Updated October 12, 2020
Last time we looked at scenes and how to build them.
Most writers don’t have trouble writing scenes, and moving from scene to scene can be accomplished with as simple a statement as “Later that day…” However, there are times when you want to provide your reader with more. The sequel is your answer.
Moving from scene to sequel is much easier than jumping that ditch above. But first let’s define what a sequel is because I’m not talking about book 2 of a series.
A sequel is a pause in the minute-by-minute action of a scene that allows you to show your character’s emotions and thoughts as she analyzes her dilemma, makes a decision about her next step and then takes action. Sequels bridge scenes.
The sequel begins when a scene ends (usually but not always). It depicts specific aspects of your character, her…
- emotions,
- thoughts,
- decision,
- action.
And they must happen in that order because that’s the sequence of normal human response to trouble; however, a sequel doesn’t have to include every one of those elements.
Example:
That night over pizza and pop, Jen, her lawyer husband John, and I hashed out the pros and cons of starting a publishing business. John shocked me with his encouragement of the idea. I thought he’d be less inclined to financial risks, but he saw how excited Jen was. My cell phone read midnight when I crawled into bed, still wide awake from the adrenaline pumping through me. As I lay there, I attacked every pro and con again from several angles. I couldn’t shut my mind off. Finally, at O dark thirty I dropped off to sleep.
Notice the character’s emotions through the verbs hashed, shocked, pumping. We also see the character analyzing an idea. What we don’t see in this sequel is decision and action. The sequel ends with “When I entered the office the next morning…” That little phrase moves us from the sequel to the opening of the next scene.
Sequels are easy to recognize because they lack minute-by-minute action and often give the reader a brief summary of previous events. If you’re a mystery buff like I am, those moments when characters discuss the clues thus far are perfect examples of sequels.
Now it’s time for you to get involved. Grab your WIP and see if you can identify the first sequel in your story. You’re probably writing them without realizing what they are (or you’re calling it a scene). What elements of sequel does it contain and are they in the correct order?
As I mentioned last time, Jack Bickham’s book Scene and Structure is excellent. I recognized sequels long before Bickham’s book taught me what they were called. But once I learned more about sequels and how they function, my writing skills jumped to the next level.
Once you understand moving from scene to sequel to scene, you’ll find your writing taking new direction and dimensions.
Do you have a burning question about sequels? Leave it in the comments below and I’ll be sure to answer.
I’ve never even heard of sequels the way you described. Thanks. I’ll be looking for them from now on.
I had never heard them called that or explained the way Bickham does in his book. They only apply to fiction.