Unsolicited Advice: A Librarian's Guide to Getting Your Story READ *(Postponed Indefinitely)*

Descriptions

An interesting description makes people want to click on your story. If you take nothing else away from this part, take away that a description is NECESSARY! For help writing an interesting description, you can google "how to write a description," you can check out the descriptions of your favorite authors, or you can read the descriptions of popular authors here on Wattpad. However, if you use any of the aforementioned suggestions to find inspiration for your description you are WRONG!

Huh?

Remember this guide focuses on increasing your READS. Popular authors have a lot of reads because they are popular. As I said before, I spend an inordinate amount of time just searching for stories to read so I have noticed a few things. For instance, have you noticed the descriptions of popular stories by unpopular authors?

Huh?

What I am trying to say is once you become popular you can get away with some craptastic descriptions. Wait... What I am really trying to say is there are so many different ways to write a description and none inherently right or wrong. However, I have noticed that some descriptions are better suited for less established Wattpad authors.

I have not the time or the inclination to go over every type of story description possible (and I doubt you want me to). Therefore, courtesy of @thegrammaRITHMATIST, I have decided to provide you with an example of a description makeover. In this description makeover, I will point out some "flaws" in the original description and provide you with a description version I believe works well for the less established author on Wattpad.

I will put in bold any "flaws" or commentary I have.

The original description of @thegrammaRITHMATIST story Sempiternal:

A test, carried out on a massive scale, backfired on the entire nation, bringing about not only chaos but death. The widespread massacre brought on by just a couple of well- engineered weapons crippled the nation, sending it into a state of despair. The radioactive waste killed millions and the toxins which served to inhibit brain functions and immobilise people did the rest. Only those who had already been mentally dysfunctional seemed to live and live well. They didn't die of cancer, they didn't really suffer at all, having instantly been relieved of the chronic psychiatric illnesses that had plagued them since birth.

And then came the strange new revelation of (once) mentally- impaired kids developing powers. It became a world-wide phenomenon which a crazy madman used to his advantage. He'd enslave them all and usher in a new age where survival of the (mentally) fittest would matter most.

And that would be where I come in and do my utmost best to stop it.

Why?

Well, I couldn't just let my God- given talents go to waste, could I? Born with Asperger Syndrome and now a telepathic psychic with powers that were beyond me, I could very possibly use that to level the playing field. I was certain of it. And no way jose was I going to let some madman corrupt the minds of those who had just been set free.

Let the caged bird sing. No. Set it free and let it sing and let it rejoice and let it destroy all madmen who work only towards world domination.

The term description is misleading because it implies the author should describe the story to the reader. However, a description should not be too descriptive. A description is not a summary. The reader should not feel like they have already read the story after reading the description. The sole purpose of your description is to create curiosity. My version of a description suited for less established Wattpad authors is about 3 to 5 sentences long. Yes, I am serious about the 3 to 5 sentences. Sure longer descriptions can work well. Actually longer descriptions seem quite popular on Wattpad. However, less established authors have a smaller window of opportunity to catch the reader's attention. You have to leave the reader with a desire to find out what exactly is going to happen in your story. More specifically your description seems prologue-ish. It is giving more information then I feel like reading in a description.

I wrote two versions of the description. The first one is merely an edited version where I attempted to maintain the author's original intent and the second is my preferred version that fits my 3 to 5 sentence rule.

My first edit:

A test of bio-genetically engineered weaponry leads to a global pandemic. It leaves devastation in its wake, annihilating millions of "normal" people, while leaving those with mental disorders cured of their illnesses. As time progresses, peculiar abilities begin to manifest amongst the newly cured. A power-hungry madman wants to enslave those with abilities in his quest for world domination.

Tetrisse, one of the "cured," formerly suffered from Asperger's Syndrome and is now a telepathic psychic. She refuses to stand by and watch the world fall into the hands of a madman. She believes these abilities have reason and it might just be to save the world.

My preferred edit:

In a post-apocalyptic world where super powers exist. A power-hungry madman wants to enslave those with abilities in his quest for world domination. Tetrisse, a telepathic psychic, refuses to stand by and watch the world fall into the hands of a madman. She believes these abilities have a reason and it might just be to save the world.

Yes, I did leave a lot out, but all that other information will come up in the story. I think my version eliminates redundancy.

There are many different ways to write a description and this is just my version. As I said before if you take nothing else away from this part, take away that a description is NECESSARY! I hope you found my "makeover" helpful and regardless if you did or not I am open to all commentary. I still have several makeover volunteers in my inbox and depending on your responses, I may write additional description makeover parts. Let me know what you think.

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Rain (a.k.a. The Librarian)

p.s. hot guy over there-->