Brief summary of the work. How to write a book summary

The skeleton of an annotation looks something like this:

Setting: where and when does the action take place?

Introducing the hero: who is he? Why should the reader care about his fate?

We show the problem the hero faces. What does the hero lose or could lose? This “something” must be extremely important to him.

We ask a question (will the hero or will he not be able to solve the problem?), tease the reader, or provide a solution.

Author Karen S. Wisner has found her answer to the question, “What is an abstract and how do you write one?” She also suggests the following scheme for writing an annotation:

You can also fill in the blanks with the following diagram:

Wants ____________ because ___________, but he (she) faces
(name of hero) (goal) (motivation)
___________________________.
(obstacle on the path to happiness)

By creating a draft abstract like this, you will solve the first problem: describe what kind of book you want to publish. Now you need to rework the text so that it meets the needs of your target audience.

The target audience

If your readers are people with undeveloped literary taste, then the sentences in the annotation should be brief, without embellishment. The emphasis is on something sensational, provocative or useful. The reader is promised simple pleasures - laughter, fear, satisfaction of curiosity.

If the target audience is the intelligentsia, then the emphasis should be on the aesthetic pleasure of the book and the high quality of information. In this case, a mundane blurb can kill the book.

It's one thing to write:

The novel is about a pedophile who cohabited with a child.

And something completely different:

Here is a novel about the touching, painful love of a mature man for a 12-year-old girl.

Both annotations correctly describe Nabokov’s “Lolita”, but if you put the first version on the cover, then the book will be bought by a security guard from a beer stall, and an educated young lady will not even find this novel: after all, in the store it will be put on the “Sex and Erotica” shelf - right on based on the annotation

• Don't forget that an abstract for a publisher and for readers are two different things. In some cases they coincide, in others they do not. Editors are people with higher education and a certain amount of reading, and they live, as a rule, in cities. But the target audience of the book may be completely different citizens.
• Don't wishful thinking. If “New Dovlatov” is written on a tabloid novel, this will scare away both aesthetes and non-aesthetes. Simpler people don't like the classics. And those who like it won’t be fooled by the summary.
• If you need to write an abstract for a collection of short stories, describe one of them, and below indicate that you are talking about a collection.

Typical mistakes when writing an abstract

No specifics

This is a very funny book!

Do you find it funny when you read things like that in the annotations? If you want to convince the reader that a book is funny, insert a joke into the description. The same goes for the most tender lyrics, original philosophy, rich language and other advantages. Don’t tell, but show in practice that you master your art: write an annotation in the same vein as the main text.

Unconvincing

Vasya Pupkin is a discovery in the world of literature in recent years. He is one of the most extraordinary writers of today's Russia. His strong, tough prose combines dark humor and the skill of a true prose writer.

There are a dime a dozen such annotations and none of them seem convincing.

No story

Animals entering the village at dawn...
Girl in a black dress...
A strange plot based on a real political scandal!
Interesting?
Just open the book. And you will not tear yourself away from it until the very last page.

Question: what is the book about?

Banality

The famous writer Vasya Pupkin, with his unique depth and empathy, tells amazing stories about love and hate, about betrayal and disappointment, about patience and hope, about how feelings decorate or disfigure human life.

No emotions

A man and a woman meet and separate. And then they meet again twenty years later. What could they have become if they had not separated then? This is a novel about love. About stereotypes and curses that we bring upon ourselves.

Complete set of all errors

The collection includes the best science fiction works by Russian-speaking authors from around the world. The works were carefully selected by the most authoritative representatives of Russian science fiction. The names you will find in this book are unlikely to have come across to you before, but they will, without a doubt, make a significant contribution to the development of their field.

Emotionless, unconvincing, no specifics, no story, no surprise.

Remember any bookstore...

You look through hundreds of books. But you only pick up a few copies. And after studying the summary, you choose one.

Just one book that beat the crazy competition.

This is the power of annotations. They serve as a kind of “talking filter” that suggests which text deserves attention, which book to buy, which edition will be interesting.

How can you make sure that this “filter” promotes your articles?

Much easier than you think. It is necessary to create such annotations that will attract the attention of readers, captivate and stimulate them to study a particular book or article.

Do you get it?

