Lie.

Lie in your summary.

Not only does this produce extra reviews (YOU LIED TO ME!!!), but you get some lulz.

Seriously though, I think focusing on your story's theme or central image is most crucial. If all you can come up with is "LOL, WILL DARKNESS TRIUMPH OVER LIGHT?" you need to start over. A powerful image can be invoked with only a few words, a theme in even less.

Nonjon is right though. The title is crucial:

One: Did you captalize the right words? If you failed this part, I'll always skip your story.
Two: Is the title "NOUN OF NOUN"? Does it sound generic? Most likely I'll skip over the story.
Three: Is the title in a foreign language (and badly butchered [or latin])? If yes, I'll skip over the story.
Four: Is your title impressionable/shocking? If yes, I'll read the story, or at least look at it, even if the summary looks poor.

 

Keep it short. Though it's been mentioned Bungle in the Jungle's summary was honestly one of the best I've read. It was short, to the point, and proved that, in a summary, content is far less important then catching the flock's notice.

Also 'What if...' = Complete and utter fail.

 

Well, If I was writing a summary, basicaly I take care of my spelling and grammar, I tend to ignore summars that has very bad spelling, tells me what the story is going to be like. Also dont give away the plot, some authours out there tend to give away thier main plots, which makes it pointless to read the story, make it intriguing, I mean write in a sense that will engage in someone curiosity, Also do not write, "yeah I know my summary sucks or not good", you wouldn't believe how many actually write that, so basicaly keep it short and sweet,

 

fixed.

Also, any summary that begins "have you ever wondered what would happen if..." is instant fail and I stop right then and there.

 

Short.

Oh, and sweet.

That is all.

 

Thanks for correcting me, lol, I really need to read what I write,

 

Horrible? Decent? Awesome? Meh?

Fucking hate the phrase, 'in a world' come to think of it, sounds like a cheesy movie trailer. And my pronoun use is grammatically incorrect in the last sentence, but you doesn't flow as well as one. Gah.

Better or worse?

 

Better in my opinion. The phrase "in a world" is one thing that I dislike more than the retorical questions.

I changed mine, I just wasn't happy with it. Thanks to Scary for the help.