The meet-cute (or cute meet) is an element of romantic stories. It's where the lovers meet, and, in romantic comedies at least, the depiction of the meeting is usually cute. You may not be writing something that has a romantic plot or subplot. That's okay. Does your main character or any of your point-of-view characters … Continue reading Scene Prompt #25: The Meet-Cute
Author: Megan
Scene Middles: Middle = Conflict, Part 2 (of 3)
We're looking at conflict. Last week we looked at the Why and the What. Today it's How and How much. Here we go . . . How much conflict? "[Conflict . . . will make up 95 to 98% of the length of the scene," says Jack M. Bickham. "Most of your scene should be … Continue reading Scene Middles: Middle = Conflict, Part 2 (of 3)
Scene Prompt #24: Frontstory-Backstory
Think about your character's flaw or wound, or maybe they have a secret they don't want anyone to know. Pick any of those things or something else, as long as it's something about the character that arose from their backstory. Got it? Now, what, in the front story, could prompt them to think about this … Continue reading Scene Prompt #24: Frontstory-Backstory
Scene Middles: Middle = Conflict, Part 1 (of 3)
"Now: We've opened a potential scene," as Jack Bickham says, "We have a character, we have a goal that relates to the story goal, and this short-term scene goal has been stated in no uncertain terms. What next? It must be conflict." Why Conflict? No conflict, no tension "Look for conflicts," says Syd Field, "make … Continue reading Scene Middles: Middle = Conflict, Part 1 (of 3)
Scene Prompt #23: Never would I ever
Stories are all about tension, right? Conflict. For this prompt, we're going to try to create a scene with the most character-specific tension possible. So, with that in mind . . . what's the one thing your character would never do? This should be something that's story-relevant. Your character and your plot should be entwined … Continue reading Scene Prompt #23: Never would I ever
Scene Beginnings: How the masters do it
So over the past 1, 2, 3 scene posts, we learned that good scene beginnings: Start with a hook Establish the POV Orient the reader with the 5Ws Clue the reader in to the POV Character's scene goal (which creates a scene question that implies action and stakes) Move into the middle of the scene … Continue reading Scene Beginnings: How the masters do it
Scene Prompt #22: Death Stakes
While flipping through these books I use to help me think of these prompts, I landed on something about death, and I was reminded of the James Scott Bell Great Course. (I'm about halfway through it. It's pretty good.) In one episode, he talks about death stakes. He says readers probably won't care enough about … Continue reading Scene Prompt #22: Death Stakes
Elements of Scene Beginnings: Scene Question
Before we get to the scene question, we have a bit of an interlude. I considered making the interlude its own post, because story questions probably most properly belong in the Plot bucket, but in the end, there wasn't enough material for a separate post and, big or small, story questions are story questions. So, … Continue reading Elements of Scene Beginnings: Scene Question
Scene Prompt #21: The Funhouse Mirror
For this prompt, pick a scene you're not too excited about. It can be written already or it can be one you've been putting off because . . . meh. We're going to try to give this scene life (or more life, as the case may be) by looking for ways to make what the … Continue reading Scene Prompt #21: The Funhouse Mirror
Elements of Scene Beginnings: Goal
As discussed in the last post, despite the fact that, as Deborah Chester says, "authors do a bit of what I call scene positioning" at the beginning of scenes, "the scene actually begins with the protagonist's goal." What is a Scene Goal? A scene goal, or what Jordan Rosenfeld calls an 'intention', "is a character's … Continue reading Elements of Scene Beginnings: Goal
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