# How do you respond to this common question?



## Coldboots (Jan 29, 2017)

This is one of the more common questions that I get when I let people know that I'm in the middle of or starting a WIP.

"What's your story about?"

Does this annoy anyone else, or am I just too obtuse in the head to answer it properly?  It's hard to narrow down enough for me to make people understand, without pigeon holing my work into a specific genre.  It's been difficult for me to explain what I have written in a story thus far without falling off the tracks and becoming far too vague to be interesting.  That's not to say that it isnt' a relevant and useful question, but it's hard for me to answer, usually.

How do you react to this sort of question?


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## Ireth (Jan 29, 2017)

Basically, "It's about [Main character] who does [plot-driving thing] because [reason/stakes]."


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## Coldboots (Jan 29, 2017)

Thanks, that'll help me from falling off the rails the next time someone asks me.  And also helps me from falling off the rails in the writing process.


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## DragonOfTheAerie (Jan 29, 2017)

Typically, "Uuuuuummmmm." 

I don't like talking about my stories with people I don't know very well. I freeze up when people ask me. 

It's complicated by the fact that my stories are almost never one genre. The one I just finished, ummm...I'm still struggling to explain to myself what it's "about." Is it a fantasy? Is it steampunk? Is it urban fantasy? Is it dystopian? It's...all of those things, but which is it MOSTLY? Is it about assassins, or wizard immortals, or zombies, orrrrr... I thought it was about assassins but I don't think so anymore. WHAT IS IT THEN? 

So, this is a really hard question for me.


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## Tom (Jan 29, 2017)

It's hard for everyone to condense their work into an "elavator pitch" (a summary that takes as much time as a 2-3 story elevator ride). I usually keep my responses focused on character rather than plot--I've found that the asker usually cares more about who it happens to rather than what happens. For instance, my WIP elevator pitch right now is "A prince tries to save his people and discover the truth about his heritage." Short, sweet, and to the point.


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## oenanthe (Jan 29, 2017)

being able to talk about your work is essential.

what's my book about? "It's a fantasy novel about an ex army doctor and a gentleman investigating the murder of one of his patients" is all I say in conversation to people who aren't in the publishing industry. that's basically enough to keep the conversation rolling.

if you're talking to an agent or an editor, you've got to have more in the can than just a simple sentence, but you need to start with a sentence sized pitch you have memorized.


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## skip.knox (Jan 29, 2017)

Oenanthe includes "it's a fantasy novel" which is important. Be sure to say that part. And keep it to one sentence. Seriously, you really do want to do this.

Mine? It's an alternate history fantasy about goblins invading the Roman Empire, whose front line of defense is a Roman aristocrat who hates the army, and a barbarian princess exiled by her own people.

Still feels a little wordy. Sometimes I cut it at the comma.


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## Peat (Jan 29, 2017)

I respond by going uhm and aah and I haven't thought of my elevator pitch yet.

That means what I should do is work on my elevator pitch.


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## TheCrystallineEntity (Jan 29, 2017)

I usually reply 'It's complicated' if I'm unwilling to talk about it. Otherwise I usually answer: 'It's about magic, cats, a fantasy planet, crystals, reincarnation, crazy stuff, true love, space angels, cats, more crystals, cosmic cataclysms, family dynamics, and did I mention cats?" Sometimes I'll say 'true love, fighting, fencing, poison, torture, revenge...'


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## K.S. Crooks (Jan 29, 2017)

Having blurbs of different size (one sentence, 25 words, 50 words, 100 words, 250 words) is a good thing to have in response to this question. You can stick to a short answer for some people and for others give a more elaborate explanation.
My friends and family typically ask me more about the methods I use to create my stories- where do the ideas come from, how do I start, how do I chose what happens, what do I do if I get stuck, how do you know when the story is finished.

Any questions you are given as an author is good for understanding your own work. If the people asking are potential agents or publishers or buyers then is really important to have prepared answers.


