#Scene writing

[nanowrimo]

5 Essential Tips for Mastering Scene Writing in Your Novel

There's many parts involved when writing a scene. Knowing how these different pieces work together may help you move forward in your novel. NaNo Participant Amy de la Force offers some tips on brushing up your scene writing knowledge. Scenes are the building blocks of a novel, the stages where characters spring to life, conflicts brew and emotions run high. Mastering the art of scene writing is crucial for any aspiring writer, especially in the lead-up to NaNoWriMo. But what is a scene, and how do you effectively craft one? 

What is a Scene? 

A scene is a short period of time — in a set place — that moves the story forward with dramatic conflict that reveals character, generally through dialogue or action. Think of writing a scene as a mini-story with a beginning, middle and end, all contributing to the narrative. 

Why Scene Writing is Your Secret Weapon in Storytelling

Well-crafted scenes enhance your story to develop characters, advance the plot, and engage readers through tension and emotion. Whether you're writing a novel, short story or even non-fiction, scenes weave the threads of your story together.

Tip #1: Scenes vs. Sequels

According to university lecturer Dwight Swain in Techniques of the Selling Writer, narrative time can be broken down into not just scenes, but sequels. 

Scene

The 3 parts of a scene are:

Goal: The protagonist or point-of-view (POV) character’s objective at the start of the scene.

Conflict: For dramatic conflict, this is an equally strong combination of the character’s ‘want + obstacle’ to their goal. 

Disaster: When the obstacle wins, it forces the character’s hand to act, ratcheting up tension. 

Sequel 

Similarly, Swain’s sequels have 3 parts:

Reaction: This is the POV character’s emotional follow-up to the previous scene’s disaster. 

Dilemma: If the dramatic conflict is strong enough, each possible next step seems worse than anything the character has faced.  

Decision: The scene’s goal may still apply, but the choice of action to meet it will be difficult. 

Tip #2: Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing a Scene

In Story Genius, story coach and ex–literary agent Lisa Cron lists 4 questions to guide you in scene writing:

What does my POV character go into the scene believing?

Why do they believe it?

What is my character’s goal in the scene?

What does my character expect will happen in this scene?

Tip #3: Writing Opening and Closing Scenes

Now that we know more about scene structure and character considerations, it’s time to open with a bang, or more to the point, a hook. Forget warming up and write a scene in the middle of the action or a conversation. Don’t forget to set the place and time with a vivid description or a little world-building. To end the scene, go for something that resolves the current tension, or a cliffhanger to make your scene or chapter ‘unputdownable’. 

Tip #4: Mastering Tension and Pacing 

A benefit to Swain’s scenes and sequels is that introspective sequels tend to balance the pace by slowing it, building tension. This pacing variation, which you can help by alternating dialogue with action or sentence lengths, offers readers the mental quiet space to rest and digest any action-packed scenes. 

Tip #5: Scene Writing for Emotional Impact

For writing a scene, the top tips from master editor Sol Stein in Stein on Writing are:

Fiction evokes emotion, so make a list of the emotion(s) you want readers to feel in your scenes and work to that list.

For editing, cut scenes that don’t serve a purpose (ideally, several purposes), or make you feel bored. If you are, your reader is too. 

Conclusion

From understanding the anatomy of a scene to writing your own, these tips will help elevate your scenes from good to unforgettable, so you can resonate with readers.

Amy de la Force is a YA and adult speculative fiction writer, alumna of Curtis Brown Creative's selective novel-writing program and Society of Authors member. The novel she’s querying longlisted for Voyage YA’s Spring First Chapters Contest in 2021. An Aussie expat, Amy lives in London. Check her out on Twitter, Bluesky, and on her website! Her books can be found on Amazon. Photo by cottonbro studio

[derangedthots]

i have a particular fondness for scenes in media that read like sex scenes even tho no sex is actually happening...which is also why the last jacemond scene in ch1 of CTF is one of my fav things i've ever written😶‍🌫️🥰

[winterlilyswwritings]

Emily is Saved by a Bird

Somewhere in the woods a corpse was lying on the ground.

It was wearing a torn blood soaked white t-shirt. There was a large hole in its chest where someone had left a branch embedded in its chest. Its head was hanging onto its neck by barely an inch of skin and its glassy eyes were staring at the night sky. One of its arms was bent backwards at an angle entirely incompatible with its bones and the other rested by its side.

There was a long golden needle with a golden flower at one end stabbed into the corpse's stomach.

The corpse lay there undisturbed by scavengers and wildlife for a long while. The needle glowed softly in the night, warning the animals the corpse was steeped in evil magic.

Near dusk a magpie flew by and spotted the shiny golden needle. He landed near the corpse and walked in circles around it, steeling itself to brave the scent of unnatural magic and death that still lingered in the area. He hopped up on the corpse and pecked at its stomach, and then pulled the needle out and proudly strut in a circle with the pretty thing in its beak.

