Writing Lessons
WRITING LESSON 05:
STORY AND NOVELS CONTAINS SCENES
FULL SCENES SHOW:
* AN ENCOUNTER WITH AN OPPOSITING FORCE
* A STRUGGLE AS A CHRACTER OPPOSES OR TRIES TO WARD OFF
AN OBSTACLE STANDING BETWEEN HER AND THE STATED GOAL.
* THE CHARTER'S RESPONSES/SEQUEL TO EVENTS IN THE SCENE
* OF COURSE ADVANCEMENT OF CHARACTER AND PLOT
* ANSWER UNFINISHED BUSINESS FROM WHICH THE NEXT SCENE WILL START
* ALWAYS PROVIDES SOME TENSION AND EMOTION.
HALF SCENS SHOW:
* IMPORTANT ACTION, BUT NO OVERT CONFRONTATION OR CONFLICT
* NO RESOLUTION
* ADVANCE THE STORY ECONOMICALLY
* PRESENT PORTION OF STORY THE READER SHOULD SEE FOR HERSELF
BUT THAT IS NOT NECESSARY TO EXPLORE IN A FULL SCENE.
* HAVE NARRATIVE PASSAGES.
* SHOWS CONTRAST BETWEEN THE DILEMMA THAT THE CHARACTERS
BELIEVE THEMSELVES IN AND WHAT THE REALITY IS, OR WHAT
SOME OTHER CHARACTER BELIEVES.
EXPOSITORY SCENES SHOW:
* SHOWS LITTLE ACTION
* IS NECESSARY IN SHOWING EXHCHANGE OF TALK THAT MOVES THE
STORY AND PLOT FORWARD WITH INFORMAITON.
* SHOWS INFORMATION ABOUT AN EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE BEFORE
THE STORY OR THE SCENE BEGAN
* TAKE PLACE LIVE BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE AS THEY TALK OF PAST EVENTS.
SCENE AND SEQUEL APPROACH (use more in novels than short stories):
1) SCENE CHARACTER GOES FOR GOAL.
2) DISASTER HAPPENS IN FORM OF EITHER:
3) YES OR
4) NO OR
5) YES BUT, OR
6) NO! AND FURTHERMORE!
7) SEQUEL REVIEW OF THE SCENE BY CHARACTER (Here the character talks over her scene event with herself, a girlfriend, friend or someone.)
8) FROM AN EMOTION OR QUANDARY POINT-OF-VIEW (They review the scene emotionally from a WTF happened there attitude if it was a failure; and a Wow! if the scenes was a success.
9) THE CHARACTER QUESTIONS THEIR MOTIVATION or METHODOLOGY or EVALUATION or PURPOSE.
10) THEN CHARACTER PLUNGES BACK INTO ACTION TOWARD THE GOAL STEP 1. AGAIN!
ALL SCENES:
* SHOW YOUR CHARACTERS IN ACTION. THEY CONVEY INFORMATION,
CHARACTERIZE AND ILLUSTRATE THE CONFLICTS, COMPLICATIONS(IRREVERSIBLE PROBLEMS THAT ARISE) AND STRUGGLES CHARACTERSENCOUNTER IN ATTEMPTING TO OVERCOME THE MAIN PROBLEMS IN YOURSTORY OR NOVEL.* EITHER BEGIN ON A POSITIVE NOTE AND END ON A NEGATIVE NOTE
WITH SOMETHING GOING OPPOSITE TO WHAT THE CHARACTER WANTS, OR
* BEGINS ON A NEGATIVE NOTE AND ENDS WITH A POSITIVE ONE,
WHERE THE CHARACTER HAS GOTTEN CLOSER TO HER GOAL, OR AT LEAST
HAS BEEN GIVEN REASON TO HOPE
* A GOOD STORY NEEDS A MIX OF FULL AND HALF SCENES ALONG WITH
EXPOSITORY SCENES AND PASSAGES OF NARRATIVE.
* COMPLICATED STORIES ARE MADE EASIER TO WRITE, AND MORE INTERESTING
TO READ, BY THE PROCESS OF DIVIDING THE STORY INTO A SERIES OF FULL,
HALF, AND SOMETIME EXPOSITORY SCENES.
