# "What's it about?"



## InkwellMachine (Jun 23, 2013)

Every time I tell someone that I'm writing a novel or a short story or even _reading_ something, the favorite question seems to be "Ohhh, what's it about?" which is ridiculous. I always do my best to answer it, but picking one thing for a story to be about is like picking out a single word from a sentence in order to describe the whole sentence.

Let me try to be a bit clearer: a good story is about a lot of things. You could say it's about the main character and whatever he/she/it does during the course of the story, but that's only a piece of it. What if it's also about technological progress being held back by religion? What if it's about discovery? What if it's about sex and violence and picking flowers just before evening?

So what are we supposed to say when people ask us this question? Am I just missing something that's common knowledge, here? Does this question already refer to something specific? What?


----------



## Jon M (Jun 23, 2013)

Most of the time the people who ask this are just looking for a nice way to start a conversation and/or to say hi. I suggest not caring more. Apathy is useful, not unlike a flotation device for Life.


----------



## dale (Jun 23, 2013)

i was just asked this question a couple days ago about a story. i kind of went silent for a few moments, trying to piece together an answer in my mind for her.because it's not that simple. finally i gave her a very generalized version of "what happens" and it sounded so lame in my ears. i mean...she acted impressedwith my answer, but i was thinking the oral "blurb" i gave just didn't even begin to explain what the story was "about". jon's probably right. i should've just looked at her and said....."read the book when it's released and find out".


----------



## OurJud (Jun 23, 2013)

I find the question much harder to answer if talking about something I'm writing. Usually because I'm not entirely sure myself what it's about.

I also think it depends on a couple of things: how familiar you are with the book, and how much of it you've read. For instance, if you're finally getting round to reading a classic, you probably already have a fairly good idea what it's about. If, however, you're reading something completely new to you and are only half way through chapter two when the question is asked, you may find it difficult to answer beyond, "Well, according to the blurb, it's about..."


----------



## J Anfinson (Jun 23, 2013)

This is why I'm very secretive about who even knows I write. I don't want to have to answer that. JonM nailed it. Most people just ask the question to be polite, and its pretty embarrassing to stare at someone like a deer in headlights trying to think of how to condense it into a few sentences. I'd rather wait until the book is for sale, so that I can tell them where to go to read the synopsis for themselves.


----------



## Robert_S (Jun 23, 2013)

I'm going to start keeping my mouth shut about my scripted trilogy. It seems that trying to come up with an answer on the spot that covers it all leaves me feeling like a hack.


----------



## patskywriter (Jun 23, 2013)

Isn't it easy to describe what you're writing about? How can you _not_ know—and how is asking what a story is about ridiculous? 

Isn't  it easy to mention the genre and a short "blurb"? For example, "It's a  biography about a kid from Puerto Rico who was recruited to play pro  baseball at age 13" or "It's a murder mystery set in old-world Paris."…




J Anfinson said:


> … its pretty embarrassing to stare at someone like a deer in headlights trying to think of how to condense it into a few sentences. …



How are you going to sell it if you can't describe it? And once it's published, how will you hook prospective readers if you're not prepared to discuss it in an interview?


----------



## Robert_S (Jun 23, 2013)

"It's a scifi about a man who is approached by a alien cybernetic intellect and offered an implant that gives him the memories of 10 others who have gone before in order to save the human race from extinction."

Maybe that works, but there is so much more to it.


----------



## Jon M (Jun 23, 2013)

patskywriter said:


> Isn't it easy to describe what you're writing about? How can you _not_ know


Oh god no. I find it very difficult to write a synopsis or (even worse!) the pitch or log line. Not that I believe my stories are super-complicated and _litrary_ and defy attempts to condense their meaning. Just not very good at summarizing things. Kind of why I don't do the Tweeter, or whatever it is them dang kids do these days.


----------



## patskywriter (Jun 23, 2013)

Robert_S said:


> "It's a scifi about a man who is approached by a alien cybernetic intellect and offered an implant that gives him the memories of 10 others who have gone before in order to save the human race from extinction."
> 
> Maybe that works, but there is so much more to it.



All you need is just enough to hook 'em. When we were kids, our folks would ask us about the latest book we read (or movie we watched). We'd launch into a long-winded description ("and then this happened, and _then,_ and _then_"). My dad would say, "No, no, don't tell us the whole story; just tell us what it's about." Keeping that in mind enables me to quickly describe any project I'm currently working on.


