If the first part of your sequel*—the reaction—appeals to your readers’ emotions, the second part is all about the intellect. Once your characters’ first-blush emotional responses to the previous scene’s disaster has passed, they will have to get down to the all-important business of thinking about what they’re going to do next. The previous disaster has […]
January 27, 2013 by 38 Comments Structuring Your NovelStructuring Your Story’s Scenes, Pt. 8: Options for Character Reactions in a Scene Sequel
At the heart of every sequel* is the narrating character’s reaction to the preceding scene’s disaster. This is where you get the opportunity to dig around inside your characters’ emotional and mental processes and find out what they’re really made of. While the scene is about external action, the sequel is about internal reaction. The sequel will sometimes […]
January 13, 2013 by 21 Comments Structuring Your NovelStructuring Your Story’s Scenes, Pt. 6: Variations on the Scene
The great thing about structure is that it provides a solid framework for your story, while still presenting endless possibilities. This is just as true of the Scene* as it is of the larger plot structure that guides your story as a whole. Now that we’ve concluded our exploration of the first part of the […]
January 6, 2013 by 38 Comments Structuring Your NovelStructuring Your Story’s Scenes, Pt. 5: Options for Scene Disasters
The disaster is the payoff at the end of the scene.* This is what readers have been waiting for, often with a delicious sense of dread. This is the answer, at least partially, to that all-important question, “What’s gonna happen?” The final act in the three-part structure of your scene is the outcome. The first […]
December 30, 2012 by 36 Comments Structuring Your NovelStructuring Your Story’s Scenes, Pt. 4: Options for Conflict in a Scene
Once you’ve established your character’s scene* goal, the fun begins in earnest! Conflict is what story is all about. Without it, the characters would achieve their goals in minutes, all the loose ends would instantly be tied off with a pretty red bow, and the story would be happily ever over. That may be nice […]
December 23, 2012 by 29 Comments Structuring Your NovelStructuring Your Story’s Scenes, Pt. 3: Options for Goals in a Scene
The story as a whole and every scene* within it begins with a goal. Your characters want something—something they will have difficulty accomplishing. What they want frames the plot on both the macro and micro levels. What they want defines them, and by extension the theme of the book. The possibilities for scene goals are endless—and […]
December 16, 2012 by 26 Comments Structuring Your NovelStructuring Your Story’s Scenes, Pt. 2: The Three Building Blocks of the Scene
Like story itself, each Scene* follows a specific structure. In fact, the arc of a Scene is a miniature version of the larger story structure exhibited over the course of the book: 1. Beginning=Hook 2. Middle=Development 3. End=Climax When we look at the arc this way, it makes a basic sort of sense. It doesn’t, […]
December 14, 2012 by 34 Comments Editing Your NovelHow to Cut the Filler and Tighten Your Book
This guest post is by Laura Carlson. Have you ever read a book that was underwhelming, but you just couldn’t put your finger on what was wrong? The characters were okay, but the book just never went anywhere? That might be because the author had too much filler and not enough plot-driven scenes. I was […]
September 2, 2012 by 12 Comments CharactersMost Common Writing Mistakes: Characters Who Lack Purpose
Raise your hand if you love to be bored. What’s this, you say? You don’t like wandering around the house, puttering aimlessly at half a dozen jobs, flipping through TV channels and finding zero of interest, or poking around the Internet and smacking your head against the keyboard with the sheer futility of it all? If […]
July 22, 2012 by 25 Comments Structuring Your NovelHow to Discover the Purpose of Every Scene in Your Story
In creating meaningful and effective scenes, the most important questions writers should ask are: What is the focus of this scene? What is its purpose? Let’s a take a look at how to find the best answers to these questions. How to Find Your Scene’s Purpose Scenes are created in one of two ways. 1. […]
