As we get into the fall season, let’s hope there’s more time to get that word count into gear. Scene writing reminders may help you be more productive.
Writing Tip for Today: Here are a few tips on scene writing:
Have Purpose
When you write a scene, be sure you understand what purpose the scene serves. To flesh out the characters isn’t usually a good enough reason for a scene. Every scene must also either state or advance the story’s overall goal.
Ask yourself if a scene moves the story. This concept is difficult for some, but think of it as answering the question of whether the main character grows closer or farther away from that overall goal.
As you craft a scene, you’ll want to bear in mind that for most of the story your character must lose ground in some way and then seek a different approach. When your character wins the goal (a romantic interest or saves the world, etc), the story is over.
Balance Elements
Writers who craft scenes can balance the elements with the Rule of Three for dialogue, the Cold Mashed Potato Rule for Back Story and the Wilson Principle for keeping other characters onstage with the Main Character.
These are guidelines for keeping scenes from becoming too dialogue heavy or from over relying on narrative. And don’t forget to stay within the Point of View you’ve established. If you’re using First Person or Third Person Limited, you can also deepen the scene with Deep POV.
When writing dialogue, remember to keep it real. Characters shouldn’t speak things both or all parties already know. This type of author intrusion risks losing readers. For example, you wouldn’t tell your spouse that you’re going to work at the widget production plant on the corner of First and Main. You’d only say, “I’m going to work.” Your spouse already knows the name and location of your job.
Scenes that are cinematic—that is, they can be imagined as a movie in the mind—come alive for readers.
Be Cinematic
Scenes that are cinematic—that is, they can be imagined as a movie in the mind—come alive for readers. Lots of emotion and good concrete sensory information (what you can see, hear, feel, taste or smell) help readers construct a mental movie.
Give readers only enough set-up so they know where and when they are before you start the action. Few want to watch a movie where the characters move very little or just sit and talk.
Add in Deep POV wherever possible to add emotional depth to your scenes. This technique uses inner thought to portray attitudes and emotions. Physical representations such as fists clenching or frowns can get stale very fast. Let readers hear what your character thinks about what’s happening in your scene.