----------



## dale (Jun 23, 2013)

Jon M said:


> Oh god no. I find it very difficult to write a synopsis or (even worse!) the pitch or log line. Not that I believe my stories are super-complicated and _litrary_ and defy attempts to condense their meaning. Just not very good at summarizing things. Kind of why I don't do the Tweeter, or whatever it is them dang kids do these days.



lol. i feel your pain. ha ha. i'm trying hard with the twitter and social networking thing. god, it just seems so stupid. what the hell is an introvert to do?


----------



## FleshEater (Jun 23, 2013)

I don't like sharing what my stories are about due to content. I like being able write what I do and hide behind a name on a piece of paper or forum thread. Those that I discuss my writing with via email or text are welcomed into my world, but the people I see everyday are not. 

Do you have any idea how hard it is to say face to face that you're writing a story about a man that's kidnapped a woman because he wants her to be his sister, and that it's one sexually deviant trip into Hell? It's really, really weird.


----------



## dale (Jun 23, 2013)

FleshEater said:


> Do you have any idea how hard it is to say face to face that you're writing a story about a man that's kidnapped a woman because he wants her to be his sister, and that it's one sexually deviant trip into Hell? It's really, really weird.


well, to be honest...all one has to do is read the writings of freud to get the same kind of horrific fiction.


----------



## J Anfinson (Jun 23, 2013)

patskywriter said:


> Isn't it easy to describe what you're writing about? How can you _not_ know—and how is asking what a story is about ridiculous?
> 
> Isn't  it easy to mention the genre and a short "blurb"? For example, "It's a  biography about a kid from Puerto Rico who was recruited to play pro  baseball at age 13" or "It's a murder mystery set in old-world Paris."…
> 
> ...



Considering that I'm writing based on a very rough pliable outline, I consider what I'm doing as semi-pantsing. I'm nowhere near finished, and there's a lot of things that could change. So it would be hard to give a concrete answer to their question to begin with. I guess I could give an incredibly condensed version of the basics, but in my mind it sounds cheesy without explaining it in more detail. When I'm ready to publish, I'll have a detailed synopsis ready and waiting, whether I choose to go traditional or the self publishing route.


----------



## Lewdog (Jun 23, 2013)

Tell them your story is about a novelist that writes murder mysteries that they act out beforehand in order to do research.  Then tell them that once people start to ask them questions about their novel they are forced to kill those people too in order to keep their identity hidden.  I doubt anyone will ever ask you twice what you are writing about.

:hell_pawn:


----------



## philistine (Jun 23, 2013)

I recall an author once speaking about that very question. He said that if someone decides to spring that on you, if unprepared, even the most accomplished author could and most likely would make his book sound much worse than it actually is. 

As for me, I usually give them a very brief description, followed by a 'I'll send you a synopsis if you're really interested'. Turns out, they never are. As mentioned previously by another poster, it's normally asked out of politeness. 




Lewdog said:


> Tell them your story is about a novelist that writes murder mysteries that they act out beforehand in order to do research. Then tell them that once people start to ask them questions about their novel they are forced to kill those people too in order to keep their identity hidden. I doubt anyone will ever ask you twice what you are writing about.




The 'like' button seems to be missing for this post. :crushed:

Also:




InkwellMachine said:


> What?



This is probably the best response to such a question. Either that, or a long, drawn-out 'gaaaaaaaah'.


----------



## Kyle R (Jun 24, 2013)

State the genre with confidence and a smile. :encouragement:


----------



## Staff Deployment (Jun 24, 2013)

"It's about magic people. All of them die, the end. I'll send you my latest draft from my phone . . . hmm hm-hm . . . Wait, where are you going?"


----------



## Jeko (Jun 24, 2013)

I tell them the idea that first started the novel for me.

'You know Death, right? The guy with the scythe? Well, what if he had a son?'

I find that my friends become so interested, they can't talk to me about it at all.


----------



## Apple Ice (Jun 24, 2013)

I have never had this problem because no one has ever asked. No one in my personal life, except 2 know I write and even they haven't seen my work. When I'm successful I will have no problem telling people, but for now, I'm just another contender.


----------



## JosephB (Jun 24, 2013)

I’m in advertising and marketing communications, so I’m used to pitching concepts and I’m pretty good at it. The first time someone asked me about my novel, I was able to summarize it without too much difficulty, and I’ve honed the presentation since-- although it’s not really canned. I can tailor it off the cuff -- depending on the person and the level of interest. I can get a tough audience excited even about relatively straightforward ideas -- so I figure if I couldn’t get people interested in what I have to say about my novel -- then there’s likely some kind of problem. But so far, so good.


