Does your main character have any frenemies? A foe who becomes a friend? For this prompt, we're looking for shifting characters. One of my favorite types of show episodes is when the main character's antagonist--not Big Bad, usually, but an antagonist--becomes the character's friend. The main character gets taken hostage in a bank robbery with … Continue reading Scene Prompt #27: Hate me, Love me
Scene Prompt #26: The Meet-Ugly
Is this a thing? Google says it is, but in a way that's different from where I was going to go with it. Maybe I should instead call this the meet-tense. The meet-bad? Well, whatever. We're doing the scene where the main character and the bad guy first meet. I'm thinking it probably has a … Continue reading Scene Prompt #26: The Meet-Ugly
Scene Middles: Middle = Conflict, Part 3
Still doing conflict. Two weeks ago was the Why and the What. Last week was How much and How to add it. Today is How to optimize conflict and What conflict isn't. Here we go . . . Conflict works best when: It's presented on stage . . . "Conflict is a fight at some … Continue reading Scene Middles: Middle = Conflict, Part 3
Scene Prompt #25: The Meet-Cute
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
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 three scene posts, we learned that good scene beginnings: Start with a hookEstablish the POVOrient the reader with the 5WsClue 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 with an inciting incident of conflict … 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
