Tuesday's Writer's Tip - Scene Goes Wrong #MFRWauthor #Scenes #writing

Scenes can go wrong. I've torn many scenes from he computer and sent them to the trash pile. Since I write by hand, I can physically tear them to shreds. When I need to do before I toss them is to look and see why they might have gone wrong. Many are the ways so I'll talk about some this time and some next week.

Muddled scenes - forgetting who the focus character of the scene is. Sometimes in the heat of writing you suddenly take off and head in too many directions during a scene. The reader becomes confused. Always keep the focus character in mind. I run into this when I'm writing my mysteries. Though there is an I character, usually she isn't the focus character but it's so easy to forget and muddle the scene.

Character weakness - Perhaps the focus character is weak and really has no reason to be the star of the scene. Always remember to amp up the need here.

Too little tension - The scene is a nice, well written piece of prose but there's no urgency. If there isn't some kind of a deadline, the scene will fall flat. Give a time for the scene to resolve and put the character under pressure.

Too much opposition - Having the focus character surrounded by too many characters demanding an answer. Suddenly the character can't fight. He just whirls from one to another. Keep the focus on the main character and his opposibion and keep the other voices almost silent.

The goal is weak - Every scene ahs a goal for the focus character. If this is too weak or there are too many the action of the scene will fall flat. Know the goal before you begin the scene.