----------



## luckyscars (Jun 24, 2013)

I usually hate to be asked about anything I am writing. Almost nobody even knows that I write. Those that do know, I don't tell them anything. I hate talking about it anywhere where it is not entirely anonymous (so basically here..) and I almost always hate being asked about it. When I am asked my usual tactic is to be as dull and vague as possible until the subject is changed.

I guess it depends on one's circumstances, but I don't find there to be a whole lot of glamour or prestige in being a writer. The people I know that are not writers themselves (which is most of them) seem to regard the whole thing as being at best a useless and dreamy affectation and at worst an act  of extreme pretentiousness.

Personally, I dont enjoy the cliches myself. When I studied writing at college the writers I liked where the ones who weren't particularly 'writer' like. They did other things, followed other interests. We'd go fishing in springtime. Would drink a lot. We talked as much about space travel and sports as we did anything to do with writing. So it followed I usually was (and still am) much more interested by the work of scientists than a bunch of people who call themselves writers. 

I regard writing as an intensely private occupation, and to speak about it openly to be uncomfortable - as in genital warts uncomfortable. If I asked somebody about their writing it would be because I wanted to explore it in some detail and knew they didn't mind, not simply to get a ten second 'overview' on some aspect of their lives, as though asking about it was no different to asking about a back problem or vacation. So the whole question is kind of nauseating to me.


----------



## SarahStrange (Jun 24, 2013)

When someone finds out, it's not me who spilled the beans that I'm working on a 'novel'. Then they always give me the _oh-isn't-she-cute _face (the one with the tilted head and little smirk that makes me want to throw something). I try not to talk about it much  ](*,) 

When they do ask I usually just say, "Oh it's just a long story." It doesn't sound like it would work, but it usually ends the conversation. I guess describing it as a 'long story' doesn't sound as appealing to people as a 'novel'.


----------



## Gamer_2k4 (Jun 24, 2013)

Don't describe the plot; describe the theme.  For my book, I'd say, "It's a sci-fi novel that explores how war affects the people fighting it."

If they want to know specifics after that, then you can start explaining the plot.  "The main character, Markus, is drafted into a government defense force to protect Europe against robotic attackers.  As the war progresses, he has to come to terms with the conflict between his increasing ability to fight and his decreasing desire and motivation for doing so.  As he begins to watch his friends and allies fall away, Markus begins to question the value of humanity, and what truly drives him to carry on."

Always be vague.  People asking about your book don't want a chapter outline, or a character list.  They don't need the specifics of the world you created or the twists and turns that make your story so unique.  They're either making small talk, or trying to gauge their own interest in your work.  Don't overload them.



luckyscars said:


> I guess it depends on one's circumstances, but I don't find there to be a whole lot of glamour or prestige in being a writer. The people I know that are not writers themselves (which is most of them) seem to regard the whole thing as being at best a useless and dreamy affectation and at worst an act  of extreme pretentiousness.



This is kind of the boat I'm in.  I know that for my own part, I hear that someone is "writing a novel" and I think, "Great, you and everyone else.  Get back to me once it's published."  Why should I feel any differently about my own pursuits? I'm no one special.


----------



## Robdemanc (Jun 24, 2013)

Hard question for me to answer about my WIP.


----------



## JoltedDescendant (Jun 24, 2013)

I remember during the first 2 months of my planning that I would have told my close friends that I would be occupied with a story. So, they would ask, "What's it about?".

I would try to find a way to describe my story in sentence length to minimize the confusion. It didn't work. I ended up explaining it in paragraph length instead.
My friends gave me puzzled looks and need clarification on plot/characters etc. Basically, all those questions would have been answered if they had read it (but I couldn't blame them since I was still in the process of planning everything and I hadn't even started writing).

That's when I realized that explaining any story I write is impossible within sentence length. My stories are quite literary and complex in terms of characters, background, and plot. So, when I am asked a question like, "What's it about?", I stress because I expect myself to answer it within a sentence or two. I always think, "_I am the creator of this short novel. I should know this better than anyone so I should be able to clearly describe it in a short amount of time_". It never happens. *Ever*​.


----------



## Jeko (Jun 24, 2013)

> the first 2 months of my planning



That's a lot of planning! It might be the cause of the complexity of your stories; have you ever tried taking one idea and writing a story purely from that?

All good stories should be able to be summarized in a line. Simplicity is one of the most beautiful things in the world.


----------



## Lewdog (Jun 24, 2013)

Cadence said:


> That's a lot of planning! It might be the cause of the complexity of your stories; have you ever tried taking one idea and writing a story purely from that?
> 
> All good stories should be able to be summarized in a line. Simplicity is one of the most beautiful things in the world.



I wouldn't necessarily say in a line...but from studying how to sell ideas, I've read that a person should be able to build a short pitch that is nothing more than a small paragraph explaining the background of the story.


