Writing Scintillating Scenes––Part XI

As we begin to wind down our study on scenes, this post will begin to look at one of three models, three different ways of looking at scenes. These final posts will be shorter, in order to focus on one way at a time. Review a scene’s elements, examine the context, or analyze the scene. Examining scenes will help you integrate what you’re learning. Your scintillating scenes will create page turners. Click to Tweet #amwriting #scintillatingscenes

Review Elements of a Scene

• Event––core actions of the scene and what holds it together. How do the actions add up to an overall event?
• Emotion––What is the meaning of the action for the characters? How are you portraying their feelings? What are their reactions to what’s going on?
• Pulse––The underlying source of the scene’s anxiety or excitement. It’s the thread that is pulled through the scene by action. What keeps the reader focused in the scene?
• Point-of-View Character––You’ll want to spotlight one character’s inner thoughts, feelings, emotions, and awareness. How close do you want the reader to be? Consider Deep POV, which is the closest you can get to first person, though you’re in third person narrative.
• Structure––How is the scene shaped? Make sure there is a beginning, middle, and an end. Is something’s not there, can you tell what’s missing? What is the effect of the scene on the overall structure or story?

Once you’ve learned them all, you can use the models to learn from scenes. Next time, we’ll look at Scene Analysis. You will become your own teacher of scenes. The goal is for you to become your own teacher through reading and self-evaluation. Click to Tweet #amwriting #scintillatingscenes