Options for Disasters in a Scene

 

THE FINAL PART in the three-part structure of your scene is the outcome. The first two parts of the scene (the goal and the conflict) asked a specific question; the outcome will answer that question.

At the end of every single scene, search for a way to thwart your character’s hopes. This does not, however, mean he should never gain ground toward achieving his goal. He can achieve part of his goal while still experiencing setbacks.

Sometimes, in order to advance the plot, your disasters are going to have to be incomplete. The partial obstruction of goal and the hollow victory are two examples. These “Yes, but!” disasters occur when your character gets a qualified or even total “yes” in answer to the scene question. He fulfills his scene goal, but there are unforeseen complications.

The point is to keep the pressure on and never let up. The scene disaster pushes the character sideways, away from achieving his main goal, while pushing him unwittingly toward the thing he really needs (the final confrontation with the antagonistic force).

 

Exercise #1: Answer the following questions about your scene disaster.

 

Question #1: Which of the following “disasters” ends your scene? Specify exactly what it is.

 

• Direct obstruction of the goal (e.g., the character wants info the antagonist refuses to supply).

 

• Indirect obstruction of the goal (e.g., the character is sidetracked).

 

• Partial obstruction of the goal (e.g., the character gets only part of what he needs).

 

• Hollow victory (e.g., the character gets what he wants, only to discover it’s more destructive than helpful).

 

• Other.

 

Question #2: How does this scene’s disaster specifically manifest?

 

• Death.

 

• Physical injury.

 

• Emotional injury.

 

• Discovery of complicating information.

 

• Personal mistake.

 

• Threat to personal safety.

 

• Danger to someone else.

 

• Other.

 

Exercise #2: Once you’ve identified your scene’s disaster, stop and ask yourself the following questions.

 

Question #1: How does your disaster answer the scene question, as posed by the scene goal?

 

Question #2: How is your disaster integral to the scene (i.e., is the disaster a direct culmination of the scene conflict)?

 

Question #3: Is your disaster disastrous enough?

 

Question #4: Does your disaster avoid melodrama?

 

Question #5: If your character partially or totally reaches his scene goal, what “yes, but!” disaster is waiting to slow him down?

 

Question #6: What new goal will your disaster prompt from the character?

 

Reference: Structuring Your Novel, chapter 17, pages 217-222.