I don't know about the rest of you, but this is something I struggle with all the time. As a writer who uses FictionPress on a regular basis I need to have a decent summary that will help to attract readers readers. A few of people who follow me on FictionPress have informed me that well they like my stories and my writing, my summaries can be so bad that at first they didn't read the story because of the summary. I was wondering if any one has any ideas for me on who to improve my summary writing skills?
I don't use FictionPress so I'm not sure what summaries are about, there, but would you equate them with back-cover copy, maybe? If that's the case, I think it's best to think of the blurb as a selling tool rather than a technical summary. Catch your readers' attention in the first line, then hit them with all the other things they're going to like about your story. Don't just do this as "My story has a sizzling romance, some intrigue, and a really good villain" but keep the "romance, intrigue, villain" ideas in mind as you're writing the blurb. Those are your selling points, so play them up. Like, for that imaginary story, maybe you'd say "Andrew and Andrea have been aware of each other--far too aware--for a long time. Their families don't approve, but when they finally get the chance to go to Space Camp together, their feelings take over. It's a perfect trip until a dead body shows up in Andrew's bunk and the police seem to think Andrea is somehow responsible. Racing to clear her name, the lovers discover they're up against a conspiracy as vast as the solar system, and the man at the centre of it all seems to have a heart as cold and dark as a black hole." Or whatever (it's kinda hard to make up a blurb for a story I haven't written!). But the idea is to hit the ideas that will appeal to your expected audience, if that makes sense? I can't remember the rules re. posting for critique, but if you're able to you could post one of your summaries in the critique room for more concrete advice.