Suddenly the corpse twitched, and the magpie immediately hopped back, the needle slipping out of his grasp and landing by the corpse's hand. It slowly raised that hand, and then gently waved at the bird. Then it picked up the needle and held it out for him to take. The magpie cautiously approached the corpse and grabbed the needle, quickly flying away.

Emily watched the magpie fly away and smiled. She wished it well. It was going to be a long night before she could get herself out of this ditch but she wasn't going to die.

She might not be alive, but she wasn't quite dead yet.

[adam-n-dog]

Adam is sitting (Somewhat? He is upside down, with his feet over the back) on the sofa.

He tosses a small ball up and down as Dog watches with interest. He had been writing names, but he was still a teenage boy, and that being said, one who's attention span was not the longest.

Adam looked over the people in the room and frowned. Not a sad frown, but a thoughtful one.

He looked back down at Dog, who cocked his head.

"What even would happen if we brought back dinosaurs?"

[snugglesquiggle]

What Does it Take to (Re)Write a Scene?

new essay's out: Flesh On the Wrong Bone, explaining my new understanding of what it means to render a scene. i've written about scenes at length before, but with about a year's more experience writing (and agonizing about) stories at various levels of fidelity has made the mechanisms and purpose of detail click into place

if you want insight on what you need to turn an outline into a draft, what an unbaked first draft might be missing, or just hone your understanding of what makes scenes tick, i've got you covered.

i was planning to put this up on patreon early access for a bit (and i do need the money lol), but i crave the attention too much rip

[former-prince-of-hell]

Beelzebub laid sideways in a plush armchair, hand hung lazily off the side.

They were enjoying their home, a place that was just their’s, them and Gabriel. The home was in the stars, in America, beyond what a human mind could even fathom but somehow within the mind itself. Just like Heaven and Hell are everywhere, so was their home.

Gabriel walked in from the kitchen, a hot mug and a small dish of fruit (Several flies were already enjoying the sweet juice that puddled at the bottom) in his hands.

Beelzebub smiled. They were enjoying their home.

[averagekindergartenfan]

Wanted to try writing regular scenes for once

♻️` Hobbies

Linda stumbles upon Glenda doing her usual hobby and learns about it

Linda was in her room on her bed as usual, scrolling on Instagram looking for relatable posts to share on her story. She got a bit bored though and decided to get up and look outside the window...all she can see is just a bunch of leaves from the tree though. [*Sigh* what else can I do other than stay in my room all day?] She thought to herself. She's gonna have to find a hobby someday. She opened her door and went to the living room, then saw Glenda sitting with legs criss-cross apple sauce as she was painting a piece of a...can?

L: ...What are you doing?

G: Just some DIY, punk stuff

L: What's DIY?

G: It stands for "Do It Yourself", in diy you basically reuse a lot of stuff that usually gets thrown away. For example, trash cans or clothing you don't wear anymore.

L: Oh, cool. I think Kayla told me about that before? It's how she made this pendant for me and stuff

G: She's pretty creative

L: Yeah, how's DIY considered punk though?

G: It's pretty punk because it goes against consumerism and just..capitalism, yknow.

L: Oh cool .....I guess I have a bunch of trashed cans in my room

G: You could reuse those to make anything :D

L: Yeah I guess I could. Also why are you doing it in the living room? Why not in your own room?

G: The carpet's very comfy

L: Ah, I understand

[cepheusgalaxy]

Something I used to do and have No Idea of why I stopped and should totally go back to doing: If I'm stuck on a scene, I pick another PoV, maybe even starting before, and write it from the perspective of another character. Helps diving into the mind of the other characters in the story and gives you more ✨perspective✨. Also, don't be afraid of startign the extra PoV sooner or later than the actual scene. If it helps, it helps!

[so-many-ocs]

hey! could you describe what you put in your "scene cards"? it seems like a great idea!

of course!

for starters, i like to color-code the information i put on each one. usually i’ll have one card with a key that goes something like this:

pink - setting

purple - characters

blue - motives & conflict

green - ending/resolution

then, using highlighters or pens corresponding to the colors i set aside to mark those details, i’ll write a summary or prompt on a sticky note or index card to use as inspiration for when i get to writing. for example:

character a meets character b in the courtyard at night to discuss something important. character b appears to be upset and hiding something, but character a, afraid of rocking the boat, doesn’t ask about it. this creates a slight rift in their relationship.

it has to be short, since there’s limited space to work with, but something like that gets across who is involved, where and when the scene takes place, what they are doing, what goes wrong, and the outcome.

i either tape the completed scene cards to my wall and take them off one at a time once finished as a visual representation of my progress or bind them together with a rubber band and carry them with me in a small pencil case. if you decide to tape them up, make sure to take a picture in case you decide to write while out and about!

thank you for asking, and i hope that was helpful :)

[notetakingnonsense]

Anyone ever start writing but get distracted by how pretty a character’s name is?

That’s happening to me rn.