MINI-COURSE ON WRITING SCENES
1) Description background/setting + Dialogue + Physical (staged action), emotional (internalization) and thinking (internalization) description of two or more characters, although it can be one character showing conflict or a change in direction for a character/s in the present. This example would be for starting chapters or a novel or story—starting out with description of background/setting.
Empty and spacious, Cynthia’s living room held little but a full-length mirror, curved at the top rolling smooth down the sides for six feet. A smug-free mirror. The type of mirror one expects the Queen of England or some wealthy broad caught her image in every morning. Gold framed and at the bottom, a little circular rose tight roping on a long silver line. White walls reminded one of those sun baked houses in Arizona. Tiled floor sprinkled in black diamonds pattern.
“Nice place for a model shoot.” Cynthia returned from the kitchen nude, in her deep brown tan. Her dark hair matching her mysterious mood and wry smile. He wants my photograph bad. She pointed. “I love to pose by this mirror you’re admiring.”
“Yes, yes—wonderful,” said the nervous new photographer.
“And, you’re thoughts are right,” as Cynthia sauntered in front of the mirror, turned around facing him. She raised both hands and grabbed the curve top. She leaned back a little. Smiled. “A queen did own this mirror.”
2) Dialogue + Physical (staged action), emotional (internalization) and thinking (internalization) description of two or more characters showing conflict or a change in direction for a character/s in the present—This is more from within a started chapter or novel or story. These elements can be arranged in any order.
“I’ve practice martial arts for years. Ha!” She suddenly struck and held a taut Kung Fu pose. Her feet flat. Her arms raised, one bent at the elbow ending in her clinched fist; the other bent and beside her ear ending in her clinched fist. Her face fierce and hard. Her eyes showed softness for a split second. They harden again. This photographer thought I was his typical marshmallow model. I’ll showed him. “This is the Panther Style.”
SHORT STORY SCENE TEMPLATE FOR 5,000 WORDS
(A SUGGESTION, NOT A RULE). A 3,000 word story would have less scenes. The shorter the story the fewer scenes it will have. A flash short story of 500 words might just have two scenes.
First ACT/Scene 1-2: Introuduce your characters. Who they are? Where they live? Who they come into contact with? What's their initial problem they grappling to solve?
SCENE ONE gives initial information, provides believable reasons for the situation, presents the situation, and captures the reader's curiosity. The conflict is made known (bait to whet the reader's appetite).
SCENE TWO introduces more information, leaves material to be resolved later, and raises interesting questions. Some of the earlier questions are answered with details, and the reader's feelings about the protagonist and antagonist are set. Characters are introduced who will be important later. The reader is informed, and the story advances in a complete unit of action. Some things are left unresolved.
Second ACT/Scene 3-4: Is where you show your character trying to solve their problem, only the problem keeps getting worse or more complicated as irreversible events take place. Those early character introudctions and scenes now begin to reveal themselves: who are the bad players or good players. Supporters or Foes. We understand more about your Main Character (MC) as we see her interacting in her environment and with other characters. Slowly you are peeling back the onion layers of your character from an unfinished story or novel.
SCENE THREE the reader is expectant. Because of things that have been set up in scenes one and two, the reader knows what to look for. The reader's imagination is helping the story along. The author continues to build major characters by showing them in action and dialogue. The author also continues to establish relationships between characters. Some minor characters and all major characters have been introduced. Unresolved material is left. The reader wants to know also what will happen to the main character(s).
SCENE FOUR continues to establish facts and build characters and relationships between characters. Tension increases and complications arise. Questions are left unresolved.
Third ACT/Scene 5-6: This is the biggest scene in your novel or story. The big revelations, secrets come out. The things driving your character to hate the world or someone else. The big reasons behind some of your characters strange unexplained or unexplainable actions in Acts/Scenes 1 and 2.
SCENE FIVE paves the way for the climax. Events speed up a little. Some questions are answered; there is more tension as the main character makes a significant decision or takes significant action. The antagonist creates problems. More questions are answered, others are raised.
SCENE SIX more significant things about characters are revealed. Characters are shown to be changing, relationships are changing. Another major decision is made by the major character. There are additional questions the reader wants answered.
