The Motivational Editor

Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published

scenes

How Do Plot and Scene Work Together, Part 3: Moving from Scene to Sequel

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Moving from scene to sequel is easier than trying to jump a ditch.

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.

[Read more…] about How Do Plot and Scene Work Together, Part 3: Moving from Scene to Sequel

How Do Plot and Scene Work Together, Part 2

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Updated September 14, 2020.

Working with scenes, defeat in the boxing ring

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.

[Read more…] about How Do Plot and Scene Work Together, Part 2

How do Plot and Scene Work Together? Part 1

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Updated August 2020

Many fiction writers struggle with what plot is and how to develop it, including me. We envision the end product and wonder how we’re going to get there.

Some writers develop their plot through first writing outlines (called plotters); some write by the seat of their pants (called pantsers). But much like a chef, our work has basic elements. The chef has meat, veggies, fruit, dairy, and spices. He combines these to create a delectable, unforgettable dish.

The writer has characters, goals, conflict, and setbacks, and blends them to create a riveting (best-selling, we hope) novel.

At its very basic, plot is characters attempting to reach goals, but who meet with conflict and setbacks along the way. Whether you are a writer who works with or without an outline, if these elements are missing from your manuscript, you do not have a story. So let’s look at how these elements fit together to build a plot.

[Read more…] about How do Plot and Scene Work Together? Part 1

The Major Plot Events of a Novel and When They Occur

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building blocks, an analogy of plot eventsThis month’s last post on plotting concerns the major plot events, or building blocks, of your story.

Most writers understand all fiction has a climatic scene, aka the climax. They also know it occurs very near the end of the story.

However, many writers miss several other plot events essential to their story. [Read more…] about The Major Plot Events of a Novel and When They Occur

How to Review Your Story Scenes for Conflict

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horses jumping hurdles
Are the hurdles in your story growing harder?

As discussed in “6 Steps to Story Development,” a story needs conflict. In fact, without it you have no story. So let’s take a closer look and see how you can make sure you’re developing the conflict in your story.

James Scott Bell, in his book Conflict & Suspense, defines conflict this way: “a clash between at least two incompatible sides. One of those sides must be personal, that is, having the ability to exercise conscious will.”

At the heart of conflict are your character’s passion and goals. In review, here are 3 questions I posited in “Story Development”: [Read more…] about How to Review Your Story Scenes for Conflict

What do football and fiction have in common?

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football field
What do football and fiction have in common?

The first thing we as writers must accomplish with our story is to hook our reader. But if we merely hook them, the reader can get away. So we must also then compel them to read on to the middle and then right through to the end of our story.

We spur our reader to the middle of our story by creating a compelling lead character with whom our readers bond. Next, [Read more…] about What do football and fiction have in common?

9 Aspects of Dialog, from Author Cecil Murphey

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When I heard New York Times best-selling author Cecil Murphey (90 Minutes in Heaven) was doing a workshop for the writers group I belong to, I wasted no time in signing up.

How better to learn about writing than to be taught by a multiple, best-selling author? During the day, he taught on dialog. Here’s part of what he shared.

In all novels, dialog must accomplish 1 or more of the following tasks.

Dialog:

  1. Must have a purpose.
  2. Advances the story, furthers the action.
  3. Develops/shows the character.
  4. Shows emotional state of speaker.
  5. Conveys needed info succinctly.
  6. Brings immediacy to prose. Makes readers feel they are part of the scene. They “hear” the dialog with the character.
  7. Builds suspense and intensifies plot.
  8. Controls the pace of your story. It’s a speed control device.
  9. Can sum up: a character can explain in a few sentences to another person who wasn’t present during the action.

Thank you, Cec Murphey, for your permission to share these 9 aspects about dialog! 

In the coming days, I’ll be diving deeper into writing dialog. In the meantime, how do you feel about dialog? Love it, hate it, dread it? Leave your comments below.

 

Get Rid of Superfluous Characters

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boxing knock out, get rid of superfluous characters

In his book The Art of War for Writers, James Scott Bell says,

[E]very character in every scene must have an objective, otherwise he shouldn’t be there. Replace him with a chair.

Review your WIP. If you find a character(s) who is superfluous? Do as Bell suggests, rewrite the scene and cut the character.

Now reread the scene. Is it stronger, weaker, mediocre? Revise until you are satisfied. It may mean putting the character back in, but do that only after you’ve determined his/her objective.