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## DragonOfTheAerie (Jan 29, 2017)

TheCrystallineEntity said:


> I usually reply 'It's complicated' if I'm unwilling to talk about it. Otherwise I usually answer: 'It's about magic, cats, a fantasy planet, crystals, reincarnation, crazy stuff, true love, space angels, cats, more crystals, cosmic cataclysms, family dynamics, and did I mention cats?" Sometimes I'll say 'true love, fighting, fencing, poison, torture, revenge...'



I relate, lol.


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## Thomas Laszlo (Jan 29, 2017)

Basically, I generally sarcastically respond. Along the lines of: "what's your story about bro?" "Well you see, I had this idea in my head... it's about that" and they leave me alone. I don't like attempting to explain because I never fully capture what draws myself in about the story so my friends are even less interested in books than most people so I don't even try XD


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Demesnedenoir (Jan 29, 2017)

I glare, put on my best crazy face and scream: "WHAT! Dude, you trying to steal my genius? You $%^#!, get the %^#$# away from me, you !%^$#$." Then, I start hopping around like a leprechaun on coke screaming "Plot thief! Plot thief! 'e's after me pot o' genius!"

No one ever asks again... but this could explain why I haven't landed any 6 figure book deals.


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## TheKillerBs (Jan 29, 2017)

Demesnedenoir said:


> I glare, put on my best crazy face and scream: "WHAT! Dude, you trying to steal my genius? You $%^#!, get the %^#$# away from me, you !%^$#$." Then, I start hopping around like a leprechaun on coke screaming "Plot thief! Plot thief! 'e's after me pot o' genius!"
> 
> No one ever asks again... but this could explain why I haven't landed any 6 figure book deals.



Thanks for that. I hadn't legitimately laughed out loud over something online for quite a while now.


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## Heliotrope (Jan 29, 2017)

Honours student and time travelling pirate orchestrate a treasure heist to save Manhattan from an Aztec curse.


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## RupamGrimoeuvre (Jan 29, 2017)

I agree with @Tom, focusing on the character works better because people can relate easily.  
I'd add that if for some reason you don't wanna talk about the character, personify other elements.

Like, although I didn't spend much time in creating a better elevator-pitch, my workable pitch is: "A dark science-fantasy story about a girl, Ara, who has to save her planet."

I might add some more details, if there's a follow up question: "Her planet is facing an imminent threat that no one knows about, but there are clues; and she's connecting the dots. She has to fight with her people to save them."



Art: Grimoeuvre.com | Story: TheGrimBook.com


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## glutton (Jan 29, 2017)

"It's about a badass female warrior who kicks ridiculous amounts of butt while surviving absurd amounts of damage" is the default answer for most of my works. lol


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## skip.knox (Jan 29, 2017)

Peat said:


> I respond by going uhm and aah and I haven't thought of my elevator pitch yet.
> 
> That means what I should do is work on my elevator pitch.



I wish it weren't called that. I prefer to respond to the question as posed. What's your story about? I should be able to answer that clearly, or else say, I dunno I'm working on it. I think most friendly, interested folks would accept that.  But a long disquisition, a meandering reply, fuzziness, they don't deserve that. They deserve an answer.


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## Penpilot (Jan 30, 2017)

For me, I know I understand my own story when I can condense it down into an elevator pitch. When I can't, I know I don't really understand it yet. And that's important, because otherwise I find the story tends to wander and becomes unfocused. 

The urban fantasy I'm shopping right now is about a washed-up athlete trying to hold on to past glory, in the arena and in love. 

The epic fantasy I'm editing/rewriting is about what two fathers give up in order to pursue their careers. It just so happens one is an oppressive overlord and the other is the defiant rebel leader.


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## valiant12 (Jan 30, 2017)

It's a fantasy comming of age story. It have monsters and magic and other stuff.


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## Russ (Jan 30, 2017)

While difficult to answer having log lines, or short pitches of various lengths is a good exercise, can help as a plot compass and will be invaluable if you are ever trying to sell your work in any context.


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## FifthView (Jan 30, 2017)

I've found that the question normally comes from acquaintances, non-immediate family members, co-workers and is usually nothing more than a _very_ idle question.  Their eyes are primed to glaze over even before they finish uttering the question.  So, "Does this annoy anyone else?"  Answer:  Yes.