Fourth ACT/Scene 7-8: This is where things get desperate for your Main Character (MC) or heroine. It seems the evil characters or Opposition/Impact Character (OC/IC) has won. They've defeated her. THIS IS YOUR HEROINE'S WORSE DAY ACT/SCENE! If they don't do something SOON! All is lost. This is your Main Character (MC) or heroine's "I'LL BE BACK" Act/Scene.
SCENE SEVEN is the crisis the author has been preparing for.
SCENE EIGHT, the reader is given some important answers so that the story's plausibility is not in doubt. The story is moved forward by revealing dialogue. Suspense is maintained. A misunderstanding is created. The questions remaining are, What will happen to the main character? What will the main character do now?
Fifth ACT/Scene 9-10: This is your Main Character (MC) or heroine's "I'M BACK! AND I'M MAD AS HELL TOO!" Act/Scene. Your heroines finds new resources she never thought she had. She uses her skill from long ago, childhood maybe to win the battle. She drops a bad habit that's been holding her back and therefore wins the day.
SCENE NINE answers unresolved questions of the previous scene, including, What will the main character do now? The main character arrives at a conclusion and acts on it. More suspense builds, tension mounts.
SCENE TEN, the story is brought around full circle. The action continues at a swift tempo. The author ties up all the threads left dangling and creates a final emotion in the reader. Emphasis at this point is not setting but on the main characters and what is happening between them. Dialogue must convey information between the story characters and the author and the reader. Any misunderstandings are cleared up. All is nearly tied together, and the author leaves the reader feeling satisfied with both the plot and the relationships of characters and with any future the characters may have.
When reading, watch how different authors handle scenes in their fiction.
FLASH STORY SCENE TEMPLATE FOR 100-1,200 WORDS
(A SUGGESTION, NOT A RULE). A flash short story of 500 words might just have one, two scenes. Each piece of information might take once sentence. Or you might include two pieces of information in one sentence.
SCENE ONE gives initial information, provides believable reasons for the situation, presents the situation, and captures the reader's curiosity. The conflict is made known (bait to whet the reader's appetite). The reader's feelings about the protagonist and antagonist are set.
SCENE TWO The antagonist creates problems and this paves the way for the climax. Events speed up a little. The reader is given some important answers so that the story's plausibility is not in doubt. The story is moved forward by revealing dialogue. Suspense is maintained. What will the main character do now? The main character arrives at a conclusion and acts on it. More suspense builds, tension mounts. The story is brought around full circle. The action continues at a swift tempo. The author ties up all the threads left dangling and creates a final emotion in the reader. Emphasis at this point is not setting but on the main characters and what is happening between them. Dialogue must convey information between the story characters and the author and the reader. Any misunderstandings are cleared up. All is nearly tied together, and the author leaves the reader feeling satisfied with both the plot and the relationships of characters and with any future the characters may have.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SHORT STORY AND A NOVEL
* In case you're wondering, What's the difference between the short story and the novel? The greatest difference is continuity. Continuity means a single thought integrated in such a way you cannot tell where one part ends and another begins. You cannot pull out one chapter of a novel and have the same novel.
A series of short story, generally, is disconnected, even if the stories have the same theme and people reoccurring in different situations. You can pull out one of the story chapters and the series of short stories and no one, but the author, would notice. If you've ever seen someone with different style clothes on, grunge, chic, new look, outdoors, that's how a series of short stories work. Yes the person is dressed, but it doesn't have the same effect of someone entire dress is a 1980's look. So a novel is like a closely complete fashion haute couture or retro statement.
A series of short stories has a beginning, middle and end in each short story which generally serve as chapters. But the novel's chapters usually are different, even though they can appear like the short story chapters, a beginning and middle and end in each chapter.
In the novel, say Chapter 7, for example, starts in the middle, where Chapter 6 left off after ending the beginning of some event. Chapter 8 might start after the middle events in Chapter 7 ended. Chapter 6 does the beginning. Chapter 7 does the middle. Chapter 8 does the ending of the same event. Chapter 9 could have beginning, middle, and end in the same chapter of some entirely different event in the plot sequence.