You need to completely change the way you look at annotations. Remove boring, empty and lifeless little texts “about nothing and everything in a row” from your mind forever.

This is what we will do - step by step we will take them apart “piece by piece” and learn how to capture the attention of readers from the first lines.

An abstract is an advertisement for your text.

However, the summary is a definite advertisement for the text or book. It depends on him whether the reader wants to spend his precious time studying the material, or whether he will prefer another publication.

The abstract introduces the text. Its task is to CONVINCE a person to read it immediately from beginning to end.

And it will be good if it is effective. Otherwise, the abstract may leave material that is really useful, interesting and necessary for a specific group of people without attention. And you are left with nothing.

So, we have decided that annotations are a kind of advertisement for a text or book.

Then, why not use the same techniques and methods of persuasion to compile them that are used when writing advertising text.

Shall we try?

12 tricks to grab attention

1. Segmentation

Get rid of any “fuzziness” when handling. Try to identify your audience as clearly as possible. Who will be interested in the book or article? Who will benefit the most after reading it?

Good example:

It will be of interest to owners of websites, blogs, presenterse— mail-mailings to users of social networks(from the annotation to the book “Content, Marketing and Rock and Roll”).

Let's spoil a good example:

It will be of interest to all active Internet users and ownersweb-resources who want to freely navigate the world of creating selling content.

2. Specifics

Specificity always defeats general information and makes any advertising message clear and believable. Be specific when writing annotations (don't say "flower" when you can say "rose"). Make the reader eager to read the text.

Compare:

In this article, the brilliant David Ogilvy reveals 7 secrets to writing effective headlines.

In this article, the famous American entrepreneur and copywriter talks about creating effective headlines.

3. Uniqueness

Stop copying and imitating: “ His book is being read, which means you also need to write an annotation for yours.».

If all the annotations become similar to each other, then the reader's choice will turn into a “game of roulette.” Do you consider yourself a lucky person? How often will such a choice stop at your “creations”?

Be unique and the reader will appreciate it. Look at how your competitors write annotations and propose your own solution.

For example:

The book contains a collection of special techniques and ____ techniques.

Adding your own “individuality”:

The book contains a unique collection of top-secret techniques and techniques ____ that you have never heard of before.

4. Quick results

Don't make the reader wait long. Nature is such that we all prefer to see results immediately (quickly, almost instantly). In general, the sooner the result is visible, the better.

Which option is better:

After studying the first three paragraphs, you will be able to actually check ____.

Subsequently, you will be able to see a clearer picture and actually experience ____.

We hope the main idea is clear.

5. The Bittersweet Truth

It also happens that a book doesn’t “stand out from the crowd” in any way. It's hard to grab onto something.

What should I do?

You can, of course, exaggerate, embellish and even lie somewhere. But this is a risk. First you deceive your readers. Then you disappoint them. And then you irritate, causing a syndrome of distrust in you in the future.

What to do?

To tell the truth, which can be “dressed” in an attractive form:

Yes, these techniques and methods have been known for a long time. But today they are increasingly forgotten. But such “tricks” still work flawlessly in salesB2 B.

6. Simple words

Pay attention to the associations that certain words evoke (symposium, take advantage, analyze, etc.). It could be negative, labor-intensive, or difficult.

Before you write this or that word, think about whether it is possible to say it simpler, shorter and more positive (you will not have a second opportunity).

For comparison:

The article contains the main statements of the main presenters of the symposium ____, using this material you ____.

This article contains the main thoughts and theses of the presenters of the seminar ____. By applying them in practice, you will be able to ____.

7. Get rid of any doubts

Get rid of various doubts, uncertainties and hesitations. Only a calm statement, without intrusiveness and fuss.

Imagine the "insecure" annotation:

Most likely, this book will be useful to those involved in sales. She will probably be able to help those who ____.

8. Dynamics and activity

More active, gentlemen, more active! Try to choose energetic words and expressions, do not forget about dynamics. Nobody will read boring and passive annotations (however, they can read them, but don’t count on more).

Compare:

The article presents 78 special techniques and tactics. They are used for ____.

In the article you will find 78 techniques and tactics. They can be used for ____.

You got the direction.

9. Benefits

Try not to just indicate characteristics or describe the article, but name specific benefits from reading it. What will the reader get after studying the article/book? What will this give him?

