SWRT 242 | What Goes into a Scene?

February 24, 2022

person typing on MacBook Pro on brown wooden table during daytime photo

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss what goes into a scene. Is there a recipe to follow? Kind of, but joke as we may, scenes are built upon certain repeatable story elements. How does pacing change with the shape of your scenes? What mistakes are commonly made at the scene level?

VIDEO

AUDIO

SHOW NOTES

What we talked about:
The scene recipe. (1:38)
Think of the scene in terms of theater. (4:20)
Scene sizes vary with needs. (5:20)
The scene moves the story along. (6:10)
Things that can move your story forward. (8:00)
Focus on what your scene is trying to achieve. (9:00)
End doesn’t mean closure. (14:15)
Don’t lose the emotional impact. (16:10)
Vary your scenes. (18:40)
What are you spotlighting? (19:50)
Memorable fiction relies on it’s scene-work! (21:10)
How to research what kind of scenes you need. (22:00)
Edit wisely! (24:24)

LINKS

Get Alida’s Writing Tips here.

Things we mentioned:
Story by Robert McKee
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Have thoughts, questions, other examples? Join the conversation at the Story Works Writers Facebook group.

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About Your Hosts

Alida Winternheimer is an award-winning author with an MFA in writing from Hamline University. She pursues her fervor for all things story as a writing coach, developmental editor, and teacher. Three times nominated for the Pushcart Prize, she is also a notable in Best American Essays and winner of the Page Turner Award. Author of The Story Works Guide to Writing Fiction Series, Alida lives and writes in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She camps, bikes, and kayaks in her free time. Unless it’s winter, in which case she drinks chai by the fire. You can find more at www.alidawinternheimer.com.

Kathryn Arnold writes fantasy and anything else that sparks her creativity from her home in Kingston, Washington. She currently earns her living as an insurance underwriting assistant, where she also creates marketing and web copy. When not writing, she plays (and teaches) piano and keyboard in a band (or two), and is working on starting a ministry team with her husband. You can find Kathryn at www.skyfirewords.com.

Robert Scanlon was born in Australia, but whisked off to England when only a baby. After many years complaining about the weather, he did the sensible thing and moved back to Australia. Despite a career in the music industry, followed by decades teaching public speaking, Robert is an introvert who adores reading. Robert grew up on a diet of sci-fi masters, eventually discovering he had read the library’s entire science fiction section. Now he has to write his own. Robert is the author of Constellation, book one of the Blood Empire space opera series. Find out more at www.RobertScanlon.com