CHAPTER 10

SCENES

 

EVERY SCENE WITHIN your story has two halves: the scene (in which characters are acting) and the sequel (in which characters are reacting). These two mighty little pistons power the entirety of your story. We can further break these two halves down into three steps apiece (we’ll take a look at the three parts of the sequel in the next chapter). Broken down into three pieces, the scene looks like this:

The Goal: Every scene begins with your character wanting something. The scene goal will always be a reflection or a result of the overall story goal. Your character wants to defeat the evil overlord or win the fair maiden’s hand. To get there, he will have to enact a series of smaller goals. These goals will form the impetus for every scene. Identify your character’s goal early in each scene to give its narrative focus and dynamism.

The Conflict: If your character were allowed to traipse right through your story, accomplishing his every goal, your plot would be over almost as quickly as it began. This is where conflict comes into play. Scene conflict takes the form of anything that prevents your character from achieving his scene goal. This might be a fistfight, or it might be a flat tire. Conflict is the meat of your scene. After you’ve set up the goal, the majority of your scene will focus on whatever it is that’s keeping your character from getting what he wants.

The Outcome (or Disaster): Your scene will end with a decided outcome. Either your character overcomes the conflict to get what he wants, or, more likely, he fails either partly or wholly—and the scene ends in disaster. Every scene must push your character sideways instead of allowing him to advance uninhibited in a straight line to his main goal.