Today we’re going to talk about writing a scene. So far, MyBookTherapy has covered our protogonist’s fears, the inciting incident and the opening hook. Now we want to put it all into a Scene. Tomorrow we’re going to talk about Sequels – the story element following a Scene. Three major components make up a great scene. Goal. Conflict. Disaster. Of course, things like motivation and tension are also viable parts. When you’re trying to formulate and design a scene, first think of your protagonist’s goal in the scene. Is she trying to convince her boss to let her take a hard case? Is she calling her boyfriend to break a date? Is this scene best written in her point of view? I had a scene in Love Starts With Elle […]
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About Rachel Hauck
Author Archive | Rachel Hauck
Hook Em Dano Winners!
Thanks to everyone who posted their hooks on the site. Very brave and stellar. We loved them all!! We truly did. It was so hard to pick. The winner is… “I felt nothing as I sighted my M-4 rifle on a distant point and maintained position, despite getting sandblasted by a putrid desert wind.” Anastasia B. Congratulations. You are the winner of the gift certificate. We loved how you set the stage for your character. We were right there, we knew time and place. Putrid desert wind is a lovely line. You raised the stakes with this line, “But a fierce evil lurked in every corner and culvert, whispering that if I couldn’t defeat it, I would be forced to join it.” Now the reader is curious, wanting to know […]
Read the RestOkay, how’d you get here? The inciting incident
Yesterday Suz talked about those moments or incidents in our lives that provoke us to change. They can be small or large events, but something in them jump starts our hearts to do something different. Susie wrote: Inciting Incidents don’t have to derail us. And whatever path we then take, we can know, despite our feelings, God is always with us, and will greet us when we get to our destination. Today, let’s talk about the inciting incidents of our stories. First, what is the inciting incident? One thing I’ve learned from studying the writing craft is the language used to describe story telling doesn’t always compute with our various brains. The inciting incident is the event, moment of truth, issue, problem, quandary, whatever, that sends your hero (or heroine) […]
Read the RestThe confident heroine, con’t
A heroine, no matter how flawed, weak or wounded, must be able to take care of herself in some way. Even if she merely recognizes her weaknesses and need for help. I talked some about my heroine, Caroline Sweeney. Abandoned by her mother as a teen, Caroline is leery about leaving home. She’d found purpose and solace in tending her father and brother, and anyone else in Beaufort, SC who needs her help. In a way, this gives her confidence. She knows where she belongs. But when she inherits a run down cafe, and is also invited to an exciting job opportunity in Barcelona. Caroline faces some tough decisions, but her confidence in herself to love others enables her to make those hard choices and be confident. Give some examples […]
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