Let me go out on a squirrel-infected limb here, and take a guess about you. Here goes– unless you’re a “Real Housewife of (Wherever),” it’s unlikely you would intentionally make a scene in public.
Am I right?
I knew it!
Receiving positive attention from friends or colleagues is swell, but drawing every eye in the room because you did something outrageous or embarrassing, well, that’s un-swell.
For writers of novels, however, making a scene can be a sign of progress. My wise chocolate mint grasshoppers, you know I’m referring to a scene in a story.
I plotted by current WIP by making a simple bullet point list. Thanks to that list, the writing moved along swimmingly [cue ominous music] until I got snagged on a BIG perplexing plot point. I felt daunted and discouraged.
Then, I found a detour! I studied my bullet list. I picked a few points later in the novel that I felt ready to imagine. I wrote those scenes. Wow! That felt good. As I progressed from one scene to another, in any order, I experienced the delight of forward motion. I sailed from Daunted > Encouraged > Empowered. Those good vibes are infusing me with the courage I need to draft the tricky scenes I skipped.
A time to knit these disparate scenes together will come, and (gulp) I’m excited to see how well that process will work. If it doesn’t, I will scream @#$%&!! in the middle of a crowded restaurant, then sweep my arm across a table to upend coffee cups, slide china to the floor to shatter and send the salt shaker flying. Next, I’d quack and skip out the door with a bread basket on my head. Now, THAT would be a scene.
If you are slogging your way through a first draft and feel stuck, why not free yourself to write a scene for any point in your novel–Act I, II or III. It may be just what you need.
As a bonus, here’s a practical, energizing article from Writer’s Digest with ten tips for launching strong scenes. And, as a bonus-bonus (that’s a thing), here are more options for regaining your momentum.
My best wishes to you as you craft your scenes. Pass your tips along too!
“[on scene execution] Interesting isn’t the point…storytelling momentum and relevance is.” ― Larry Brooks, Story Engineering: Character Development, Story Concept, Scene Construction
When it’s used a verb, “retreat” is like a military term. “Our foul-breathed enemies are advancing–retreat! retreat!” But retreat can also mean to withdraw to a secluded, quiet place. To me, a writing retreat is a combo of both. For a lot of us, time is our enemy, so when we withdraw from our daily routine to devote time to craft, it’s like a retreating retreat.
Bonus round–Ideas for creating your own retreat . . . book a hotel room for a weekend. Too pricey? Use your office at work–Saturdays are typically quiet. Ask a group of writing friends to rent a house for a few days. Will a relative be out-of-town for the weekend? Ask if they would like a house sitter. (Nothing wrong with sitting in their house to write, right?)
My little sugar plums, before we flop face first into holiday festivities, let me present you with a wee present. It’s a simple gift of words, wishes really, of all I hope for you this season and the new year through.
Many thanks to everyone who entered, posted, re-Tweeted and shared such kind words of encouragement and genius suggestions. I appreciate you all so much, my little crescent rolls!
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