There are times when I've thought having a ready-made answer like, "It's about the Prvbydium Collective taking over a galaxy using magic and actuarial life tables instead of technology" would be good–a totally fake answer that will leave the questioner just as blank and uninterested as before.

If you do a search of Mythic Scribes for "premise statement," you'll find some helpful threads on the topic.  Having a true ready-made answer for yourself is great because it can clarify your own project for yourself and keep you on target, or for when you are talking with someone who can actually help you reach publication.  Otherwise, we should all just say it's something something about the Prvbydium Collective.



Coldboots said:


> This is one of the more common questions that I get when I let people know that I'm in the middle of or starting a WIP.
> 
> "What's your story about?"
> 
> ...


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## Coldboots (Jan 30, 2017)

Hmm, good points I'm seeing here, and good humor as well.  Maybe I just need to find a flippant response that can act as an icebreaker:

It's a book of elevator pitches.


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## Garren Jacobsen (Jan 30, 2017)

For Blood Iron my pitch focuses on the mc, his Disease, falling into being a terrorist, rising out of that hole, and being in college.


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## Michael K. Eidson (Jan 30, 2017)

Heliotrope said:


> Honours student and time travelling pirate orchestrate a treasure heist to save Manhattan from an Aztec curse.



Sounds interesting.


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## Michael K. Eidson (Jan 30, 2017)

I try to answer the question honestly, in the hope that the body language of the questioner will inform me as to how interesting the person truly finds it. I don't have a pitch memorized yet, since I don't have any elevators near me. 

One aspect of my WIP is problematic, in that I have three main POV characters, each with their own story arcs, and none of them working together to accomplish their separate goals, even though their goals all revolve around the same pair of non-POV characters. So I usually just pick one of the main POV characters and use her as the focus in a brief description of the story.

Since I don't have anything memorized, it comes out in multiple, shorter sentences. It feels more natural for me to say it the way I do than to relate a memorized spiel. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised by the response I get from people I wouldn't expect to be interested in my kind of story. Sometimes I just get confused looks. In the former case, I usually get a follow-up question or two, and I'm happy to oblige. Some of these follow-up questioners still look like they find my answers intriguing, which I always take as a good sign.

Receiving good responses from people who ask the question, "What's your story about?" never fails to motivate me. Receiving blank expressions from others reminds me that my target audience doesn't include everyone.


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## Addison (Jan 30, 2017)

Whenever someone asks me the question I get annoyed because I remember that the person asked me before, and I answered. Then I realize it's another person who knows my brother who has seen how many story ideas I have so they're wondering which story I'm working on "NOW", as in what I'm typing or writing when they see me and ask said question. Sometimes I'd like to say "It's a surprise", but no one understands that they should stop talking at that point. Heck even if I tell them they want more and more details until I almost give the story synopsis. I try to cover the who, what, where and why. If that's not enough for them then I tell them they can read it when it's done. It works.


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## Penpilot (Jan 31, 2017)

Coldboots said:


> Hmm, good points I'm seeing here, and good humor as well.  Maybe I just need to find a flippant response that can act as an icebreaker:
> 
> It's a book of elevator pitches.



If you really want to be mean you could say it's a book about this guy who goes around asking people awkward questions and putting them on the spot. He narrowly escapes from being stabbed in the shin with spork when he has an epiphany about true meaning of the letters S-T-F-U.


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## Russ (Jan 31, 2017)

Why would one ever be rude to someone who simply asks you what you are writing, after you tell them you are writing?


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## Coldboots (Jan 31, 2017)

I wouldn't be rude, as that isn't my style, but the question tends to be an idle one in my experience.  Many times it seems when you tell them you're writing lately, they seem to expect that you want them to ask about what you're writing.  I was just expressing that it's difficult for me personally to respond to, because I have trouble keeping on the rails while explaining things in general, which itself can be off-putting.  

Some of the answers here have been helpful to keep it short and not put off the person I'm talking to.  Sometimes a humorous response can be a good answer, but only if you know the person won't take it the wrong way.


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## Demesnedenoir (Jan 31, 2017)

If anyone is still listening after the leprechaun on coke incident... it's keep it pithy and get it to the point quick. Totally off the top of my head... Something like...