Chapter 7: Mary realizes her balloon has been snatch by the Giraffe and he is now aboard a jet. Mary rushes to the female flight instructor, "I need to learn to fly this jet today, now!" After haggling with the flight instructor about payment, Mary climes into the cockpit and begins to get lessons, end Chapter 7.
Chapter 8. Mary is 20,000 feet in the sky. She learns everything she needs to know about flying the jet, but the instructor wants payment. Mary says, "I can't pay you now. When I get my balloon back, I'll give you whatever you want."
"How so says the flight instructor?"
"It's a magic balloon!"
They agree, the flight instructor get's out and Mary takes off after the Giraffe, end Chapter 8.
Chapter 9: Mary flying in her jet, takes a short cut because she knows geography and catches up with the Giraffe. She's flying right beside the Giraffe. Mary holds up a sign, "Give me back my balloon!" The Giraffe does a nose dive. Because he has the magic balloon, he can do far more things than Mary's jet. The Giraffe manages to lose Mary in the clouds over the Atlantic. Mary follows the jet's trail of exhaust though as far as she can. Once she realized she was over the Atlantic. She knew the Giraffe would land in Florida. Her hunch is right. The Giraffe is now taking off in the space shuttle. "Shucks," shouts Mary. "Now I'll have to learn to fly the Space Shuttle. Lucky for me, jet training is required to become a Space Shuttle astronaut!"
That's how a novel is intimately connected from chapter to chapter. This intimacy and long range problem solving is what makes a novel more enjoyable and saleable than a series or short stories or a short story in general.
NOVEL SCENE TEMPLATE FOR 60,000 WORDS
(A SUGGESTION, NOT A RULE. Because a novel is more involved than a short story, we must do a little bit more soul searching to prepare an outline. Whereas a 5,000 word short story might have 10 full scenes, a novel will have 50 or more full scenes.)
* REMEMBER YOUR NOVEL (and short story too) IS A SERIES OF BASIC ELEMENTS:
1) SCENES -- WHERE THE ACTION, PLOTTED LINKED CHAIN OF EVENTS TAKES PLACE IN REAL TIME, LIVE, WITH DIALOGUE, SHOWING CHARACTERIZATION!
2) NARRATION -- THE BRIDGES BETWEEN THE ACTION, SHOWING TRANSITION OF TIME, PLACE, CHARACTERIZATION, TELLING FICTION, NOT SHOWING.
3) DESCRIPTION -- THE OBSERVATIONS OF CHARACTERS, TIME, SETTING, PLACE
4) ACTION -- FIXED (INTERNAL) AND MOVING (EXTERNAL) EVENTS, OPINIONS, BELIEFS, ACTS, DIALOGUE
5) FLASHBACK -- TRIP BACK INTO THE PAST
6) EXPOSITION -- TWO CHARACTERS TALKING ABOUT PAST EVENTS IN THE PRESENT.
7) POINT OF VIEW -- THE VIEWPOINT THE AUTHOR TELLS THE READER ABOUT THE NOVEL
8) IRONY -- THE AUDIENCE READERS KNOWS SOMETHING CHARACTER IN THE NOVEL DOESN'T KNOW.
9) SUSPENSE -- THE CHARACTERS IN THE STORY KNOW SOMETHING THE AUDIENCE READERS DON'T KNOW.
10) MYSTERY -- THE AUDIENCE READERS AND THE CHARACTER DON'T KNOW SOMETHING.
* NOVEL DEMAND LOTS OF TIME AND ATTENTION. THEY'RE LIKE LITTLE BABIES
1) CHOOSE AN IDEA YOU'LL BE INTERESTED THREE YEARS OR MORE FROM NOW.
2) CHOOSE AN IDEA SURE TO MAKE YOU THINK DEEP ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS, OPINIONS, BELIEFS AND THOUGHTS.
3) CHOOSE AN IDEA THAT ALLOWS, EVEN FORCES YOU TO USE YOUR MEMORY AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCES FROM BIRTH TO THE PRESENT.
4) WILLINGNESS TO PUT OUT THERE FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO READ, YOUR UNIQUE VIEW OF THE WORLD! NO ONE WILL EVER SEE THE WORLD THE WAY YOU DO!
