The Writing (and Artistic) Ranting Thread

[Rebel Dynasty]

It's rather tricky because nowadays the words summary and synopsis are interchangeble, but while one means to quickly give a brief description of the entirety of the story, one is simply a brief hook. I gather you're trying to get the "brief hook" yeah? It's essentially just mentioning all of the details that a person can easily understand as things they should care about when they start reading the book. It's almost like a small primer of the main thrust of the story's plot, I can use Blast Back as an example, actually...

Actually I'm going more for the quick explanation. ^^; I figure I have the brief hook, but perhaps I'll let you (and anyone else who wishes to contribute) be the judge of that:

When fifteen-year-old Gwenyth Lamelle comes across nine artifacts her father brings home one night, she accidentally releases the powers locked within them. Now it is up to her and her two mysterious guardians to reclaim those lost powers—before they fall into the wrong hands. In a world ruled by gods, spirits, demons, and other mystical beings, the trio are in a race against time, with the fate of the world—of all worlds—hanging in the balance...

I know. It needs work. >.<

It's essentially what you get a guy doing trailer voice overs to say, right? This tells us what we have to look forward to, but without spoiling anything that we don't really learn early on. Might help to build a list of the key plot points, then cut it off at the point where the main character(s) come to a decision of what to do, noticing what is ahead of them. Then of course, cut out some of the plot points that aren't quite as necessary if needed.

Thanks, TxA. ^^ This helps a lot. Once I get it done, would it be alright if I asked for your input? ._.

 

[V's patron]

Im trying to punch up this short story i wrote in class.

I cant remember what i was trying to say tho so now i wanna just take out half and rewrite it.

 

[DanteStyle]

Not entirely a rant but writing related: So, I'm sure a lot of writers agree that upon hearing the word "synopsis", you experience a powerful migraine.

Unfortunately, much like the summary, these are things we eventually have to write (particularly if publishing is involved in our list of goals).

I'll stop beating around the bush, now: any of you particularly good at and/or knowledgeable about the steps involved in writing a synopsis? I had a bitch of a time coming up with my summary as is--and I'm still not sure it's compelling enough--so if anyone's got any pointers, I'd lavish you with gratitude. ^^;

(Basically I'm wondering how much information should be put into the synopsis to intrigue potential readers, without giving too much away). Should I make a list of the key plot points, and build my synopsis from there? Or should I be a bit more subtle?

List your basic plot points. Who is your protagonist, who is your antagonist, maybe mention a secondary character but don't throw all the characters into the synopsis, just the main, important ones. What is the goal, what is the conflict, what is the climax, what is the catalyst and what is the end result. Don't fuss too much about subplots, just give a rundown of the overall main plot.
The hard part is making your synopsis not sound like every other synopsis ever written, so it's important to include in your synopsis whatever it is that makes your fantasy story different from every other fantasy story out there. That's your hook.
An easier way to start a synopsis is to use your outlines as a base to work off of. Then elaborate a bit on those so it doesn't read like boring facts, but it's not all bruised with prose either. Cut out all the adjectives and adverbs.
So, basically, give it to them hard and give it to them straight. This is my character, this is her story, YOU NEED TO READ THIS.

And then you cut out the climax and the aftermath in the synopsis when you share it to your readers.
But definitely add the start, middle and end when you send it to a publisher. They want to and need to know your entire book. Trying to hook them with the old 'but everything wasn't quite what it seemed....' or 'she had to decide which side would win her heart...' only lands a manuscript in the rejection pile faster.

Good luck with it Rebel. Synopsis are challenging!

 

[Dante's Stalker]

+

Actually I'm going more for the quick explanation. ^^; I figure I have the brief hook, but perhaps I'll let you (and anyone else who wishes to contribute) be the judge of that:

When fifteen-year-old Gwenyth Lamelle comes across nine artifacts her father brings home one night, she accidentally releases the powers locked within them. Now it is up to her and her two mysterious guardians to reclaim those lost powers—before they fall into the wrong hands. In a world ruled by gods, spirits, demons, and other mystical beings, the trio are in a race against time, with the fate of the world—of all worlds—hanging in the balance...

Doh! >.< I didn't see this before. It looks good to me. I might suggest you add who has 'the wrong hands' and whatever rank he or she may hold, ie. Now it is up to her and her two mysterious guardians to recover those lost powers before Berial the Hellfire Warrior claims it and trifles with the fate of the world.
And... I don't know. I need to go read the entire manuscript first before I can give a better example.
Also, take what I say with a pinch of salt. I don't often work according to outlines and I totally fail at even the basic of summaries, and my synopsis pages are still very much blank after many deletes. It's like I know how to write a synopsis but I don't know HOW to write a synopsis, you know what I'm saying?

