Make Every Scene Count
by Ann Roth
©2004
When crafting a good story, it's important to make every
scene count. If the scene doesn't either move the story
forward, ratchet up the tension, or give the reader
insights into the character(s), it doesn't belong. So
what exactly is a scene, and how do you create one that
achieves one or more of the above?
According to Jack Bickham (SCENE & STRUCTURE, Writer's
Digest Books) a scene is:
"a
segment of story action, written moment-by-moment,
without summary, presented onstage in the story "now."
It is not something that goes on inside a character's
head; it is physical. It could be put on the theatre
stage and acted out."
Bickham goes on to explain that all scenes follow a
basic pattern that starts with the statement of goal,
then introduces and develops conflict, and finally ends
in disaster, or the character's failure to reach her
goal. If you have identified those three elements and
use them in structuring your scene, chances are, what
you write will be strong and purposeful.
You don't have to spell out the character's goal. Her
conflict need not be earth-shattering, and the disaster
doesn't have to be cataclysmic. But all three elements--goal, conflict, disaster--belong in your scene. This
could be as low-key as a peace-loving hero asking the
heroine in what he considers a friendly manner to keep
her pesky kids out of his yard (goal), but instead of
getting her agreement on this (conflict), finding that
he's made her mad (disaster).
As a way to further understand what goal, conflict and
disaster are, pull a favorite novel off your bookshelf
and choose a scene, either at random or one you
particularly like. Can you figure out what the
character's goal, conflict and disaster are in that
scene? Once you understand what to look for, you'll find
the same basic structure in every scene of every good
novel.
If you can't find this structure, you may be looking at
a sequel instead of a scene. A sequel is the characters'
reaction to the scene. As Bickham explains, the
character first reacts emotionally, which leads to
thoughts about what to do and finally drives her into
action--another scene complete with goal, conflict,
and disaster. Your character may not do these things in
the exact order as stated by Bickham, but human beings
do react this way.
If you want believable characters and a strong story,
you'll need sequels to your scenes. The sequel may be as
long as a scene, or it may consist of as little as one
sentence. It may follow immediately after a scene or it
may come further into the story. By adding sequels to
your story, you give the reader insights into the
character and what motivates her to act the way she
does.
Scenes that have no purpose slow down the pacing
unnecessarily, and will douse an editor's, agent's or
contest judge's interest like ice water on a fledgling
fire. So cut them!
If you're like me, you may be strongly attached to those
scenes. They're beautifully written or poignant or
sweet, and you love the picture they paint and the way
the words sound. But if the thing serves no purpose in
your story, get rid of it. Sounds ruthless, I know.
That's why for every story I write I create an "extras"
file. This is where I save those cut scenes or sentences
or even phrases I can't quite let go of just yet. By
saving them I save myself a great deal of angst. Who
knows, I may be able to use a paragraph or two later on.
Make every scene count! No matter how much you like what
you write, if the scene doesn't have a purpose, cut it.
That may hurt now, but in the end, it will make your
story stronger.
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