5) WILLINGNESS TO ENTERTAIN OTHERS AND USE YOUR CREATIVITY.
* QUESTIONS TO ASKS WHEN DRAFTING A NOVEL
(You might want to write a paragraph about each question.)
1) TITLE OF NOVEL?
2) WHOSE TELLING THE STORY (MAIN CHARACTER)?
3) WHAT POINT OF VIEW IS USED?
4) WHAT IS THE IRREVERSIBLE PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED (SITUATION)? (Put this in one sentence, if possible).
5) WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE COURSE OF THE NOVEL? (Here list the major linked irreversible scenes.)
6) WILL THE NOVEL BE IN THE PAST OR PRESENT TENSE?
7) WHEN DOES THE NOVEL TAKE PLACE (SETTING)?
8) WHAT TIME PERIOD DOES THE NOVEL COVER?
9) WHERE IS THE NOVEL TAKE PLACE?
10) HOW IS THE IRREVERSIBLE PROBLEM SOLVED?
11) HOW DOES THE NOVEL END? OR WHAT IS THE NOVEL'S LAST SCENE?
* SAMPLE NOVEL OUTLINE BY CHAPTERS, SCENES AND NARRATION BLOCKS
(You might have five scenes per chapter for 50 scenes in ten chapters.)
CHAPTER 1
SCENE 1 gives initial information, provides believable reasons for the situation, presents the situation, and captures the reader's curiosity. The conflict is made known (bait to whet the reader's appetite).
SCENE 2 introduces more information, leaves material to be resolved later, and raises interesting questions. Some of the earlier questions are answered with details, and the reader's feelings about the protagonist and antagonist are set. Characters are introduced who will be important later. The reader is informed, and the story advances in a complete unit of action. Some things are left unresolved.
NARRATION 1
SCENE 3
NARRATION 2
SCENE 4
SCENE 5
CHAPTER 2
SCENE 6 the reader is expectant. Because of things that have been set up in scenes one and two, the reader knows what to look for. The reader's imagination is helping the story along. The author continues to build major characters by showing them in action and dialogue. The author also continues to establish relationships between characters. Some minor characters and all major characters have been introduced. Unresolved material is left. The reader wants to know also what will happen to the main character(s).
NARRATION 3
HALF SCENE 1
NARRATION 4
SCENE 7 continues to establish facts and build characters and relationships between characters. Tension increases and complications arise. Questions are left unresolved.
SCENE 8 a subplot develops
NARRATION 5
SCENE 9 introduce a new character
NARRATION 6
SCENE 10 if not a romance novel, a love interest begins
CHAPTER 3
EXPOSITION SCENE 1
NARRATION 7
NARRATION 8
SCENE 11 continues to establish facts and build characters and relationships between characters. Tension increases and complications arise. Questions are left unresolved.
SCENE 12 Some body is betrayed
NARRATION 9
SCENE 13
NARRATION 10
SCENE 14
CHAPTER 4
SCENE 15 a pleasant surprise occurrs.
NARRATION 11
SCENE 16 continues to establish facts and build characters and relationships between characters. Tension increases and complications arise. Questions are left unresolved.
SCENE 17
NARRATION 12
SCENE 18
NARRATION 13
SCENE 19
CHAPTER 5
NARRATION 14
SCENE 20 continues to establish facts and build characters and relationships between characters. Tension increases and complications arise. Questions are left unresolved.
SCENE 21
NARRATION 15
SCENE 22
NARRATION 16
SCENE 23
CHAPTER 6
NARRATION 17
NARRATION 18
SCENE 24 continues to establish facts and build characters and relationships between characters. Tension increases and complications arise. Questions are left unresolved.
SCENE 25
NARRATION 19
SCENE 26 love interest is solidified
NARRATION 20
SCENE 27 possible somebody dies, not the main character though. Someone whom the main character was receivng help from.
CHAPTER 7
NARRATION 21
FLASHBACK 1
SCENE 28 continues to establish facts and build characters and relationships between characters. Tension increases and complications arise. Questions are left unresolved.
HALF SCENE 2 a coincidene happens that sets the main character back.
