Last week we talked about MRUs. Time to see them in action. I'm going to color code them as follows: Motivation (Setting, Action, and/or Dialogue) Reaction Feeling (Reflex, Visceral Sensations) Thought Action Dialogue (Commentary/Voice/Deep POV/Depth) Storm Front by Jim Butcher I heard the mailman approach my office door, half an hour earlier than usual. He … Continue reading Motivation-Reaction Units: how the masters do it
Category: Scenes
Scene Elements: Motivation-Reaction Units (MRUs)
So it's been a while, but we've been looking at Scene middles, composed of conflict and tactics and action. You may be wondering, as Deborah Chester asks, "But how is scene conflict actually written? How is summary avoided?" "And how do you structure this large, vital conflict portion of the scene to make it moment … Continue reading Scene Elements: Motivation-Reaction Units (MRUs)
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 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 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
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
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
Scene Elements: Beginnings = Orientation
Scenes! They begin at their beginnings. But what, exactly, does that mean? What elements do you need to ensure you include in a scene's beginning? 1. Beginnings Element: Scene Positioning, aka Reader Orientation "Generally, when you look at published fiction to isolate and examine scenes, you may experience some initial difficulty locating the start of … Continue reading Scene Elements: Beginnings = Orientation
Scene Purpose: How James Patterson (and his cowriter) does it
In the last scenes post we looked at the scene purpose, of which Larry Brooks says, "James Patterson has mastered this, and it has become the accepted model of effective scene writing today: One mission per scene." So I picked up a Patterson book (actually a Patterson/Richard DiLallo book) from my library, the most current … Continue reading Scene Purpose: How James Patterson (and his cowriter) does it
Scene Elements: The Scene’s Purpose
According to the craft masters, scenes should have a purpose (also called a mission, intention, focus, point, or function). In other words, it needs a reason for being in your story. This isn't the character's reason for entering the scene. (We'll get to that later.) This is your, the author's, reason for including the scene … Continue reading Scene Elements: The Scene’s Purpose
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