#how to write a summary
super simple low-effort ao3 summary methods that are 1000% better and 1000% less annoying than just saying you suck at summaries:
- copypaste the first few lines of the fic. u already wrote ‘em. let ‘em be their own damn hook
- if ur feeling fancy & don’t mind showing ur hand a bit, copypaste the first few lines of the fic that u feel are esp. Important or Interesting - the ones where u first start getting into the real meat of things
- state the main tropes! theyre probably already in ur tags - just say them again - maybe as a full sentence if ur feelin fancy. or with a joke if ur feelin Extra fancy
- ask a question. pose a hypothetical. eg what happens if u take [character] and put them in [situation]?
- make an equation. [character] + [thing] = [outcome]
- just write like a one-sentence summary of what the fuck is going down. just one (1) sentence. doesnt matter if it doesn’t cover every important aspect. or if it sounds bland. any summary sentence is gonna be miles better than “idk i suck at summaries”
- just…explain the fic like u would to a friend? it doesnt have to be a polished back of the book blurb. it can just be “[pairing] coffee shop au, but like, still with murder, and also i made everyone trans. enjoy”
- just stick a meme in there
- honestly who cares
- just put literally anything but a self deprecating comment in there & ur golden