----------



## JoltedDescendant (Jun 24, 2013)

Cadence said:


> That's a lot of planning! It might be the cause of the complexity of your stories; have you ever tried taking one idea and writing a story purely from that?



I love to think so I can't stop my brain from exploring. I always start with a small idea and then it branches off too fast since there's always a vast amount of information I want to write about. It's hard to explain but it will be easier to explain when others here have read at least half of what I've written. I just need a little bit of time to adjust to posting public since I fear snatchers and such.

*EDIT: I had school during that time so I was occupied with studying and tests. It probably would have been around 3 weeks since I like to give myself time to think clearly about my story.*


----------



## Jeko (Jun 24, 2013)

> I wouldn't necessarily say in a line...but from studying how to sell ideas, I've read that a person should be able to build a short pitch that is nothing more than a small paragraph explaining the background of the story.



Not talking about background - the actual story. What it's about. What it's _really _about, if you want to go deep (and if you can).

Throw me a story and I'll squish into a dozen words.



> I love to think so I can't stop my brain from exploring. I always start with a small idea and then it branches off too fast since there's always a vast amount of information I want to write about. It's hard to explain but it will be easier to explain when others here have read at least half of what I've written. I just need a little bit of time to adjust to posting public since I fear snatchers and such.



That's a perfect, raw talent that can lead to great stories. The trick is to be able to focus on what's important, and get it all out in a clear, slow and precise way. That, or chuck it all onto a page and work with what you get. Either way, the important thing is not how many ideas you have, but how you organise them.


----------



## Tyrannohotep (Jun 24, 2013)

I don't like spoiling too many details of my stories before I finish them, but I am willing to sum them up in a short (preferably one sentence) pitch. For example, the pitch I would use for my current WIP goes, "A sexy African jungle babe must save her people from rampaging dinosaurs, a mind-controlling sorcerer, and a ravenous multinational corporation".


----------



## Jeko (Jun 24, 2013)

> "A sexy African jungle babe must save her people from rampaging dinosaurs, a mind-controlling sorcerer, and a ravenous multinational corporation".



Sounds like an extended episode of Futurama. Awesome.


----------



## Lewdog (Jun 24, 2013)

Cadence said:


> Not talking about background - the actual story. What it's about. What it's _really _about, if you want to go deep (and if you can).
> 
> Throw me a story and I'll squish into a dozen words.
> 
> ...



A dozen words?  Can I hold you to that?  :lol:

How about _The Stand_ by Stephen King, or _To the Lighthouse_ by Virginia Wolfe.  Ready, set, go!


----------



## Jeko (Jun 24, 2013)

> ow about _The Stand by Stephen King, or To the Lighthouse by Virginia Wolfe._



Unfortunately, I haven't read either of them. And since you don't know what I've read, this isn't going to work... :-k

But trust me - try summarizing any book you've read, and you can usually get its essence down to a line.

I find that almost all books can be summarized (for me) with one of two words, anyway; 'Sex' or 'Power'.


----------



## Lewdog (Jun 24, 2013)

Cadence said:


> Unfortunately, I haven't read either of them. And since you don't know what I've read, this isn't going to work... :-k
> 
> But trust me - try summarizing any book you've read, and you can usually get its essence down to a line.
> 
> I find that almost all books can be summarized (for me) with one of two words, anyway; 'Sex' or 'Power'.



...but you aren't going to 'sell' someone on your idea if it's that vague.  Let me give you an example of an idea I have for a comedy film.  I could summarize it in one line:

An ex-porn star survives a life threatening experience that influences him to change his ways so that he now lives for the church.

Yeah, that is basically what the film is about, but it really doesn't sound that interesting.  On the other hand, if I told you that he finds a way to help serve the church through the help of friends from his past life, and by doing so he teaches the people of the church to love ALL people, and that ALL people of this world have their own purpose...the story starts to sound like it could have something to it.


----------



## Jeko (Jun 24, 2013)

> but you aren't going to 'sell' someone on your idea if it's that vague.



I never said anything about selling the idea. Still, I find that ambiguity breeds intrigue, so I would 'sell' my novels to my friends with a few words. And I do. And it works. It shows I have a firm grasp on what my story is about. Less is more, IMO.


----------



## JoltedDescendant (Jun 24, 2013)

Cadence said:


> Either way, the important thing is not how many ideas you have, but how you organise them.



I spent a long time organizing so I'm relieved. It should be perfectly ordered now since it seems to flow but it's possible that I've been self editing for too long. It's getting boring for me to read it over and over again. *smirks* I'm terrible at this editing stuff and I'm overly hesitant when it comes to sharing my work publicly. 