For example:

You get your hands on a powerful tool that will make your texts sell and make a profit.

You can protect yourself from 9 mistakes that every second marketer makes today.

You can easily adapt the knowledge gained to any online store, making it as profitable as possible.

10. Call to action

No, there is no need to shout and call in the style of “write to us”, “buy”, “order”, “call right now” (“ Buy this book right now, and within a month you will become ____»).

Approach more delicately, apply all your charm:

Find out what the 8 main persuasion techniques Joseph Sugarman used in his work.

All you need to do is carefully study ____ and implement them into your business.

11. Use provocations

The purpose of the annotation is to evoke the necessary emotions in the reader, to force him to choose your work. And for this, as they say, all means are good. You can play around a little (just a little).

Let's see how to achieve this goal using provocations:

Do you need simple readers or reputable clients who are willing to pay good money for a product?

The book has 1000 and 1 tips for those who want to write like JK Rowling.

12. Emotions under control

Control the emotional flow when annotating a text or book. Otherwise, the material will turn into idle talk (“ This is an incredibly informative book for young mothers, it captivates you from the very first lines.»).

Determine the golden mean between callousness and emotions. Believe me, no one wants to gnaw dry branches (“The article contains 27 persuasion techniques that sales managers can use in their work.”).

Squeeze to the last drop

Imagine this annotation:

"Here You will find the best tips for cleaning windows. They were carefully selected by the most reputable cleaning agencies. The tips you learn could make a significant contribution to the development of the window industry».

Without specifics, emotions, facts, intrigue, persuasiveness, benefits.

There is NOTHING here.

Annotations like these are a direct route to a huge layer of dust on your books and texts.

That's why…

Use the techniques we've covered to write annotations. Not all at once, but selectively. Briefly, enticingly, accessiblely and clearly convey the main meaning (“meaning concentrate”).

This is not difficult if you approach the task seriously and thoughtfully.

We hope that with our help you will be able to write a good summary that will definitely earn a positive rating from the audience.

Good luck and great victories to your annotations!

Since school, we have come across the term “annotation,” but many people, even in adulthood, still do not know the exact meaning of this word. So what is an annotation?

An abstract is a summary of the main meaning of the source (book, magazine, article). The main task of the annotation is to describe the material, point out its advantages and features. Thanks to the annotation, you can immediately understand what the book or article will be about.

Annotation Types

Every reader, picking up a book and reading the description, can determine from the first page whether it is scientific or artistic. All this thanks to the annotation.

In essence and functions, annotations are divided into reference and advisory:

• Reference or informative (descriptive). This annotation describes the main theme of the text, provides information, but does not provide a specific assessment.
• Recommendation. Such an annotation provides an assessment of the primary source for a certain category of people, a specific age and other characteristics of the reader.

According to consumer purpose, annotations are divided into general and specialized.

• General annotation written for a wide range of consumers.
• Custom annotation contains reference information and is intended for a narrow circle of specialists.

There are overview annotations that contain a general description of several sources. There are also bibliographical and publishing annotations.

Bibliographical and publishing annotations

The bibliographic abstract is located on the back of the title page of the book. It contains information about the purpose, genre of the work, and time of creation. This annotation contains bibliographic information and is of great value to library staff (it provides the necessary information about the book and simplifies searching). It is prepared according to all GOST rules during the publication of the book.

The publisher's blurb is an ordinary advertisement and is located on the back cover. Its task is to intrigue a potential reader so that he buys the book. But first of all, this description should be of interest to the publisher. After all, it depends only on him whether the publication will be published or not.

Rules for writing an abstract for a fiction book

So, what is an abstract and how to write it? In publishing, the word “abstract” is equivalent to advertising. After all, the purpose of the publisher's abstract is to sell the book. If it is written correctly, the reader will definitely want to purchase the publication.

When writing an abstract, you should first of all consider the target audience for which the book is intended. If the publication is intended for people without literary delights, then the sentences that make up the annotation should be brief. The reader needs to be promised that when reading the book he will receive simple pleasure that he lacks in ordinary life - laughter, tears, fear.

If the book is intended for people with refined taste, then the emphasis should be on the aesthetic pleasure of reading the work and presenting high-quality information.