NARRATION 22
SCENE 29
NARRATION 23
SCENE 30
CHAPTER 8
SCENE 31 paves the way for the climax. Events speed up a little. Some questions are answered; there is more tension as the main character makes a significant decision or takes significant action. The antagonist creates problems. More questions are answered, others are raised.
HALF SCENE 3
SCENE 32 more significant things about characters are revealed. Characters are shown to be changing, relationships are changing. Another major decision is made by the major character. There are additional questions the reader wants answered.
CHAPTER 9
NARRATION 24
SCENE 33 is the crisis the author has been preparing for.
NARRATION 25
SCENE 34, the reader is given some important answers so that the story's plausibility is not in doubt. The story is moved forward by revealing dialogue. Suspense is maintained. A misunderstanding is created. The questions remaining are, What will happen to the main character? What will the main character do now?
NARRATION 26
CHAPTER 10
SCENE 35 answers unresolved questions of the previous scene, including, What will the main character do now? The main character arrives at a conclusion and acts on it. More suspense builds, tension mounts.
NARRATION 27
SCENE 36, the story is brought around full circle. The action continues at a swift tempo. The author ties up all the threads left dangling and creates a final emotion in the reader. Emphasis at this point is not setting but on the main characters and what is happening between them. Dialogue must convey information between the story characters and the author and the reader. Any misunderstandings are cleared up. All is nearly tied together, and the author leaves the reader feeling satisfied with both the plot and the relationships of characters and with any future the characters may have.
When reading, watch how different authors handle scenes in their fiction.
You don't have to number the scenes and narration sequentially, but it does give you a rough idea of how many full scenes are in your novel. You could very well start over number the scenes and narration at each new chapter!
BIG PICTURE WAY TO PLOT YOUR NOVEL--07.18.09
Plot: Any kinds of story you want. (If a structure category is left blank. This means you decide the contents YDTC.) Several ways exist to structure a novel or story. Three acts. Five acts. Five acts works the best in my opinion.
Complication/Major Problem/s:
Basically divide your how many chapters or scenes you have by five. If you have ten chapters,
FIRST ACT: Chapter 1-2
SECOND ACT: Chapter 3-4
THIRD ACT: Chapter 5-6
FOURTH ACT: Chapter 7-8
FIFTH ACT: Chapter 9-10
First ACT/Scene: Introduce your characters. Who they are? Where they live? Who they come into contact with? What's their initial problem they grappling to solve?
Second ACT/Scene: Is where you show your character trying to solve their problem, only the problem keeps getting worse or more complicated as irreversible events take place. Those early character introductions and scenes now begin to reveal themselves: who are the bad players or good players. Supporters or Foes. We understand more about your Main Character (MC) as we see her interacting in her environment and with other characters. Slowly you are peeling back the onion layers of your character from an unfinished story or novel.
Third ACT/Scene: This is the biggest scene in your novel or story. The big revelations, secrets come out. The things driving your character to hate the world or someone else. The big reasons behind some of your characters strange unexplained or unexplainable actions in Acts/Scenes 1 and 2.
Fourth ACT/Scene: This is where things get desperate for your Main Character (MC) or heroine. It seems the evil characters or Opposition/Impact Character (OC/IC) has won. They've defeated her. THIS IS YOUR HEROINE'S WORSE DAY ACT/SCENE! If they don't do something now! All is lost. This is your Main Character (MC) or heroine's "I'LL BE BACK" Act/Scene
Fifth ACT/Scene: This is your Main Character (MC) or heroine's "I'M BACK! AND I'M MAD AS HELL TOO!" Act/Scene. Your heroines finds new resources she never thought she had. She uses her skill from long ago, childhood maybe to win the battle. She drops a bad habit that's been holding her back and therefore wins the day.
CHARACTERS: YDTC
DIALOGUE: No dialogue--no story. Interesting, eh. This story wants not to be a story, but you will make it a story by getting the couple desperate to communicate with one another. This may be the most important lesson to learn in this writing prompt. Dialogue matters.
SETTING: YDTC
THEME: YDTC
POV: YDTC
ENDING: YDTC.
