Updated September 14, 2020.
In my last post we looked at plot. Today we’ll look at working with scenes.
What goes into a scene? All the same things that go into plot.
Think of a scene like a mini plot. The character(s) has a goal, which represents a small step in achieving the story goal. In each scene the character meets with conflict and setbacks.
The key to remember about scenes is that they occur now. It’s moment-by-moment action playing out on the page.
Example:
“Here’s today’s mail, Miss Clark.”
Startled by the voice, I jerked in my chair. “Joey, one of these days I’m going to end up with coffee in my lap.” I turned from the computer and reached for the letters. “Do you sneak in here on purpose?”
“No, ma’am, I’d never intentionally try to scare you.”
This example shows the action playing out moment by moment.
Making the Action Happen
Action comes through your character’s attempts to meet the story goal. In every scene the character must have a goal. Also remember the antagonist has a goal as well. If you have other subplots going on with supporting characters in your story, those characters will have goals to meet as well.
That’s a lot to keep track of. If you’re a pantser, then at some point, you’ll need to write down the goals of your characters so you can be certain you have carried the goal through the story and reached it’s conclusion.
In each scene the character meets with conflict of some sort. A setback occurs when the conflict encountered obstructs—whether partially or completely—the character’s immediate goal (the scene goal). And now the character must regroup and determine a new course of action to reach the story goal.
Practical Application for Scenes
Grab your work in progress. What is the protagonist’s story goal?
Now let’s look at Scene 1.
- Can you identify the beginning and ending of the scene?
- Who is the primary character of the scene?
- What is that character’s goal?
- What conflict does the character confront?
- What is the setback?
- How has this scene advanced the story goal?
Make a list of each of these things and note what’s missing. You’ll be fixing those elements during your self-editing/revision process. Consider doing this with every scene.
What comes after a scene? Jack Bickham, in his book Scene and Structure, calls it sequel. We’ll look at that next time.