• Where the described actions take place.
• Who is the main character of what is happening.
• Distinctive features of the hero.
• Plot (very brief, the summary should not be voluminous).
• Conclusion.
• Interesting information about the author.

Basic principles for writing an interesting abstract

The abstract should be written according to the principle of advertising text - briefly, vividly, impressively. After all, what the word abstract means, in this case, is an advertisement for the book. The main qualities of the text that attract readers:

• Ease. The text of the abstract should answer the main question: What is this book about? No matter how much you would like to paint everything colorfully and in detail, this should not be done. The simpler the better.
• Suddenness. The description should contain a hint of something unexpected: an original idea, a mysterious phrase, a bold joke. After all, if the book’s abstract coincides with the information that the reader already owns, he can ignore this copy. But if his eye catches something unexpected, he will definitely want to purchase the publication.
• Specifics. The annotation should address specific actions, emotions, and problems. Even if abstract topics are mentioned in the book, they should be described in a more down-to-earth manner.
• Persuasiveness. If the description of the book includes details that only a specialist can know about, the reader will perceive the publication as worthy of attention.
• Emotionality. Describe one character in the book, not several characters. People tend to sympathize with a specific person.
• Story. The abstract should be written like a very short story. Describe a tiny story with elements of surprise, an explosion of emotions and in which you want to believe.

If you write an annotation that meets all the criteria, you will get a very interesting story that you will want to learn about in more detail.

Abstract of scientific work

If in fiction an abstract is an advertisement for a book, then what does an abstract mean in a scientific paper?

Writing an abstract for a scientific work is an indicator not only of competent design, but also a sign that the author knows how to systematize information.

An abstract to a scientific work does the following:

• Allows you to familiarize yourself with the main content of the work.
• Helps you understand whether it makes sense to fully study the article.
• Allows you to find the necessary information in search engines.

The abstract includes characteristics of the main topic (research), objectives and results of scientific work. The description says what is new in this article and how it differs from similar works. A correctly compiled abstract will make the editor’s work easier and will allow the material to be printed and published faster.

After the abstract, the main keywords of the article are compiled, which help the search engine determine the topic of the article.

The abstract contains not only the essence of the article, but also the results of the research, so only the author can write it, unlike a description of fiction. There are several rules for writing an abstract correctly:

• When writing, use scientific language, but understandable to a wide range of people.
• State all characteristics briefly and clearly.
• Do not deviate from the requirements for these types of work (content, volume).

A correctly compiled annotation to the text is a guarantee that the reader will definitely want to familiarize himself with the original source, be it a scientific publication or fiction.

Lesson 21

Class 8A

date

Topic: Speech development. Writing an annotation for a book you read

Target:familiarization with the concept of “annotation” and its various types;

Tasks: - develop skills: analyze annotations, determine the topic, the main idea of ​​the text, give a detailed answer to the question posed;

– develop logical thinking, students’ speech, ability to systematize and generalize;

– cultivate interest in reading and communication skills.

Equipment : individual cards with text illustrations on the topic of the lesson (annotations); cards with individual and group tasks;

diagnostic cards; book exhibition.

During the classes

I. Organizational stage.

II. Preparatory stage.

Goal setting.

In order to find out the topic of today's lesson, you must listen carefully to the vocabulary words and write them down correctly.

TOALandar, Inboil, andnshe, shOsse, sTface, nAstill life, ohtsEnka, bAndography, pIBina.

Exchange notebooks, check with each other, evaluate your friend. (Peer verification).

Who wrote without errors?

Who made 1-2 mistakes?

Write down the second letter of each word, if you wrote the words without errors, the letters will form the concept that we will analyze today.

What word did you come up with? (Annotation)

Determine the topic of the lesson.

Write the name of the topic in your notebook

Try to formulate the objectives of the lesson. (Get acquainted with the concept of “annotation” and find out why it is needed; learn to analyze an annotation and compose it yourself).

III. Work on the topic of the lesson.

1 ) Motivation for the need for knowledge on this topic.

The knowledge you gained today in class will definitely be useful to you in the future when you become literate readers.

2) Preparation for the perception of new material .

Imagine that you come to the library, there are many interesting books in front of you (an exhibition of books). Every book is looking for its reader, and you are looking for a book. What will help you with this?

