how do you feel about overly long summaries? I mean sometimes I go onto AC and the summaries are so long I feel like i've already read the story.

How long is too long or sometimes are summaries too short?

Would you ever just click onto a story without a summary at all. Like the ones that say I suck at summaries so just please read? lmao

What's your take on all that?

[RokofAges75]

I think it depends on what the actual summary says.  If it's one of those long summaries that seems like it does give half the story away, I don't like that.  I like to know the basic premise of the story, but not everything that is going to happen in it LOL.

On the other hand, I like to have some sort of summary, even if it's just a one-liner.  The "I suck at summaries, just please read anyway!" stuff drives me nuts!  My view on that is that if you can't write well enough to throw some kind of summary together, or if you don't CARE enough to make up a summary, why would I want to read your story?

[RokofAges75]

As for the chapter summaries, I'm personally not a fan of them from the reader standpoint because I find that when I click on a story with chapter summaries, I naturally start to skim through them, and then I feel like I know what the entire story is going to be like without even opening one of the chapters.  That's not true in all cases, but it is when it makes the story look really formulaic, and then it doesn't look all that appealing.

I think if I had read the story already, I would like chapter summaries better because it would help me track down my favorite parts, but for the first read, I don't like them.

[mare]

I think it depends on what the actual summary says.  If it's one of those long summaries that seems like it does give half the story away, I don't like that.  I like to know the basic premise of the story, but not everything that is going to happen in it LOL.

On the other hand, I like to have some sort of summary, even if it's just a one-liner.  The "I suck at summaries, just please read anyway!" stuff drives me nuts!  My view on that is that if you can't write well enough to throw some kind of summary together, or if you don't CARE enough to make up a summary, why would I want to read your story?

Yup i'm with you on that one. I don't even bother reading stories where they say i suck at summaries just read. But I also get mega annoyed with the summaries that are so long they take up half the page on AC lol

A nice medium works best for me. I like a summary that lets me really know what the story is going to be about while at the same time not giving me too much details. Also the ones that don't deceive the reader into thinking it's one thing when it's really another.

[honey]

Also the ones that don't deceive the reader into thinking it's one thing when it's really another.

Yeah, that's what I really hate. I feel violated. haha. Like I've been lied to or tricked and it really makes me cranky.

But I think a summary is vital. I would never read one that just said "I suck at summaries." It makes me think that the writer really doesn't know what the story is about to begin with and it turns me off before ever reading any of it. 

As far as chapters go though, if the chapters were all summarized I wouldn't read the summaries before reading the first time, but I do kind of like to have the place holders.

[mare]

which story is it you guys are talking about? I need to check it out because i'm having a hard time visualizing what you mean. lol

[RokofAges75]

Mel's story Under My Skin has summaries: http://accidentalchaos.net/viewstory.php?sid=6862  (Gee, Oprah, it was a story of the month here. )

[Tri]

I tend to do the same thing that Mel does with hers - write a sentence to summarize the chapter.  I think it's helpful as a reader in case I'm reading someone's story a second time so that I can go back and read a part to refresh my memory as to what happened (especially if it's been a while since there's been an update).  And to tell you the truth, that's how I help myself keep track of each chapter in my own stories, too.

I actually think of chapter summaries as the little description of an episode of a TV show.  It's kind of like a teaser.  I try not to give too much away, but at the same time, I think it's helpful to give the readers a sense of what the chapter is about.  Like I said earlier, if they're rereading a part, they can hopefully find it easier.  It usually doesn't give much away with me since my chapters are 2,000-6,000 words.  I also give each of my chapters a title like a lot of television shows.  Just to get away from the "chapter 1... chapter 2... et cetera."  I get bored with that. 

I don't know if people agree with me, but I personally like it. 

[mare]

Mel's story Under My Skin has summaries: http://accidentalchaos.net/viewstory.php?sid=6862  (Gee, Oprah, it was a story of the month here. )

Oprah can only remember so much. lol

[mare]

You know when I do like the summary in a chapter? When it's an NC 17 chapter and there will be a sex scene. I think in cases like that if the author takes a second and mentions it, that's something I would appreciate.

[Tri]

You know when I do like the summary in a chapter? When it's an NC 17 chapter and there will be a sex scene. I think in cases like that if the author takes a second and mentions it, that's something I would appreciate.

See, I used to have those in mine, but I took them out because I thought it actually gave too much away...  I thought that if the readers KNEW there was going to be sex in the chapter, it would take away from the possible surprise.  Since my stories are usually rated NC-17 and include the appropriate warnings, I figure the readers are going to expect the sex scenes.