Juonikuvia

Juonikuvia is a Finnish term used in literary and media contexts to refer to concise descriptions that outline the plot of a work. They summarize the sequence of events, key turning points, and the overall arc, without going into detailed prose. Juonikuvia function similarly to plot outlines or synopses in other languages and are used in planning, cataloging, and communication about narratives.

In practice, juonikuvia are produced by writers, editors, publishers, and database curators. They help teams align on the story's direction, identify structural gaps, and provide readers or viewers with a quick sense of what happens. Depending on the setting, they may be spoiler-light or reveal major twists; some contexts prefer brief single-sentence outlines, while others use multi-sentence descriptions.

A typical juonikuvia covers setup, inciting incident, major complications, climax, and resolution, and may indicate the stakes and outcomes. In serialized works, the outline can cover an entire arc as well as individual episodes or chapters.

Juonikuvia are distinct from general summaries (tiivistelmä) or full synopses, in that they emphasize the narrative structure and sequence of events more than thematic analysis. They also intersect with planning tools such as beat sheets and scene outlines in screenwriting.

Related terms include juoni, synopses, beat sheet, and käsikirjoitus.