It's an epic fantasy about a young woman, soon to be ordained into the priesthood, who discovers a conspiracy within the church that could bring demonic genocide to her people. 

I tend to leave it at that because it automatically raises several questions involving faith... and because it's pretty obvious she'll try to stop it, LOL.


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## oenanthe (Jan 31, 2017)

Russ said:


> Why would one ever be rude to someone who simply asks you what you are writing, after you tell them you are writing?



my guess is simple fear. It's hard to imagine revealing something as personal as a creative project to someone and then have them laugh at it, so play it off with a joke. 

I'm forever asking people what their book is about, because I am 1. GENUINELY CURIOUS and 2. There's a real benefit to getting over the stage fright and being able to answer straight off. the number of people who react in a hostile fashion to the question really took me aback until I thought, hey. maybe they're afraid to tell you.


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## Michael K. Eidson (Jan 31, 2017)

I disliked the question more in the earlier stages of my WIP. Now that I have a firm understanding of my story and a conviction that it's good, I rather enjoy talking to people about it. I was just asked yesterday about my story, and I gave a brief answer, which led to more and more questions, which led the questioner to finally admitting they should just wait and read the book. But the guy on more than one occasion uttered the word, "Interesting...," and the way he said it made me feel it was genuine. It's times like this that energize me and give me a much appreciated motivational boost to finish the book.


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## Helen (Jan 31, 2017)

Coldboots said:


> This is one of the more common questions that I get when I let people know that I'm in the middle of or starting a WIP.
> 
> "What's your story about?"
> 
> ...



I love when that question is asked.

Often I think I know the story, then I answer the question and discover I don't know it as well as I thought.

Answered enough times, it helps develop the pitch too.


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## Penpilot (Jan 31, 2017)

Russ said:


> Why would one ever be rude to someone who simply asks you what you are writing, after you tell them you are writing?



You wouldn't. For myself, I was just kidding around.


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## FifthView (Jan 31, 2017)

I don't think that assuming the existence of terror and insecurity is incredibly helpful.  It's actually slightly insulting.  If I were to make my own assumptions...maybe I'd see a justification for reticence to discuss a creative project with someone who saw answering questions as a kind of proof of courage, a test of mettle, and who used the question as a sounding out of character flaws rather than sincere curiosity about that project. 

I'm not often asked, myself, simply because I don't discuss my writing widely.  The few times I've been asked by anyone outside my immediate circle were times when the subject just happened to come up in conversation, and the questions were extremely idle, a matter of courtesy rather than any sincere curiosity.  I do appreciate the courtesy, but at the same time I don't confuse courtesy with sincere interest.



oenanthe said:


> my guess is simple fear. It's hard to imagine revealing something as personal as a creative project to someone and then have them laugh at it, so play it off with a joke.
> 
> I'm forever asking people what their book is about, because I am 1. GENUINELY CURIOUS and 2. There's a real benefit to getting over the stage fright and being able to answer straight off. the number of people who react in a hostile fashion to the question really took me aback until I thought, hey. maybe they're afraid to tell you.


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## DragonOfTheAerie (Jan 31, 2017)

Often, for me, my writing projects are really personal. Sharing my ideas can often feel really intimate. 

I know I need to work on my skills at pitching my ideas, and drawing in curious readers...but sometimes I really don't want to talk about it with people I don't know that well. Especially given how weird my books tend to be.


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## TheCrystallineEntity (Jan 31, 2017)

^Agreed. I feel the same way. [My books are very weird, too. ]


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## oenanthe (Jan 31, 2017)

why would it be insulting to imagine someone's uncomfortable with sharing personal, creative work? is feeling fear a sign of weak character or something? I think it's a common, everyday, yet surprisingly powerful emotion.


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## Russ (Feb 1, 2017)

oenanthe said:


> why would it be insulting to imagine someone's uncomfortable with sharing personal, creative work? is feeling fear a sign of weak character or something? I think it's a common, everyday, yet surprisingly powerful emotion.



I totally agree with  you.  I found FV's first paragraph near indecipherable though.


