Sandy Supposes....

Narrative Summary, A New Term For Me

PROMPT: Let's talk about fiction writing. How often do you use narrative summary? Are there long passages when nothing happens in real time? Does the main event in your plot take place in summary or scenes? Or do you bounce from scene to scene without coming up for air? What works the best for you?

          This may not be the case, but I sense this question comes from someone who took a writing course. I've never indulged in this, and as such, I researched the term mentioned above. I needed to understand.

          A narrative summary is a brief, succinct summary including plot, characters, conflict, and themes from the point of view of the writer of the summary. I discovered that there are characteristics of narrative summary: sequential narrative, detailed observations, changes or conflict, a connection to the present, and a main idea or dominant feeling. Often this is a personal story or anecdote told from a personal perspective. The tale engages by reconstructing an occurrence with sensory details and realistic dialogue.

         Aaahh, I do tend to write anecdotal stories; memories and personal observations. Yes, I do utilize description and dialogue. Often my narrator is me or a reflection of myself.

         Most of my writing efforts so far have been short stories and poetry, so there tend not to be numerous scenes. I like to get the sense of a story from scene descriptions, dialogue, and action. As a writer, it's too easy to become over-eager, and get carried away with providing too much detail. When is enough just that, enough? Proof-reading is a necessity as is the process of editing. There are so many words at our disposal; we have to be more discriminant. We do not need to employ them all.