While working on my latest novel, THE LINK, I realized I had to go back and study scenes. Which at first, I thought, blah. But I found a few sites that were helpful, and used my notes from great writing teachers to fill in the rest.
Below is what I discovered. Spice up your chapters by adding more interesting and complex scenes.
Setting: Where are we? Well, where are your characters? Use your senses: Sights? Sounds? Colors? Textures? 
Atmosphere/Mood/Tone: The Atmosphere is usually created by the characters emotions and feelings. The Mood is how the reader feels when he/she is reading the words. And the Tone is the writer's attitude that comes through her/his writing. 
Voice: This is what makes the author's writing unique. It's the style, attitude, personality of the ms. 
Introduction: Who are all the players? What's the big issue?
Exposition: Necessary information, and get to the point as quick as you can. 
Transition: How do you move the reader and your characters from one place to another? Do it swiftly. 
Opposites: Two people from the opposite sides of the tracks come together and join forces.
Preparation: What will it take to prepare for the task at hand?
Investigation: The reader needs information and so does your character. How do they gather it? What is it? Is it revealed slowly, or dumped in someones lap?
Revelation: Something important - the ah-ha moment. 
The Prize: Something is given to, or found by the main character that can help she or he. It can be used as a weapon, or to uncover the key to what they need.
Escape: Your character must try to escape something. This could be escaping from his or herself. Or this could mean running from bulls. Whatever it is, they must try to get away.
Pursuit: The tables are turned and the character is now going after something. Think Finding Nemo when Marlin, severely afraid of the sea, loses his son and goes out on his own to find him. 
Seduction: The convincing moment. Someone is trying to get someone else to believe in something - could be true, could be false.
Love: Does it need an explanation? When two characters come together, and um...kiss, make out, flirt, fall in love. The main character must learn something from this interaction. 
Reversal of Expectations: In the beginning the character expects something or wants something and then something happens to reverse this thought or expectation entirely. 
Unexpected Visitor: Oh no, not Aunt Mae. Someone unexpected or unwanted shows up and does something to send the character into action. 
So, make sure your settings are believable. Know the surroundings that you place your characters in. Know how they will react to an unexpected visitor, or how they would prepare for a big day, and how they move from one scene to another. Make these choices when you write, and your writing will be stronger.
Write~On
Angie
No comments:
Post a Comment