That's right, you read the author's name, the title, look at the table of contents, pictures, if any. But there is one more helper - annotation. I think you would like to know what it is.

Guess what the word "abstract" means.

(Abstract is a short description of the book.)

Usually the abstract is located at the beginning or end of the book.

Check if your literary reading textbooks have annotations.

How did you guess that this was an annotation?

The abstract is very reminiscent of a short retelling of a fairy tale or story. This text helps you choose the book that interests you in a library or bookstore.

4) Analytical reading of the abstract.

Let's read the annotations for works familiar to you. Try to remember from the annotation what the name of this work is, who its author is? (cards)

№1

DENIS FONVIZIN

Annotations for the book

“The Minor” is a masterpiece of Russian drama, an immortal comedy, familiar to us since our school years. It directly points out the root of all Russia's troubles - serfdom and public ignorance. Serfdom was abolished long ago, but ignorance... “I don’t want to study, I want to get married,” declares an undergrowth named Mitrofanushka, the son of the landowners Prostakovs. Upbringing turns a teenager into a cruel and lazy creature. “Well, what can come out of Mitrofanushka for the fatherland?..” is less a question than a bitter regret about the fate of Russia. And everything would be sad if... it weren’t so funny!

№2

An eleven-year-old orphan boy, Harry Potter, lives with his aunt's family and does not even suspect that he is a real wizard. But one day an owl flies in with a letter for him, and Harry Potter's life changes forever. He learns that he is enrolled in the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, discovers the truth about the mysterious death of his parents, and as a result he manages to uncover the secret of the philosopher's stone.

№3

A fairy tale by Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren about an amazing girl, Pippi Longstocking, who has gigantic strength. It costs her nothing to carry a horse and overcome a world-famous strongman. But the main thing is that Pippi knows how to make friends. If someone needs her selfless participation, she will come to the rescue without hesitation.

Teacher's word:

By content and purpose annotations are divided into reference and advisory.

Information annotations, also called descriptive or informational, characterize the topic of the text, provide some information about it, but do not provide a critical assessment of it.

Recommendations annotations characterize the original source and assess its suitability for a certain category of consumers, taking into account the level of training, age and other characteristics of consumers.

Based on the completeness of coverage of the content of the annotated macrotext and the reader's purpose, annotations are divided into general and specialized.

Are common annotations characterize the macrotext of the document as a whole and are intended for a wide range of users.

Specialized Annotations, characterizing the document only in certain aspects, are intended for a narrow circle of specialists, and are mainly of a reference nature.

A type of specialized annotation isanalytical an annotation characterizing a specific part or aspect of the content of a document that is devoted to a specific topic.

Annotations can beoverview, that is contain a generalized description of two or more macrotexts that are similar in topic.

For reference overview annotations are characterized by combining information about what is common to several books on the same topic, with clarification of the interpretation of the topic in each of the annotated works.

When writing theses and dissertations, reference annotations are of particular interest for obtaining timely information about the latest achievements in various fields of science and technology.

Knowledge of the rules for drawing up annotations contributes to the adequate extraction of the main provisions of the source on the topic of research and their execution in accordance with the requirements of regulatory documents.

Attention! The abstract text is not standardized, unlike the bibliographic description. The abstract reflects:

The type and purpose of the annotated document (monograph, dissertation, collection) and the tasks set by the author.

The structure, theme and subject of the annotated work, the main provisions and conclusions of the author.

Characteristics of auxiliary and illustrative materials, additions, applications, reference apparatus, including indexes and bibliography.

A characteristic feature of the annotation is that it should be closely related to the information included in the bibliographic description.

IV . Exercise for the eyes.

6) Compiling an annotation for your favorite book.

To help you, there are several suggestions that may be included in your annotation:

1. The writer….. talks about……..

2. Amazing events happen in the book………

3. If you read………, you will definitely fall in love with the main character.

4. Do you want to know about…….? Then read………

But you can draw up a plan for your annotation yourself.

V. Lesson summary

What concept did we meet today?

1. An abstract is...

a) a brief summary of the content;

b) detailed presentation of the text.

2. What information can the abstract contain?

b) illustrations for the work;

c) summary;

d) a list of all the heroes of the work;

e) the topic of the book.