SPECIALITY: Decide which of these structured points is your speciality. Play your speciality up in the story. If you're good at settings, get into describing the settings. Make the setting a major focus of the story. If you're into plot, make the plot twist compelling. if you're into theme, go deep into the theme, choose the right words by sound, taste, feel, smell to convey this theme. If you're a master of dialogue, write a short play or screenplay or stage play. Play up the words they use to resolve their difficulties.
I simply grabbed these words from 15,000 Writing Phrases and other places.
FIRST ACT: Chapter 1-2
First ACT/Scene: Introduce your characters. Who they are? Where they live? Who they come into contact with? What's their initial problem they grappling to solve?
ACT 1: Chapter 1: Scene 1: Martha. Elderly woman lives in a vineyard. Martha comes in to contact with a fairy named Caprasi Dechant. "A edict from the local lord will be pass, Martha."
"What kind of edict?"
"One outlawing growing grapes."
Martha is shocked. What's Martha to do? So we needs some events for Martha to explore in Chapter 1. It should introduce us to the characters in this novel; tell who they are? What's annoying the characters? Where they live? Who they come into contact with? All this will be over the grape grappling problem that cannot be solved in less than five Acts. This all about Caprasi and Martha is just scene 1 of Chapter1 of the two chapters in the First ACT.
Okay....hmmm....scene 2?
Scene 2: Okay. I've made a mistake. I need to go backwards. Scene 1: Chapter 1 of ACT 1 is going to be the Security scene. I want to show Martha in her glory growing grapes.
After grabbing these words from 15,000 Writing Phrases, using MS WORD's "Find" feature under the "Edit" menu.
1. comfort and SECURITY
2. THREATs, cries, and prayers
3. world of FANTASY
4. ATTEMPT to suppress
5. conformable to FACT
6. volunteer SUPPORT
In my mind I envision this series for the First ACT: Chapter 1.
SCENE1: SECURITY -- This scenes goes into great detail using the weather and grapes as symbols of wisdom and happiness. Martha sits in her rocking chair on her rickety porch. Her grape harvest about to come in. Birds are happy. Workers are happy. Very serene and magical.
SCENE 2: THREAT -- Now The Grape Fairy named Caprasi Dechant comes into the novel with his edict from the local lord.
SCENE 3: FANTASY WHICH CHANGES TO ATTEMPT --
FANTASY
After some Turning these words around in my mind, I decide. Martha disbelieves the Caprasi Dechant; in fact the workers disbelieves in Fairies. The workers use to believe (back story to enrich this scene, tiny bit of back story not much. In those early days grapes grew without the help of humans, when the fairy's ruled the land and humans lived in caves).
WHICH CHANGES TO ATTEMPT
But when Caprasi Dechant opens a window into the Lord's Castle and shows rocking Martha who holds a stick for some reason. She needs a prop at this point. Martha plods her stick down and stops rocking and stars at the entire mini war scene on Lord Eginald on his huge white cloth dining table she sees some other Lords attempting to change Lord Eginald's mind. But Lord Eginald is determined to wipe out all the grapes, despite their profits to his land in order to support the King. The King wants to prepare to wage war.
SCENE 4: FACT -- Martha sees the edict issued and all the messengers for all those who grow grapes (*shrug* ) to uproot their crops go out over all the land. The scenes of the farmers objecting and being forced,threatened or agreeing are shown. All the different reactions to the fact, no one can grow grapes anymore and the philosophy or social reactions to this are explored. Finally Lord Eginald's messenger arrives to Martha's Vineyard. *shrug* she is the star of this novel. We can't make her first to receive the news.
SCENE 5: SUPPORT -- When Lord Eginald's messenger deliver his message, all her workers decide to support her and refuse to uproot the grape crop.
This ends Chapter 1.
For Chapter 2, I simply search and look for exciting words. Put them in an order I like plotting wise and there is Chapter 2!.
You'll do this nine more times to complete ten chapters. You might have more than five scenes for a chapter, maybe 20 or 14. You'll probably will have narration in between the chapters or brief narration between the scenes. You decide. Simply turn the words and phrases from 15,000 Writing Phrases into story ideas and keep writing.
GO START WRITE SCENES IN YOUR STORY/NOVEL!
This page was last updated: September 2, 2009
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