User:JimDunning/Sandbox/Plot style revamp

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Contents 1 Proposed 1.1 Plot 1.2 Themes 2 Current 2.1 Plot 3 Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels/Style guidelines 3.1 Plot introduction 3.2 Plot summary

[edit] Proposed

[edit] Plot

The plot section should be short and an integral part of the article. Although frequently called a synopsis, it is more a summarization of the work's plot, and should contain real-world context and sourced analysis, offering information on the work's achievements, impact or cultural/historical significance. It is written in an out-of-universe style, as opposed to an in-universe perspective (also see WP:FICTION).

Although a part of the article, the plot section is a self-contained component laid out as a separate section (designated by "==Plot==" Wikimarkup), so plot details and actor names already mentioned in the lead section are repeated here.

First describe the basic premise of the film in a couple of sentences, introducing key events and characters (with actors' names in parentheses after them — e.g. "Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) is a working class stage magician . . ."). This introduction is intended to give a general, spoiler free overview. It should not exceed 80 words unless there is a compelling reason.

Follow this brief introduction with a more comprehensive plot summary. This should be no more than three or four paragraphs in length. Treatments for a complex plot, such as that found in The Prestige, should be on the longer side; shorter or less complex films should have shorter summaries, as exemplified in The Last Mimzy. No matter the length, the summary should not contain an explication of every subplot in the film's story, nor need it be told in the same order as the film itself (see Pulp Fiction). Well-written plot summaries are extremely difficult to achieve, and one of the ways to make your article look like SparkNotes rather than a respectable encyclopedia entry is to describe every event and twist and turn of the story rather than to attempt to truly summarize the film. A summary details the most important or essential events and character relationships in the story. With that said, however, the content of the plot summary should support topics discussed in other article sections (such as Themes or Production).

As this is an encyclopedia, not an advertisement, plot twists and a description of the ending should be included. Placing a {{spoiler}} template at the beginning (warning readers that this is a complete plot summary) is considered unnecessary and generally discouraged.

[edit] Themes

What about Themes?

[edit] Current

[edit] Plot

The plot section is made self-contained (and is a totally separate section designated by ==Plot==), so plot details and actor names already mentioned in the lead section are repeated here. Plot summaries should be between 400 and 700 words (about 600 words), but should not exceed 900 words unless there is a specific reason such as a complicated plot.

Describe the basic premise of the film in a couple of sentences. Introduce key characters, with actors' names in parentheses after them, Character (Actor).

Now provide a more comprehensive plot summary. As this is an encyclopedia not an advertisement, you should include plot twists and a description of the ending. It is possible to include a {{spoiler}} template at the beginning which will warn readers of the article that this is a complete plot summary, and that they should not proceed if they do not want the film "spoiled" for them; however, this practice is controversial, and WP:SPOILER should be consulted for guidelines before applying it.

The events of the film do not have to be described in the order in which they appear on screen, however; see Pulp Fiction for an example of this. Spoilers should not under any circumstances be deleted, as it directly contradicts the Wikipedia-wide content disclaimer. There are also other unacceptable alternatives which have been proposed in the past. In short, Wikipedia contains spoilers; please respect this policy.

[edit] Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels/Style guidelines

[edit] Plot introduction

This introduction is intended to give a general overview, spoiler free or teaser plot section. It should not exceed 80 words unless there is a specific reason. Describe the basic premise of the story in a couple of sentences and introduce key characters.

Plot introductions are strictly optional. Be sure when considering whether or not to include one that you carefully weigh the benefits and the drawbacks; pages that are dominated by plot summary exhaust the reader sooner and tend to degenerate into a rehashing of the novel itself rather than an encyclopedia article on the novel. See WP:WAF for advice about how to write about fiction for Wikipedia (how to avoid an in-universe perspective, for example) as well as WP:FICTION.

[edit] Plot summary

Plot summaries should be short and an integral part of the article. According to WP:NOT#INFO, "Wikipedia articles on works of fiction should contain real-world context and sourced analysis, offering detail on a work's achievements, impact or historical significance, not solely a summary of that work's plot. A plot summary may be appropriate as an aspect of a larger topic."

A plot summary should be no more than three or four paragraphs (for example, four paragraphs for a complex plot such as that found in Charles Dickens' Bleak House). Shorter novels and short stories should have shorter summaries. Plot summaries should not contain an explication of every subplot in the novel nor need they be told in the same order as the novel itself. Well-written plot summaries are extremely difficult to achieve and one of the ways to make your article look like Sparknotes rather than a respectable encyclopedia entry is to detail the plot of every chapter rather than to attempt to truly summarize the novel. A summary details the most important events and character relationships in the novel.

Some editors choose to include {{spoiler}} templates, though this practice is controversal; in any case, the spoilers themselves should not under any circumstances be deleted or omitted, as doing so directly contradicts the Wikipedia-wide content disclaimer. There are also other unacceptable alternatives which have been proposed in the past. In short, Wikipedia contains spoilers; please respect this policy.