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## FifthView (Feb 1, 2017)

oenanthe said:


> why would it be insulting to imagine someone's uncomfortable with sharing personal, creative work? is feeling fear a sign of weak character or something? I think it's a common, everyday, yet surprisingly powerful emotion.



It's the assumption that just because people may not want to answer the question, this is some sign of insecurity and fear.  I.e., your own "guess" –



oenanthe said:


> my guess is simple fear.



Also, "to imagine someone's uncomfortable" is really coming up with a fantasy in your own head to excuse the fact that people don't respond to prying in the way you might presume they should –



> There's a real benefit to getting over the stage fright and being able to answer straight off.



– as if all these people who don't answer in the way you think they should must obviously have stage fright.

Isn't another possibility simply the fact that they don't want to be bothered to satisfy your idle curiosity?  Or, that because you pry, this doesn't entitle you to an answer?

I don't know who you've been asking or all the circumstances surrounding every instance of your asking, so of course I can't make any assumptions concerning the reasons why you've been met with hostility when you've pried into their creative endeavors.  But I wouldn't rest on the idea that all those hostile reactions were always due to stage fright or insecurity on their part.


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## Russ (Feb 1, 2017)

FifthView said:


> I
> 
> Also, "to imagine someone's uncomfortable" is really coming up with a fantasy in your own head to excuse the fact that people don't respond to prying in the way you might presume they should –



Is it really prying if you tell someone that you are writing something and they ask what you are writing about?




> – as if all these people who don't answer in the way you think they should must obviously have stage fright.



Be fair to the guy.  He didn't say anything about not being answered in the way he wants.  All he presented was a sympathetic answer to why some people might be uncomfortable talking about their work and you want to make him out like he is running the spanish inquisition.  



> Isn't another possibility simply the fact that they don't want to be bothered to satisfy your idle curiosity?  Or, that because you pry, this doesn't entitle you to an answer?



If they didn't want to be bothered than why did they tell someone they are writing something?  Idle curiously has nothing to do with it.



> I don't know who you've been asking or all the circumstances surrounding every instance of your asking, so of course I can't make any assumptions concerning the reasons why you've been met with hostility when you've pried into their creative endeavors.  But I wouldn't rest on the idea that all those hostile reactions were always due to stage fright or insecurity on their part.



It appears the idea of a civil conversation is a dying art.  IF when someone asks what you are writing and your response hostility it really is your problem and I think O was giving those people the benefit of the doubt on why.  Your response makes me wonder if that makes sense.

And this comment remains incoherent to me.  Any chance you might explain it:



> If I were to make my own assumptions...maybe I'd see a justification for reticence to discuss a creative project with someone who saw answering questions as a kind of proof of courage, a test of mettle, and who used the question as a sounding out of character flaws rather than sincere curiosity about that project.


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## FifthView (Feb 1, 2017)

Russ, are you oenanthe's representative?

The comment that led to this line of conversation was this:



oenanthe said:


> my guess is simple fear. It's hard to imagine revealing something as personal as a creative project to someone and then have them laugh at it, so play it off with a joke.
> 
> I'm forever asking people what their book is about, because I am 1. GENUINELY CURIOUS and 2. There's a real benefit to getting over the stage fright and being able to answer straight off. the number of people who react in a hostile fashion to the question really took me aback until I thought, hey. maybe they're afraid to tell you.



Perhaps as oenanthe's representative, you can answer why a slew of individuals would "react in a hostile fashion" to prying and why this is somehow obviously indicative of some fault in _them_.


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## Michael K. Eidson (Feb 1, 2017)

The first natural question to follow a statement that one is writing something is the question of what the work is about.

Example of how the conversation doesn't go:

"I'm writing a book."

"Oh, yeah? What made you want to write it?"​
Example of how it could possibly go:

"I'm writing a book."

"Oh, yeah? What's it about?"

"What's it to you? You looking to steal my ideas? Can't you be satisfied knowing that I'm so brilliant as to be writing _something_?"​
Another example of how it could possibly go:

"I'm writing a book."

"Oh, yeah? What's it about?"

"Hell if I know. I'm a pantser, and I'm still pantsing."

"What's a pantser?"

"Yeah, let's talk about something else."​
Another example of how it could possibly go:

"I'm writing a book."

