Beginning writers often tend to think of a book as a series of chapters. It's actually more useful to regard it as a series of linked scenes. Why? Because it makes it a lot easier to control the pace of your story.
'Pace' may be described as the forward movement of your story. Sometimes it will move at a slower pace than at other times. What you need to aim for is a story that moves along fast enough to maintain reader interest, but not at such breakneck speed that the reader doesn't have time to get to know the characters or assimilate the plot. Nor do you want your story to slow down too much. That can lead to your reader closing the book. (If that reader happens to be the editor to whom you hope to sell the story, you're in big trouble.)
Scenes that contain a lot of action or conflict tend to elevate the reader's blood pressure. They have her whipping through the pages, anxious to absorb every moment of the drama being played out. A novel full of such scenes:
A book that moves at too rapid a pace is like a movie packed with one action scene after another-it's all too much. To appreciate and enjoy the conflict when it happens (in a nail-biting kind of way) we need periods of calm between the storms. These alternating scenarios can be regarded as scenes and their sequels.
The scene involves the main characters in action and/or conflict. It usually contains dialogue. Picture it as a scene from a movie - lights, camera, ACTION!
Following such a scene, you give your reader a chance to breathe, by moving into the sequel. The sequel is the logical aftermath of the scene. In the sequel, the viewpoint character has time to think about what has just happened, what it means to him/her, and what he/she intends to do next. By planning your novel as a series of scenes and sequels, you can control the pace.
Want to slow things down? Expand the sequel, the 'calm' period, which gives the character (and the reader) 'time out'.
Want to speed things up? Shorten the sequel. For example:
'By the time Marianne reached her apartment, she was good and mad. There was no way she intended to let Jake Rockford get away with a pathetic story like that! Five minutes after walking through her front door, she was dialling the Rockford's number. Within half an hour, she was pulling up in her sister's driveway, ready to do battle.' In just a few lines, you have pitchforked the reader into the next action-packed scene. We know that Marianne doesn't believe Jake's story. We know she's eager to confront Julie and/or Jake. And we haven't wasted any time getting her there: one scene leads very quickly into the next, thus keeping the story moving along at a smart clip.
Learn to use scene and sequel effectively, and you retain control over the pacing of your novel. At all times the paramount question in your mind should be: How will this scene advance the story? If the answer is 'I don't know' or 'It won't, really' - then out it goes, no matter how well-written it is.
The Structure Of A Scene
The viewpoint character in each scene should have a goal. Why? So you don't include scenes that go nowhere and achieve nothing. Scenes that bog your story down.
hese are the things you should take into consideration when planning a scene:
1. What is the viewpoint character's goal?
(c) Copyright Marg McAlister
Marg McAlister has published magazine articles, short stories, books for children, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at http://www.writing4success.com/
Do you want to publish something? An article, a non-fiction... Read More
A friend and I were talking the other day about... Read More
It would be very selfless or noble of me to... Read More
1) Convince yourself you want to do something else. If... Read More
This article contains a short guide on how to edit... Read More
If you dream of turning your book into a best... Read More
It would be very selfless or noble of me to... Read More
FERRETING OUT WORK You keep hearing that there's work out... Read More
More Tips For New Writers (Part I)Explain in your own... Read More
Rejection. This scary word plagues virtually every writer this side... Read More
A good white paper is a paper that makes you... Read More
Here's everything I know about improving your writing, publishing it... Read More
Although he has his own website, John Grisham probably does... Read More
To capitalize on ways to make extra income you can... Read More
I'm willing to bet that quite a number of you... Read More
Many of us dream of writing a book. Why not.... Read More
Writing for the web is very different from writing for... Read More
Have you ever wondered why certain writers are able to... Read More
I'm a writing fool! 2 book proposals, 1 user's guide,... Read More
Great writing transports one vicariously to realms that the reader... Read More
9 out of 10 professionals and small business owners have... Read More
Before you even begin writing your novel, you need to... Read More
To keep it simple and basic: Jack Finney's Invasion of... Read More
It's the funniest thing. When someone asks me what I... Read More
So you want to be a writer, except you don't... Read More
Want to write a how-to article but can't come up... Read More
And a dreadful thing from the cliff did spring, and... Read More
Working on my first humorous novel, I started with a... Read More
Writing can be more difficult that just compiling your thoughts... Read More
Mixing and mingling with industry professionals is an opportunity that... Read More
Not all writers write good grammar. That's a fact. It's... Read More
Calling all publishers, editors, journalists and freelance writers. It's time... Read More
I started writing as a way of keeping safe memories... Read More
There's a little known secret we writers like to keep... Read More
IntroductionSometimes it may be beyond a companies or individuals budget... Read More
In the 7th grade I wanted to be an architect... Read More
A few days ago, I critiqued a chapter for a... Read More
Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's... Read More
There's nothing that kills a scene like hackneyed dialogue. Just... Read More
There are so many ways for writers to make good... Read More
Originality emerges from structure. Once you have a story idea,... Read More
If you want to be a writer, then you must... Read More
As a student of Spanish, my goal was to think... Read More
Having trouble finding a solution to a nagging problem? Try... Read More
About two weeks ago I received an article submissionthat immediately... Read More
A QUERY LETTER is written to an editor or agent... Read More
1. Become an EavesdropperListen carefully to the way people REALLY... Read More
Proofreading worksheets are a great tool to help individuals open... Read More
Using a ghostwriter to craft your free reprint articles and... Read More
1. What Is A Premise?A premise is the point you... Read More
Before you even begin writing your novel, you need to... Read More
If you are reading this article then you probably have... Read More
You must write a hypnotic persuasion letter to help you... Read More
Writing papers and book reports has long been the bane... Read More
A frequent conversation I have with my writing clients is... Read More
I call it cheap therapy. That gushing, near-religious, poured-from-the-body stress... Read More
"If you want to change your life," Harry Beckwith wrote... Read More
Many of us dream of writing a book. Why not.... Read More
When a writer is working on their next literary masterpiece... Read More
Want to write an article or book, but are stuck... Read More
No one is born a novel writer. But do you... Read More
Sure you can write, but can you write crisp, compelling... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?Whichever theme you choose, all the elements,... Read More
You can make a lot of money by writing and... Read More
A certified proofreader is one that has taken a few... Read More
"This is just brilliant. The whole interview is incredible? I'm?... Read More
Writing |