Wikipedia:How to write a plot summary: Difference between revisions

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==Ways of organizing a plot summary==

{{shortcut|WP:PLOTPRESENT|WP:PLOTTENSE}}

The plot is usually placed in a self-contained section (designated by {{nowrap|1=<code>== Plot ==</code>}} or sometimes {{nowrap|1=<code>== Synopsis ==</code>}}). By convention, [[story plot]]s are written in the [[narrative present]]—that is, in the [[present tense]], matching the way that the story is experienced.<ref>At any particular point of the story, as it unfolds, there is ''now'', and hence a ''past'' and a ''future'', so whether some event mentioned in the story is past, present, or future changes as the story progresses; the entire description is presented as if the story's ''now'' is a continuous present.</ref> If it makes the plot easier to explain, events can be reordered.<ref>For some stories—''[[Memento (film)|Memento]]'', for instance, or ''[[If on a Winter's Night a Traveler]]''—presenting events in the order of the original would not be helpful. The events in these stories are presented nonlinearly, and much of the experience is based on untangling the plot. For the purpose of an encyclopedia, we do not want to add to mystery—we want to explain it. <br /> For something like ''[[Memento (film)|Memento]]'', where the original order is there for a dramatic reason, we might note that the story is structured in a particular way, and we'll surely want to explain what parts of the story are treated as big revelations.</ref> A [[backstory]] can be mentioned before the point at which it is revealed in the narrative, or an ''[[in medias res]]'' opening scene of a film might not be mentioned at the beginning of the plot summary. If the summary follows the order in which events are presented in a nonchronologicalnon-chronological narrative, out-of-universe language such as "the story begins in", "the story backtracks to", or "the story skips ahead to" might be useful.

The plot section should usually avoid commentary. Anything that is not a straightforward description of the plot must be supported by a [[WP:RS|reliable]] [[WP:PSTS|secondary]] source.

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[[Michelangelo]] is said to have created ''[[David (Michelangelo)|David]]'' by "taking a block of marble and cutting away everything that was not David". Writing a plot summary is a similar process—you take a long work, and you cut out as much as possible. The question is, what do you cut?

The basic structure of many narrative plots includes a lengthy middle section during which characters repeatedly get in and out of trouble on their way to the climactic encounter. Although such events may be exciting to read or watch, they often clutter a plot summary with excessive and repetitive detail. Cutting less important ones can make the plot summary tighter and easier to understand. Identify the significant story beats; often, briefly stating that the plot progresses from situation A to B rather than delineating ''how'' it gets there, i.e. skipping to the results of a sequence or even entire subplot, is a practical rule of thumb for staying at an efficient high-level overview.

''Necessary'' detail, however, must be maintained. A summary of ''[[Odyssey]]'' as "Odysseus, returning home from the Trojan War, has many adventures which he uses his wits to escape until he reunites with his wife and kills the men who were trying to take over his kingdom" would omitbe almosttoo allsuperficial offor understanding the importantwork's impact and commentary. On the other hand, the ''Odyssey'' contains various scenes where people recount myths to each other which have little importance to the main plot, and thus might be skipped detailsentirely.

The ''Odyssey'' contains various scenes where people recount myths to each other which have little importance to the main plot. Such scenes may be left out or limited to only a sentence or two.

The three basic elements of a story are plot, characters, and themes. Anything that is not necessary for a reader's understanding of these three elements should not be included in the summary.

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===Length===

{{shortcut|MOS:PLOTLENGTH}}

There is no universal set length for a plot summary, though it should not be excessively long. Well-written plot summaries describe the major events in the work, linking them together withwhile fairly brief descriptions ofminimizing the less-important scenes.

The [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style|Manual of Style]] provides general guidance on length, with allowances for exceptions. The [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Film#Plot|Film style guideline]] and the [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Novels#Plot|Novels style guideline]] both specify 400 to 700 words for full-length works. The [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Television#Plot section|TV style guideline]] specifies a maximum of 200 words for entries in episode lists and up to 400 words for standalone episode articles. The [[Wikipedia:VG/CONTENT|Video game style guideline]] advises no more than approximately 700 words.

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==Characters, locations, etc.==

For especially large or complex fictional works, certain elements may be split off into sub-additional articles per [[WP:SS]]. Such related articles should be clearly cross-linked so that readers can maintain their understanding ofunderstand the full context and impact of the work.

InSuch thean casesarticle where wemay have articles on characters, locations, and other parts of a fictional work, we often have a section thatwhat amounts to a fictional biography. These sections are, essentially, just a different kind of plot summary. For instance, an article on [[Prince Hamlet|Hamlet the character]] as opposed to [[Hamlet|''Hamlet'' the play]] would just summarize Prince Hamlet's individual plot arc through the play. This works just like any other summary – again, you come up with a thesis statement, and defend it with evidence from the play. Perhaps youYou might begin the section with something like, "The play charts Hamlet's tragic downfall as he pursues revenge against his uncle Claudius", and then you'd summarize the events that contribute to that tragic downfall, using all the same guidelines you would in general.

==Spoilers==

{{main|Wikipedia:Spoilers}}

By the nature of being an encyclopedia covering works of fiction, [[WP:DISC|Wikipedia contains spoilers]]. InformationNothing should not be intentionally omittedhidden from summariesthe reader in an effortorder to avoid "spoilers" withinruining the encyclopediasurprise, nor should a spoiler warning be articledisplayed.

==Citations==

{{Shortcut|WP:PLOTCITE}}

{{Further|WP:PLOTSOURCE}}

Citations may or may not appear in a plot summary. The work of fiction itself is the primary source, and doesn't usually need to be cited for simple plot details. [[Wikipedia:No original research#Primary, secondary and tertiary sources|Secondary sources]] are needed for commentary, but that generally shouldn't appear in a plot summary.

A plot summary is usually based on the work of fiction itself. In that case, citations are only needed when including notable quotes from the work. A plot summary can be based on other published plot summaries, but this risks excessive loss of context and detail. While consulting other summaries may be helpful in narrowing down on what the major plot elements are, be sure to consult the primary source material to make sure you get it right.

Inline citations are required when directly quoting from the work. For consolidated articles, discussing a work published or broadcast in a serial form, a citation to the individual issue or episode is appropriate.

==Case study: Little Red Riding Hood==