"Oh, yeah? What's it about?"

"It's about a group of monkeys typing random stuff."

"Fine, don't tell me if you don't want to."​
Another example of how it could possibly go:

"I'm writing a book."

"Oh, yeah? What's it about?"

"It's a modern retelling of Orpheus's descent into the underworld to rescue his beloved Eurydice."

"Cool. What made you want to write that story?"​


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## FifthView (Feb 1, 2017)

Michael,

You forgot another way it could possibly go:

"Janie told me you were writing a book!"

"Uh...yeah..."

"So what's it about?"

"It's a fantasy novel."

"Yeah I know.  Janie mentioned that.  But what's it about?"

"Who are you?"

"That's alright deary," pats arm, "Stage fright's entirely normal.  It's okay to be self-conscious about it."


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## TheCrystallineEntity (Feb 1, 2017)

Or like this:

"So, what's your book about?"
"Oh, you know, an amnesiac genderless being from another dimension sent to a fantasy land who falls in love with a shy, half-mute girl with wings and goes on a journey to find the pieces of their heart but later inadvertently causes the world to end and maybe possibly I'm not sure yet freezes to death." 
*awkward pause*
"Well, you did ask."


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## gia (Feb 1, 2017)

I really like an exercise I did recently from a book called _The Fantasy Fiction Formula_ by Deborah Chester. She calls it SPOOC. It's a two sentence summary...the first a statement with the first three words and the second a question with the last two words. The acronym stands for:

Situation: 
Protagonist:
Objective
Opponent 
Climax 

Here's an example:

Situation: When his young daughter is kidnapped,

Protagonist: King Faldain

Objective: vows to do anything to get her back.

But can he bring her safely home when

Opponent: the evil wizard Tulvak Sahm

Climax: demands Faldain's soul as the child's ransom?

Been working on mine which helps avoid pitfalls in the plot of my book..obviously, but also works for a nice 2 sentence summary to anyone who wants to know what I'm writing about! 

P.S. That's not my SPOOC but the Deborah Chester's


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## TheCrystallineEntity (Feb 1, 2017)

Here's one for my current book:
Situation: When she looses both her memory and her heart,
Protagonist: Oeuyia, along with her beloved Kisa, 
Objective: go on a journey to find the missing pieces.
Opponent: There is no antagonist or villain, just the world potentially ending,
Climax: and I'm not sure yet what happens at the climax.


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## oenanthe (Feb 1, 2017)

oh, this looks productive and fun! lemme try.

Situation: When a mysterious gentleman brings a dying witch to his hospital,
Protagonist: A humble Ex-Army doctor
Objective: investigates the witch's murder.
Opponent: But the secret group of mages who control the country
Climax: will kill to protect the real reason for their war overseas.


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## Russ (Feb 1, 2017)

> Russ, are you oenanthe's representative?



Nah, I just think bullying comments aimed at new members sucks.



> Perhaps as oenanthe's representative, you can answer why a slew of individuals would "react in a hostile fashion" to prying and why this is somehow obviously indicative of some fault in _them_.



I don't think he has signed the retainer agreement yet.  But your question contains a false premise.  Perhaps you can explain why a person asking you what you are writing about is "prying."? Reacting to a perfectly polite social question with hostility does imply a problem with the person reacting in that fashion.

And you might even be kind enough to explain what this is supposed to mean:



> If I were to make my own assumptions...maybe I'd see a justification for reticence to discuss a creative project with someone who saw answering questions as a kind of proof of courage, a test of mettle, and who used the question as a sounding out of character flaws rather than sincere curiosity about that project.



Actually some people on this thread have responded with wonderful explanations including that they feel their writing is "weird" and fear might just be a factor.  I think you have to salute their honesty and openness.


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## oenanthe (Feb 2, 2017)

um.

I don't know if it makes any difference, but I'm a woman. have been all my life, in fact.


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## Russ (Feb 2, 2017)

oenanthe said:


> um.
> 
> I don't know if it makes any difference, but I'm a woman. have been all my life, in fact.



Apologies.   My bad.

But you still haven't signed the retainer.   Looks like I am doing this one pro bono.


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