Plug for accio_spoilers.
May. 23rd, 2004 03:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amanuensis1When the concept for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
accio_spoilers was being kicked about, I liked the idea. Some of you know how I am about spoilers: if I intend to see/read/experience the tale, I don't want to know a thing about it. Trailers for films are usually fine, since they don't want big secrets given away either, but I usually avoid all reviews until I've seen the film myself.
But there are all these marginal things out there. Films and books that have me dubiously raising an eyebrow and asking, "Anyone wanna tell me how it ends? Because if they don't stay together at the end/the underdog doesn't win the race/the guy doesn't die like he's supposed to in the book/etc., then I don't wanna see it." And this is where I love to find a good synopsis.
There's an art to a good synopsis. I haven't made a habit of writing them to date, but I do like storytelling, and I do so verbally all the time--to myself, usually! I get the urge to tell the story of some piece of fiction, and I just pretend there's someone there with me and start in. (This takes place in the car a lot. Yes, I'm one of those people that you think is singing with the radio but is just talking to herself.)
But I know a good synopsis when I read one, and I'd like to learn how to get 'em down on paper. I know that the crux of a good synopsis is that it's short, and tells just enough to make sure the reader gets the story and the mood and the key messages that the writer wanted you to get from the tale, without it being a play-by-play.
So I told![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
accioslash that I wanted to contribute to the community by writing synopses of my own stories, because I'd like to work on that particular skill. And this is already showing me that this is GREAT way to get used to cutting what you've written. ^_^ Man, the first drafts of these things are so wordy. And I go back and say, "This isn't necessary. And this isn't necessary. And this..." Good exercise, definitely.
Anyway, I've written a couple and posted them here and here (for A Spell to Turn Tigers to Butter and As Sharp As Sunlight), and those of you who are wondering if you want to read those stories of mine can check out the synopses and see if they're worth your time. Or, you can joinaccio_spoilers and look for synopses of other authors' fics that had noise made about them (or at least someone thought they were worth summarizing), and see if you want to bother with those. Don't worry, the summaries are cut-tagged (though the warnings are not).
accio_spoilers was being kicked about, I liked the idea. Some of you know how I am about spoilers: if I intend to see/read/experience the tale, I don't want to know a thing about it. Trailers for films are usually fine, since they don't want big secrets given away either, but I usually avoid all reviews until I've seen the film myself.But there are all these marginal things out there. Films and books that have me dubiously raising an eyebrow and asking, "Anyone wanna tell me how it ends? Because if they don't stay together at the end/the underdog doesn't win the race/the guy doesn't die like he's supposed to in the book/etc., then I don't wanna see it." And this is where I love to find a good synopsis.
There's an art to a good synopsis. I haven't made a habit of writing them to date, but I do like storytelling, and I do so verbally all the time--to myself, usually! I get the urge to tell the story of some piece of fiction, and I just pretend there's someone there with me and start in. (This takes place in the car a lot. Yes, I'm one of those people that you think is singing with the radio but is just talking to herself.)
But I know a good synopsis when I read one, and I'd like to learn how to get 'em down on paper. I know that the crux of a good synopsis is that it's short, and tells just enough to make sure the reader gets the story and the mood and the key messages that the writer wanted you to get from the tale, without it being a play-by-play.
So I told
accioslash that I wanted to contribute to the community by writing synopses of my own stories, because I'd like to work on that particular skill. And this is already showing me that this is GREAT way to get used to cutting what you've written. ^_^ Man, the first drafts of these things are so wordy. And I go back and say, "This isn't necessary. And this isn't necessary. And this..." Good exercise, definitely.Anyway, I've written a couple and posted them here and here (for A Spell to Turn Tigers to Butter and As Sharp As Sunlight), and those of you who are wondering if you want to read those stories of mine can check out the synopses and see if they're worth your time. Or, you can join
accio_spoilers and look for synopses of other authors' fics that had noise made about them (or at least someone thought they were worth summarizing), and see if you want to bother with those. Don't worry, the summaries are cut-tagged (though the warnings are not).![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-05-23 05:32 pm (UTC)Glad to see another fan about.
Isn't that episode with the arrow guys in the tower fuckin' phenomenal?
no subject
Date: 2004-05-23 05:44 pm (UTC)Oh, lord. Here come the Jack/Aku plotbunnies. No no no no no no...
no subject
Date: 2004-05-23 05:47 pm (UTC)I also love the ep. where he meets his evil counterpart. Double your pleasure, as they say... plus, I think that's an esp. beautiful and expressionistic episode.
Also: Jack/Aku - YES. 'cause he's the shapeshifting master of evil! He can take on any shape - like that hot chick in that one episode, you know? Or an equally hot dude. I'm just sayin...
Gah. Evilbadplotbunny.
no subject
Date: 2004-05-23 05:57 pm (UTC)*hits Jack/Aku non-con bunnies with a HUGE hammer*
no subject
Date: 2004-05-23 05:49 pm (UTC)Thank you so much for the spoilers! It's a good point you made that a synopsis should be short. I can't always cope with my wordiness and I must learn to do it. Your spoilers are excellent! And I'm so glad to see them in the community 'cos I *love* both stories. Thank you for pimping, thank you for everything at once!
no subject
Date: 2004-05-24 05:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-05-23 06:12 pm (UTC)And I see you've already done the fic I wish had been spoiled for me... *cough* Won't spoil it for anyone else in case, but I hate anticlimaxes. Purely a stylistic thing on my part. Anyway.
Actually, I believe I'll read of Tigers to Butter as well. I've been wanting to read that story of yours since I heard of HP/SS, but I was always afraid it'd be a different story than I hoped.
no subject
Date: 2004-05-24 05:51 pm (UTC)I think I coined the word "Open-ended" as a spoiler word for that particular one! Seems like a good spoiler warning to include. ^_^
no subject
Date: 2004-05-23 09:16 pm (UTC)It would probably be quite interesting for me to see just how close to my outline such a summary would wind up being... Only I don't actually think I've saved any of my outlines.
Hmm.
Interesting thought though
no subject
Date: 2004-05-24 05:54 pm (UTC)