My favorite part about writing is the SCENE. Every book should be made up of a collection of SCENES. Live action that we can observe, like a movie. In fact, for me, writing is not unlike viewing a movie…I close my eyes, see the scene and walk through it with the reader.
How do we create scenes?
There are Two Types of Scenes (Dwight Swain)
1. Action Scenes
2. ReAction Scenes
An Action Scene contains:
Goal
Conflict
Disaster.
1. Goal – We talked about our character’s big picture goals when we developed a character. But inside those goals are smaller goals, goals derived by the situation, or his motivation, or the events happening around him. For every SCENE, the pov character will have a goal (as will the other characters,). It must be specific and clearly definable, and it must be a proactive goal, something that makes our character alive and interesting. A character that wants something desperately is an interesting character – someone we want to know or emulate. And this helps a reader bond with the character. So, you character must have a goal as they enter a scene.
2. Conflict – These are the obstacles your POV character faces on the way to reaching his Goal. You must have conflict in order to make the scene interesting, and ultimately to help your character grow. A scene without conflict is a BORING scene. The conflict can be internal, competing values, or external, interpersonally, or against an external force. But it should be something visible to the reader, and equal to the character’s motivation for completing the goal. A conflict that is too easily overcome isn’t a real conflict. That’s why bad guys are stronger than good guys – because if they weren’t there wouldn’t be a story. That’s why there is ALWAYS krypton in a Superman story. So, you must have conflict.
3. Disaster – Don’t let your character reach his goal. Winning is boring (except at the end!). If a scene ends with victory, then there is no reason to turn the page. Even if there is a small victory with the goal, this victory must launch a new set of obstacles, even worse than before. So, in the end, your character is in a worse place. Don’t ever end a scene with all the ends tied up…leave the reader tense and worried!
The disaster can be found by asking the following questions:
a. What is the worth thing, externally, (circumstance, or physically?) that could happen to my character?
b. What is my character’s worst fear at the moment?
c. What is the worst information my character can receive right now?
d. What is the worst trouble my character can get into in this scene? Raise the stake so that they are further from their overall goals.
e. Have I set up the danger for the readers before the scene begins? (unexpected yet plausible?)
f. Have I made my reader CARE about my character? Can they sympathize? (Spell out the stakes often enough so the reader worries!)
Action Scenes contain:
1. Reaction
2. Dilemma
3. Decision
1. Reaction – The emotional and physical follow through to a disaster. You POV character (and the other characters affected by the disaster) are reeling and will need to process and hurt and panic and be afraid. Give your reader a chance to hurt along with your characters. Make your character then take stock of his situation, look at his options…(which are all bad, and bring him further from his overall goal).
2. Dilemma – This is the place of no good options, and gives the reader and the character the chance to worry and think through the what-ifs. Eventually, the character will come up with the least-horrible choice, in his opinion. Which lead him to a —
3. Decision — The act of making a choice between several options. He establishes a new goal – one based on his values and his motivations, and most of all his Noble Cause. It’s important that your character make the decision for himself – we don’t like wishy washy characters. But make the decision something that makes sense to the reader, one they can agree with, or at least respect. And make it risky, but something that MIGHT work. Because then your reader will be invested and turn the page.
Now, you’re back to a scene. Which is why this rhythm is such a powerful tool in creating a page turner. A fast-paced story will have Reaction Scenes cut down to the bone. A longer story will draw them out. Think about your book as a collection of scenes, and you will be able to draw your reader into the moment and create a book that will imprint on a reader’s mind.
Now, how do you build a Scene? Read on to Step 8!