(DanteStyle is me, by the way. Signed in with the wrong account, sorry for the double post)
(P.S.S. I only used the word trifles because it's close to truffles, and I really really need some chocolate right now)

++ Current rant: Why is it that when I finally get the ball rolling with my originals again, fanfiction lures me away?:frown: I think fanfiction should be called a writerly disorder of some sort.

 

[Rebel Dynasty]

Thanks, DS! ^^ I really appreciate you taking the time to give such an in-depth response like that. (I knew you were Dante Style, too).

I did some very slight modifying to the original summary shortly after posting it here, but I wager you're right--I ought to throw in who the wrong hands are. I know what you mean by knowing, yet not knowing how to write a synopsis; even knowing the structure needed, executing it is a completely different ball game. ^^; Your advice helps more than you realize.

(Oh gods...are you sure you want to torture yourself reading through the first draft? D: I won't blame you if you don't).

 

[TWOxACROSS]

Running your own social media in regards to marketing is both fun and weird at the same time. As necessary as an evil facebook is, it's still evil, what with how they hide you as much as possible in order to force you to pay them to broaden your exposure :/

 

[Rebel Dynasty]

Oi, writerly lot! ^^

If any of you have completed manuscripts yet to be published, this would be a good time to check this out: http://www.inkitt.com/hiddengems

My inner masochist has compelled me to enter this one too...which will hopefully help me get the second draft done in short order. :laugh: Doubtful I'll get picked, but it's worth a try, yeah?

@Dante's Stalker I have no doubt you've got something in the endless sea of amazing ideas stored up that you can use for this one. ^^

 

[TWOxACROSS]

"He screamed loudly." Ugh...what was I thinking...?

We all make mistakes, I s'pose.

 

[LordOfDarkness]

"He screamed loudly." Ugh...what was I thinking...?

We all make mistakes, I s'pose.

Right? After all, we're only human.

You should've gone with "He screamed quietly." =P

 

[Shadow]

DOES THIS STORY EVEN QUALIFY AS ROMANCE?! :bored: -shakes plot-

 

[KRSkull]

You know that moment when someone gives a review of your story and suddenly starts to call you unpleasant names because your story reminded him\her of an awful thing he\she that happened in his\her hometown.

 

[Foxtrot94]

Hmmm... is this thread only about writing in the literature field?

 

[Shadow]

Hmmm... is this thread only about writing in the literature field?

I mainly intended it for writing of the literature sort, but if there's other types of writing that you need to rant about, then I suppose we could try it out. =)

 

[Foxtrot94]

I mainly intended it for writing of the literature sort, but if there's other types of writing that you need to rant about, then I suppose we could try it out. =)

I wouldn't want to go off topic.

 

[Rebel Dynasty]

Whoa, whoa, whoa...

Let me get this straight, you pretentious hag; you waited five months--five months--after I've ****ed in your grammar Nazi cornflakes to get back at me? And now you're nitpicking over details...

FYI, I'm well aware of what family Amethyst belongs to. Kk thanks bye.

Seriously, I'm not going to even deign to respond to this person; I know exactly why they've targeted me, and all I can do at this point is laugh.

Edit: Okay, I deigned. I'm too much of a hot-head to keep my mouth shut. >.> That said, I was civil.

 

[Shadow]

The problem with commas is that they either never get used or you blink and suddenly there's commas everywhere. :bored:

 

[TWOxACROSS]

The problem with commas is that they either never get used or you blink and suddenly there's commas everywhere. :bored:

Y'know what I hate? Being told that commas go before closing quotations all throughout primary school, then after them by my first university English teacher, then before them by my second English teacher in another semester, plus my first Creative Writing teacher. I JUST...I CAN'T....I WUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH

 

[Shadow]

Y'know what I hate? Being told that commas go before closing quotations all throughout primary school, then after them by my first university English teacher, then before them by my second English teacher in another semester, plus my first Creative Writing teacher. I JUST...I CAN'T....I WUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH

That's why I just put commas wherever it feels like there should be a pause and, if anyone notices it looks like too much, then I look into editing it. Commas are like mystery punctuation. They're strange.

 

[LordOfDarkness]

The thing about, commas is, you've got to place them where it, looks right to you, and I never put commas in, places that don't, feel right to me.

 

[Dante's Stalker]

What do you mean what writing rules? Apparently you're the guru, so why should I waste my time pointing out where you can improve if you already know it all? I'm not even going to bother. Conversation over and out, Rookie.

+I FINALLY get my new computer to myself to write - but there's gardening to be done. ARGH. There's always something, isn't there?