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

Content deleted Content added
How are plot summaries used on Wikipedia?: reinstate Compulsive Brainstormer edits per talk page discussion. Section removed as redundant with other sections.
Tag: Reverted
Ways of organizing a plot summary: reinstate Compulsive Brainstormer edits per talk page discussion
Tag: Reverted
Line 13:
==Ways of organizing a plot summary==
{{shortcut|WP:PLOTPRESENT|WP:PLOTTENSE}}
The mostplot commonis organizationusually ofplaced a plot section is generallyin 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> ProvideIf ait comprehensivemakes the plot summary.easier Forto articlesexplain, thatevents docan notbe havereordered.<ref>For asome dedicatedstories—''[[Memento cast(film)|Memento]]'', sectionfor instance, asor key''[[If characterson area introducedWinter's Night a Traveler]]''—presenting events in the plotorder of athe filmoriginal orwould playnot withbe ahelpful. knownThe cast,events listin thethese actors'stories namesare inpresented parenthesesnonlinearly, afterand them,much Characterof ([[Actor]]),the whereexperience applicable.is Ifbased iton makesuntangling the plot. muchFor easierthe topurpose explain,of eventsan canencyclopedia, bewe reordered;do fornot instance,want ato [[backstory]]add revealedto latermystery—we inwant ato novelexplain canit. be<br put/> first,For orsomething anlike ''[[inMemento medias res(film)|Memento]]'', openingwhere scenethe oforiginal aorder filmis canthere befor describeda wheredramatic itreason, wouldwe occurmight later.note Athat nonchronologicalthe narrativestory structureis canstructured bein madea chronological;particular forway, someand workswe'll ofsurely thiswant nature,to theexplain originalwhat nonchronological structureparts of the plotstory isare of interest to commentators, suchtreated as forbig ''[[Pulprevelations.</ref> FictionA (film)#Plot|Pulp Fiction]]'' or ''[[Memento (film)|Mementobackstory]]''. In these cases, it can be usefulmentioned tobefore includethe apoint briefat out-of-universewhich summaryit tois explainrevealed howin the nonchronological narrative, isor presentedan ''[[in themedias workres]]'' beforeopening presentingscene theof chronologicala summary.film Plotmight summaries shouldnot be writtenmentioned fromat the realbeginning worldof perspectivethe byplot referringsummary. toIf specificthe workssummary or parts of works ("Infollows the firstorder book",in "Inwhich Actevents II")are orpresented describingin thingsa fromnon-chronological thenarrative, authorout-of-universe orlanguage creator'ssuch perspectiveas ("Thethe authorstory introducesbegins in", "Thethe story describesbacktracks to")., This givesor "the summarystory askips more grounded tone and makes it more accessibleahead to" thosemight unfamiliarbe with the source materialuseful.
 
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.
This section may contain commentary on the work, as in ''[[Candide]]'', though this is not required and great care must be taken to avoid [[WP:OR|original research]]. For example, to describe an alleged deficiency in a plot as a "gaping [[plot hole]]" expresses an opinion that cannot be included in Wikipedia as if it were an established fact; it requires [[WP:ATTRIBUTEPOV|attribution to a source]]. In general, commentary is better suited to a Themes or Reception section.
 
==What to cut==