[writersbeware]

The Storm

Imagine that it is raining. Not a soft, gentle rain, but a downpour that pounds against the windows and rivers and streams overflow their banks, flooding streets. Many of us like to stay indoors on rainy days, perhaps sitting by the window, watching it happen. We might see leaves torn from trees due to high winds, branches that bend, almost touching the ground. If we’re sitting inside a warm…

[wannabestoryteller]

Random scene writing

Walking through the threshold of the entrance, he is greeted by bird songs and soothing whooshing of water sounds from a handcrafted fountain making an enchanted ambiance beckoning weary travelers. She told him this was the best tavern in the land and she wasn’t pulling his leg. A rustic facade decorated with ivy and blooming flowers. Polished wooden floors exude a rich, honey eyed glow. A fireplace crackles in the corner, casting a soft flickering warm light that dances across the room inviting patrons to gather and share stories. He definitely didn’t quite aesthetically belong. Regardless, his heavy boots steadily clomped forward towards the desk where a peaceful elf adorned in a tasteful ensemble of earth toned garments sits reading, absolutely unbothered by the burly dark outsider. A huge puff from his cigar engulfs her face as he approaches and she starts letting out small faint coughs. She closes her book and covers her mouth with one hand while putting up her pointer finger to him with the other. “Excuse me a moment” she squeezes out in between her polite coughs. He puts the cigar out and blows the smoke away from her this time. “Welcome to the Aduial Tavern. How may I help you today?” She says after quickly composing herself. 

“Just a room for the night” 

“Of course, a room for the night is one silver and our premium room is three silver. It has a view of the ocean from a lovely bath” her voice turns back to its natural warm and comforting cadence. He reaches in his pocket pulling out only 1 silver coin placing it on the table. “Standard room will do” 

“Standard room it is” she takes the silver and starts getting his key together, moving with effortless elegance. She decides to to take this opportunity of his trapped attention to indulge her interest in his mysterious aura. “Where might you be from?” 

His eyes dart up to hers. Although his patience for social interaction with curious people seem very low at the moment, not even having the energy to hide such on his face, he sees the purely genuine curiosity and interest in hers. She notices the unfriendly look but still feels safe enough to keep prying. “If I may ask” she adds respectfully. “I get many walks of life from many different realms through here, but none quite like you.”

“My endeavors usually take place across the sea.”

“Well it’s a good thing you didn’t decide to stay in Hornswaggle Port. Pirates tend to spend their nights between voyages there. It can get quite nasty”

“So I’ve heard” 

“ what brings you across the sea?”

“A mission from a friend I couldn’t say no to” 

[knighted-princess]

From My Writing Graveyard

@faroresson

The Knight And The Writer

After a long day of fighting ferocious dragons, Sir Isaac returned to his room. He removed the heavy armor and takes another look at the mirror.

“Perhaps, today will be the day, when I will see that fair maiden again!” He said gallantly. “Perhaps, she will write another adventure for her dear knight in shining armor!”

The glassy surface suddenly rippled and revealed a young woman, sitting at a desk, flooded with paperwork and books. Sir Isaac noticed that she is skimming through a book with diagrams and picture of a strange bird of red. He wanted to get a better look of the creature, so he carefully crafted his question. He pushed through his nervousness and insecurities, and he finally asked, “My fair maiden, what---"

“Lauren, are you sure that my publishers are requiring this?” She groaned and facepalmed. “I mean, seriously, why am I required to include a particular, non-fictional bird species in a fictional series? That doesn’t make any sense!”

“…”

“Yes, yes. YES! I understand. The company is getting funded to do this, so that we can raise awareness for endangered birds. But, come on! Why did I get stuck with a bird called a “red-tailed booby?”

“…”

“Don’t get me wrong. I love my writing career! In fact, I have had some great success with my latest book, Sir Isaac and The Dragons of Nevermore, but…” She paused.

How do I explain this? She pondered.

“Lauren, I don’t know how I feel about introducing boobies into the world of Sir Isaac. I just don’t want my work getting turned into an eighth-grade giggle fest!”

Sir Isaac waited patiently, but his mind soon began to wander.

I wonder why she is so worried about these boobies? Are they really that dangerous? Perhaps, they pierce armor or they use elemental spells? Hold on! If they are ‘in danger,’ why can’t I do something to help them? And what exactly is an “eighth-grade giggle fest?" Is that some kind of dragon or beast that I should be worried about?

“Anyway, I have to get going. Those birds aren’t going to magically appear, in the next book, by themselves! Bye!” She hung up. “I am so done with today! And, who would have thought that this nightmare would be all because of boobies!” She raised her hand in disbelief. “BOOBIES!”

The mirror returned back to normal, and Sir Isaac prepared for a night’s rest.

[never2old4thisshit]

[sjstone-author]

(via Dying Light. A novel excerpt | by SJStone | Aug, 2023 | Medium)

Something clicked in her mind and she thought about the moment she’d entered the house, her eyes trailing after her thoughts, back to the half-closed door there and its implications. There had been no sign of forced entry. The door had been open when the cops had arrived.