The Motivational Editor

Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published

conflict

How Do Plot and Scene Work Together, Part 2

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Updated September 14, 2020.

Working with scenes, defeat in the boxing ring

In my last post we looked at plot. Today we’ll look at working with scenes.

What goes into a scene? All the same things that go into plot.

Think of a scene like a mini plot. The character(s) has a goal, which represents a small step in achieving the story goal. In each scene the character meets with conflict and setbacks.

The key to remember about scenes is that they occur now. It’s moment-by-moment action playing out on the page.

Example:


“Here’s today’s mail, Miss Clark.”
Startled by the voice, I jerked in my chair. “Joey, one of these days I’m going to end up with coffee in my lap.” I turned from the computer and reached for the letters. “Do you sneak in here on purpose?”
“No, ma’am, I’d never intentionally try to scare you.”

This example shows the action playing out moment by moment.

[Read more…] about How Do Plot and Scene Work Together, Part 2

How do Plot and Scene Work Together? Part 1

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Updated August 2020

Many fiction writers struggle with what plot is and how to develop it, including me. We envision the end product and wonder how we’re going to get there.

Some writers develop their plot through first writing outlines (called plotters); some write by the seat of their pants (called pantsers). But much like a chef, our work has basic elements. The chef has meat, veggies, fruit, dairy, and spices. He combines these to create a delectable, unforgettable dish.

The writer has characters, goals, conflict, and setbacks, and blends them to create a riveting (best-selling, we hope) novel.

At its very basic, plot is characters attempting to reach goals, but who meet with conflict and setbacks along the way. Whether you are a writer who works with or without an outline, if these elements are missing from your manuscript, you do not have a story. So let’s look at how these elements fit together to build a plot.

[Read more…] about How do Plot and Scene Work Together? Part 1

Creating Unforgettable Characters, Part 5 Conflict

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conflict between two menConflict.

In real life, most people try to avoid it, but a story without conflict is like a latte without coffee. In fact, if your story has no conflict, you haven’t got a story.

Let’s first look at conflict from a big picture view: external and internal.

External conflict comes from outside your character—the people, circumstances, or forces of nature your protagonist faces in reaching the story goal.

Internal conflict comes from within your character. Fears, lack of confidence, false beliefs, and more that hinder your character reaching the goal. Quite often, the internal struggle isn’t apparent to your character until later in the story.

The conflicts (external or internal) must be plausible and legitimate, not contrived. Think about [Read more…] about Creating Unforgettable Characters, Part 5 Conflict

How to Review Your Story Scenes for Conflict

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horses jumping hurdles
Are the hurdles in your story growing harder?

As discussed in “6 Steps to Story Development,” a story needs conflict. In fact, without it you have no story. So let’s take a closer look and see how you can make sure you’re developing the conflict in your story.

James Scott Bell, in his book Conflict & Suspense, defines conflict this way: “a clash between at least two incompatible sides. One of those sides must be personal, that is, having the ability to exercise conscious will.”

At the heart of conflict are your character’s passion and goals. In review, here are 3 questions I posited in “Story Development”: [Read more…] about How to Review Your Story Scenes for Conflict