Check in: day 16

[lilly_c]

How is today going for you?

Poll #14720

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 8

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Today I have

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written
6 (75.0%)

edited
1 (12.5%)

posted
1 (12.5%)

sent to beta
2 (25.0%)

researched
0 (0.0%)

had a break
2 (25.0%)

dealt with life
1 (12.5%)

My progress is

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Mean: 6.25 Median: 7.5 Std. Dev 2.38

Terrible 1		1 (12.5%)
2		0 (0.0%)
3		0 (0.0%)
4		1 (12.5%)
5		0 (0.0%)
6		1 (12.5%)
7		1 (12.5%)
8		4 (50.0%)
9		0 (0.0%)
Fantastic 10		0 (0.0%)

Discussion: I suck at summaries, then the rest of your fic must suck too (fanfic flamingo)


When you’re looking for a fic to read, do you ignore the ones that have the words “I suck at summaries”? Or do you try to read it? Do you use that phrase or similar in your own fic?

I tend to skip the fics with I suck at…. in the header/summary info because I’ve usually decided that the fic won't be worth reading.

When I haven’t been able to write a summary for my own fic, usually drabble length pieces, I tend to use not summarised due to length or a variation of that.

Comments

[krait]

So much this! Anything with grammatical errors or self-insults in the summary goes immediately to the Do Not Read list; like it or not, a summary is the "cover" of your story, and if the cover isn't interesting or highlights an enormous flaw, people will move on.

I would never use the phrase 'I suck at summaries' anywhere - I wouldn't use anything negative about my fic anywhere I'm poinst a link to said fic unless it was to specifically ask for con-crit

Amen! :D I'm currently going through my first post-a-story-as-a-WIP experience, and I'm kind of painfully aware that it's rough and choppy and my adverbs are probably out of control... none of which I mention in the summary. Instead, I posted a brief author's note (which shows up only when you click on the fic, unlike a summary) and appears below the summary, noting that this is a rough draft and criticism is welcome. I feel like it was the best compromise between "I want people to be aware that this is not me at my most polished" and "I don't want people to see things only because I've pointed them out, skewing their feedback"... and, most importantly, only people who are interested enough by the premise to read it will be subjected to my opinions on it.