VI. Reflection.

What did you like about the lesson?

What was difficult?

VII. Homework.

Write

For a fairy tale, you need to understand the general meaning of this term. It denotes a short retelling of the content of the work. Usually the summary is placed at the beginning of the book so that the reader can understand what the work will be about. This is a kind of advertising. After reading it, a person should become interested in the book, and only then buy it. The article will talk about fairy tales, what are the features of this genre and why it is important to preserve the fairy-tale style of storytelling.

What kind of annotation can be called good?

A high-quality abstract is not a brief retelling of the work. First of all, this is a short story that will arouse interest. A fairy tale is a work that describes fictional events with fictional characters, usually in a fantastic manner. Most often, this type of narration is instructive, it has a good and kind ending.

Therefore, if you are interested in what an annotation to a fairy tale is, think about what audience you are counting on. Chances are you're writing for children. Therefore, you must intrigue them by describing the fairy tale as something incredibly interesting, intriguing and instructive.

to a fairy tale

To write an abstract that will interest readers, you need to take into account the features that should be present in it:

• A brief summary of the tale, but without displaying all the events.
• The abstract should not exceed half a page, otherwise it will not be read to the end.
• The abstract should attract and intrigue readers. In our case, we need to remember that the audience who prefers fairy tales is children, so write a summary in a good way, without mentioning too bad events and heroes. Remember that in the subconscious of children, good always triumphs over evil.
• Be sure to indicate the place where the events of the fairy tale take place.
• Highlight the strengths of the work. Describe the main conflict.
• Be sure to write a few words about the main character of the work. Indicate why it is interesting, what its mission is.
• Once you describe the main character's goal, briefly describe the main obstacles in his path.
• Indicate why the main character takes on the solution to the problem situation.
• At the end, focus on interesting moments and features of the tale that will add intrigue and attract readers.

Remember that you, as the author of the annotation, must clearly understand which points should be highlighted and revealed, and which ones should be kept secret, only hinting a little at the outcome of events. As a result, you should end up with several sentences that contain a description of the fairy-tale events, as well as a portrait of the main character. Filter the text, delete from it unnecessary, empty phrases, synonyms and meaningless introductory words. Write strictly to the point. If a fairy tale should be rich in epithets and colorful elements, then the abstract must necessarily inform the reader and promise the presence of these elements.

An example of high-quality design could be annotations to Russian folk tales. These works were written keeping in mind the age of the target audience. The abstract was compiled by the authors, who understood that their text could influence the child’s worldview. Therefore, they emphasized that the fairy tale tells about events in which good defeats evil, and nothing else.

If you understand what an annotation to a fairy tale is, then it’s time to write it. Please consider the following recommendations:

• Even if you consider your book to be a work of genius, you should not say so in the abstract. Let readers form their own opinions.
• There is no need to use an excerpt from a fairy tale as an annotation. This will not interest readers, but will confuse them.
• Although the summary should maintain suspense, remember that you are writing a fairy tale for children. Your trump card is the accessibility of presentation. The more simply the text is written, the more readers you can attract.

Remember that when choosing books, readers pay attention to the abstract, so make every effort to make it interesting and intriguing.

Errors when writing annotations

To fully understand what an annotation to a fairy tale is and how to write it, study the main mistakes of many authors that led to low demand for their works:

• The abstract outlines the entire content of the book. In this case, the reader immediately knows about the events and how they end. Then interest disappears, and the fairy tale remains unread.
• The text is too complex for children's fairy tales. Write in simple language that children can understand.
• Lack of description of events in the annotation. In this case, the reader will think that there is nothing special in the fairy tale that makes it worth reading.

To avoid mistakes, you must be able to highlight the most interesting things that are present in the work.

Information for authors

Even the authors themselves cannot always identify in a fairy tale what children will be most interested in. Therefore, try to consult with the people around you, ask them what events in the book, in their opinion, are worth displaying in the annotation. Experience shows that this practice often brings out interesting fairy tales, increasing the demand for reading them.

Instead of output

Thus, the summary of the fairy tale is a brief retelling of the plot, which preserves the intrigue and advertising point. Fairy tales are intended for children, so a brief retelling should be written in accessible language, without the use of complex structures.