Watty 2023 Prep #5: Your Summary. Love It. Period.

When I worked with my potential mentee's submissions, I printed out the Bootcamp forms on one page, and I like it so much, I would love to suggest you start with it as well for for your book.

You page(s) will be a separate file for:

Title (and potential alternatives):

Link to Wattpad book:

Wordcount:

Genre and subgenre you want to send the submission for:

Current Logline:

Two Comparative Titles (optional, but good to have):

Current Blurb:

Current 500 words summary:

Then, split out a page for all the working versions of your logline, blurb and summary.

My advice is to not let the looming deadline rob you of the time to work on your summary and the logline. 

Summary is the single most important piece here, and Wattpad wants it to be under 500 words. 

It's hard to craft, because for longer books you won't be able to cover all important plot beats and connections.

What I suggest you aim to cover in your summary:

Your protagonist first and foremost. The main rule with the protagonist is to have one. Yes, even in the multipov story. In your summary, the very first line should make them truly seen. Yes, even if it uses some of the facts from the later story to show what they might become. Your aim is to invest a reader of the summary in this character's story ASAP.

How you achieve this connection is a matter of your strength as a writer. Use adjectives if you are good at finding the ones that are spot-on. Use mood. Use voice. Use humor or pathos. Use what you do best to introduce the protagonist.

Aside from the protagonist, use 1-3 more named characters (capitalize their names when mentioned first) to show the story. Make sure these characters are tracked through the entire summary. If you only mention them by name once, replace the name by their relationship to the protagonist. I know that could be bulky sometimes, but it's better than a name, then the explanation who the heck they are, then the name never mentioned again.

If your story has factions, each of which includes tons of characters, see if you can present the faction as a kind of amalgamated character that acts as one versus describing each player individually.

Your second goal is to show that your story can only happen to this person (your protagonist) by linking protagonist's character development into every plot beat you include.

In terms of plot beats, aim to show progression and escalation of your initial problem throughout the story (echoed by the change in the protagonist's character).

Your inciting incident, your midpoint and your grand finale/outcome are your big showpieces in the summary. Again, put your best foot forward to make those as appealing as possible.

For all the other plot beats, leave in the ones that help you connect the three major ones and/or the ones that capture X-special emotional or unusual/memorable moments, the ones that sell your story.

After you have a 400-600 word summary, the next important step is to find other people to read it. Even if you think it's crystal clear, other people can pinpoint logical fallacies and the moments where things stayed in your head instead of making it on paper (take it from me; staying in my head is something I do too much).

Use Discords, critique groups, anything you can find.

Other people will offer you feedback in one of three ways. They will ask questions; or point out what they don't like; or write a corrected version the way they see your summary (in part of whole). All of it is useful, but the last approach can be painful. It can cause a knee-jerk reaction when people destroy your voice or totally change your plot. Don't react negatively. Look for either your own way to correct anything that they might be right about; in case of people who are reinventing your story, see if it's driven by stumbling blocks in logic you have in your summary.

At the end of the day, the final summary is your work. But, remember, the judges don't know you, they don't know your book, so your summary should be clear and engaging.

Aim to have a summary that showcases your strength as a writer, theme and spirit of the story, as well as its MAJOR events. I also always suggest making it fun to read on its own, like a good flashfiction (maybe a bit tell-y) with a beginning, midpoint high/low and a definitive end, rather than an exhaustive list of all events.

If you are writing a series, make sure to avoid a wishy-washy final paragraph. You want to show a definitive resolution and outcome of this book in the series (or the part you are presenting as ongoing) as relevant to your inciting incident and conflict growing throughout the book. Then you can leave a hook for the next book. 

Take all the time you need to work on your summary until you love it. Love It. Period.

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