Geez. I'm so weird. OTL


----------



## Gamer_2k4 (Jun 24, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> A dozen words?  Can I hold you to that?  :lol:
> 
> How about _The Stand_ by Stephen King, or _To the Lighthouse_ by Virginia Wolfe.  Ready, set, go!



I would argue that if a book's theme can't be condensed to a single sentence, it's trying to do too much and doesn't have the focus it should.


----------



## Lewdog (Jun 24, 2013)

](*,)


----------



## philistine (Jun 24, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> An ex-porn star survives a life threatening experience that influences him to change his ways so that he now lives for the church.



That's an eerily accurate description of the B-movie _Orgazmo_.


----------



## Lewdog (Jun 24, 2013)

philistine said:


> That's an eerily accurate description of the B-movie _Orgazmo_.



No, in that movie he goes from religion to porn, it's backwards!


----------



## philistine (Jun 24, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> No, in that movie he goes from religion to porn, it's backwards!



He just went from a different kind of porn.


----------



## Kyle R (Jun 25, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> A dozen words?  Can I hold you to that?  :lol:
> 
> How about _The Stand_ by Stephen King, or _To the Lighthouse_ by Virginia Wolfe.  Ready, set, go!



I'll give it a try! 

_
The Stand_ in twelve words:

*Survivors of a global virus split into two factions: good and evil.

*_
To The Lighthouse _in twelve words:*
Family members cope with challenged aspirations. A boy paddles to a lighthouse.*


----------



## Tyrannohotep (Jun 25, 2013)

Cadence said:


> Sounds like an extended episode of Futurama. Awesome.


Actually it was inspired by pulpy jungle adventure stories and comics featuring heroes like Tarzan and Shanna the She-Devil. But glad to hear that you like it!


----------



## PiP (Jun 25, 2013)

I completed the first draft of my novel at the end of last year. Family nagged me for ages to tell them what the book was about. Eventually I relented and when my son asked, for about the 20th time, I caved in and told him.

 "Ok," I said wickedly. "It's a romantic novel about bullying, sexual harrassement, betrayal and drugs."
The look on my son's face turned from 'Ah, lets humour Mum she's written a funny book about life in Portugal' to one of horror.
 "Oh my God Mum, you can't write a book like that, I'd be too embarrassed to let my friends read it." 
It was a joke, but he took me seriously; he no longer asks.

I used the same line when my friends pestered me. They also _assumed_ I would write about Portugal. Their reactions varied from: "You are too strait-laced" to "I didn't think you liked reading love stories." One of my friends then decided I needed Mentoring in love, and gave me 50 Shades and some Jilly Cooper books to read. Sometimes a joke has a nasty way of backfiring...


----------



## JosephB (Jun 25, 2013)

It seems like some people are too concerned with what other people think. I didn’t put the word out that I write among my friends and family, but somehow it got out. (My wife probably said something inadvertently.) But if someone asks me about my novel, I tell them about it. I tell them more or less based on the level of interest. No big deal.

The thing is, I’ve had some conversations about it with people who are genuinely interested – and that have led to deeper discussions about writing in general. When I see those people again we have something to talk about. One of my neighbors asked to read one of my short stories -- I sent her one -- and she asked for more. Turns out her daughter is taking creative writing -- and she asked me to read one of her stories -- and it turned out to be quite good and we’ve since had a good discussion about it. Another lady asked me about my writing and she mentioned she likes Raymond Carver -- one of my favorite authors. She loves short stories -- so whenever we see each other, we talk about them and books and authors and we recommend things to each other. Of course, some people are just making small talk -- but so what?

So I don’t advertise my writing -- but I don’t try to keep it secret either. I’m certainly not embarrassed by it. I can’t help what people think. If someone thinks “you and everyone else” or that it’s pretentious or whatever -- I couldn’t care less. That’s their problem, not mine.


----------



## popsprocket (Jun 25, 2013)

I don't mind telling those who ask, though my writing isn't a widely known thing.

The way I see it: if I can't give someone a 25-words-or-less explanation that doesn't make the book sound bad, then who would buy it after reading the synopsis in the book store?


----------



## John_O (Jun 25, 2013)

Jon M said:


> Oh god no. I find it very difficult to write a synopsis or (even worse!) the pitch or log line. Not that I believe my stories are super-complicated and _litrary_ and defy attempts to condense their meaning. Just not very good at summarizing things. Kind of why I don't do the Tweeter, or whatever it is them dang kids do these days.



I'm not alone!!!!!!!


----------

