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

Revision as of 00:49, 6 January 2025

Revision as of 01:04, 6 January 2025

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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> Provide a comprehensive plot summary. If it makes the plot easier to explain, events can be reordered; for instance, a [[backstory]] can be mentioned before the point at which it is revealed in the story, or an ''[[in medias res]]'' opening scene of a film doesmight not necessarily need to be mentioned at the beginning of the plot summary. In such cases, it can be useful to include out-of-universe language to explain the nonchronological narrative. For example, "the story begins in", "the story backtracks to", "the story skips ahead to".

The plot section should usually avoid commentary. Anything that is not a straightforward description of the plot must be [[WP:ATTRIBUTEPOV|attributed to a source]].