Comments | icicle33: Random question about AO3

icicle33

Random question about AO3

Feb 20, 2017 20:10

This is kind of a random question. However, I was wondering how people felt about chapter summaries in stories. On AO3 there's an option to include chapter summaries too. Is this something that readers like or would you rather be surprised?

Personally, I would rather be surprised as long as I know the pairing and warnings.

question, fl-list, writing, writer's block, fanfiction

Comments 8

digthewriter February 21 2017, 01:23:47 UTC

I only do chapter summaries if I am writing for a challenge for a comm and I included in that header.

I don't include spoilers in my summaries. More like "Harry and Draco talk."

I tend to kinda skim them and don't really care either way.

icicle33 February 21 2017, 02:20:17 UTC

I just never noticed the feature until today. Thanks for your input.

alisanne February 21 2017, 03:34:10 UTC

I hate writing story summaries, so chapter summaries? Pft.
People are lucky I title things. :P
:)

icicle33 February 21 2017, 23:43:23 UTC

Lol thanks for your input, dear.

phoenix_fancies February 21 2017, 13:44:17 UTC

I think of chapter summaries as teasers. When I did them, it would be like... "Where Draco meets his match..." or something. It can help if you want to find a part of a story after you've been away for a while.

On the other hand, it's a for real commitment. Say you have a bajillion chapters: are you going to do that extra step for all of them? Writing to editing to posting is so much work, do you want that extra bit?

Even on stories where I used to do summaries, I don't put them up when I cross-post any more. I don't even name chapters, now.

icicle33 February 21 2017, 23:44:57 UTC

Yes, I agree it's a lot of extra work. I never noticed the feature until recently. Thanks for your input.

capitu February 21 2017, 13:46:34 UTC

You know, I had never thought of this, but I think I'm with you, I rather we surprised. I mean, the tags in a story will tell me a bit about the content, same with the story summary, I don't think I need a summary for each chapter.

. . . But then again, I usually only read completed fic so it's not really an issue?

icicle33 February 21 2017, 23:46:53 UTC

Thanks for your input, lovely. That's what I was thinking too...that it might be helpful for WIPs but actually take away from a story if it's completed.