Questions tagged [scene]
This tag should be used for questions about a scene in a written work, such as a [novel] or a [screenplay].
112
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Should I write the 'after'?
Alright, so I just finished a really beautiful scene in my manuscript that happened during an event. Let's say it was a party.
So the beautiful scene happened rather in the beginning of the event, ...
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Can scenes taking place right after each other in the same place have separate headers?
I'm writing a screenplay and in it there are two different scenes that take place in the same place and with one immediately after the other both chronologically and in the script. I want to separate ...
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How can I make my character slowly fall in love with someone that already likes them?
I want to have one of my characters slowly fall in love with a boy who has liked her from the start, but I'm not sure how to
Show that he likes her but not make it too obvious
and
make her slowly ...
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94
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How to I describe a kissing scene that’s off guard?
I have to write a really spicy kissing scene where the mob boss kisses a random girl who has never been kissed before, who is beyond shocked at his actions. Only to find out that he kissed her to get ...
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How to write an event in a story with a memory gap (Repressed memory)?
Scenario: The protagonist goes to a party, gets drugged, and is assaulted. This event is not in the characters history. It happens during the course of the story.
Perspective: First Person
Genre: ...
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Why does all scene writing advice insist on the scene lead having a clear goal when this is often not practiced in bestsellers?
I've been reading a lot of books on scene writing. One thing in common--found in every single book--is that the main character in the scene should have a goal. That goal should be made obvious as ...
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210
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How to write a good coup d'état scene?
I'm writing a story with a coup d'état scene where a free nation's government is betrayed and supplanted by a new tyrannical government; and thus, I'd like to know how quality coup d'état scenes are ...
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Doubt in screenplay definitions
Can someone tell me the difference between scene, plot, story, and structure ?
- 117
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122
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How do I smartly skip necessary scenes without causing an imbalance in the story?
My character needs to go see a psychiatrist, and as I am someone who is not that knowledgeable about the way psychiatrists talk to their patients, or manipulate them to get answers, or advice them, I ...
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2
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What would consider a "boring or unnecessary" scene?
In a chapter I'm currently writing is of an ostracized boy stumbling in a forest and being amazed with childlike-wonder. From the feel of the grass on his bare feet to the flora and fauna around.
In a ...
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366
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How to write scenes of negotiation? [closed]
I'm looking for general tips on writing a negotiation scene, and would be interested in some example novels/short stories in which there are scenes of negotiation (preferably light-hearted but any ...
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What are the possible driving factors of betrayal scenes?
I've been having a hard time thinking about a good way to create a betrayal scene without forcing it.
Even if I somehow wrote the scene, I just can't feel the emotions behind the betrayal; the sadness,...
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4
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633
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How to come up with scene ideas?
I'm currently outlining my novel, and I'm having trouble coming up with scenes/situations to put my characters in. I've tried scene prompts but they don't work for me. Sometimes I will think of a ...
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64
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How to write an audible arguing scene?
I don't know if my question is clear enough to understand, but here is what I mean:
I have a blind character who hears his parents arguing with each other. With him being blind, I think there would be ...
- 956
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47
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How do you write a script for a music clip?
How do you write a script for a music clip? I am wondering because you need to sync the lyrics with the descriptions of the scenes, so I am wondering how it's done by the industry. Is there any ...
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How do you write pause in a dialogue without making it look flat?
At times in conversations, there are pauses for various reasons; in videos, the contexts of these pauses are clear because of the characters facial expression. But while writing, at first you can use ...
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How to write a hospital death scene without sentimentalism?
The cliché scene where a man dies on the hospital bed and ECG goes "beep beep beep" is seen by everyone in movies. The problem is that someone told me that I go too sentimental in scenes ...
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In YA fiction, how many words should each chapter be? How consistent does chapter length need to be?
I'm writing a YA sci-fi/post apocalyptic type novel with two view point characters. The book is all written in third person and so far every time I switch between view point characters use a chapter ...
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How to make a change in place and time more naturally?
Often when I write, I fast forward to a different time and place. When I do this, it sounds very unnatural and the pacing of the story feels too rushed.
For example(by the way, this was not actually a ...
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How can I write this scene? [closed]
Entering the park, a slight breeze rustles the leaves making them fall to the ground one by one. It was a small park with a jungly gym, a couple of tables and a few benches for people to sit in every ...
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How do I make an action scene based on a musical choreography work in a novel?
I'd like to make one of the action scenes in my planned novel to involve a choreography to a medley of various real world songs, similar to the Ocean's Twelve Laser Dance scene(video below), obviously ...
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308
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How can I find a good idea for a dragon-battle scene? [closed]
First of all, hello!
I really, really, really do want to have an answer for my question. I’ve been writing a novel about dragons, but I can’t finish it. I’m just at loss of words (and ideas).
To ...
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781
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Ways to write a person crying without using words like "sniff", "boohoo" etc
There is a specific kind of scene that I want to write, where the protagonist has just killed his brother and he starts to cry. But I don't want to explicitly state that he's crying, either by stating ...
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2
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How do I write someone in pain?
I am going over my writing and found that all of my scenes where my main character is in physical pain are dull. There is one scene in particular, when she drinks a power-awakening potion. It's ...
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How to clearly distinguish the settings of different scenes from each other, and make them "feel" different?
Background
I've been working on doing nitty-gritty editor revisions of my detective novel in preparation for publishing, going over sentences and picking through details. In the course of the story, ...
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How do I write someone in an enchantment?
I'm having trouble writing a scene in my book where the main character is about to be pulled into an enchantment before her friend saves her.
A bit of backstory- the item that is about to enchant her ...
- 1,551
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7
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3k
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How can I indicate time passing?
There is a scene in which my main character is hiding from the villain while they are both in the same room. I want this to be a suspenseful and agonizing stretch of time, but I’m not sure how to show ...
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2
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176
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How to write the same event with a different POV?
I am aiming to change POV in the middle of my book, based on my previous question and I have yet to decide where to start the second POV. The first POV and the second meet during one event - a ...
1
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2
answers
350
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When someone sees something frightening, how can I make it obvious without sounding cliche?
I write a lot of horror, and I notice that my characters use "Oh my God!" when they're frightened in my scenes by a demon, ghost or murderer. How can I make them seem terrified without being so cliche ...
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How to write a "functioning" addict protagonist and it not get repetitive?
A sub-plot of my story, is that the protagonist is struggling with addiction to alcohol due to past events (which happen in the book). I'm worried that all the scenes will come off the same because he ...
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570
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Can I have scenes that aren't directly related to the main plot but strengthen the relationship between two characters (which is a subplot)?
I have some scenes in my novel that have nothing to do with the main plot, it's just to show the character development and the development of the relationship between two characters. Is this okay ...
1
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2
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492
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Should a scene break always be put in place when there is change in location, times, and dates?
I have read many books where the character is in one place at a certain time and, without a scene break being utilised, they are all of a sudden in a different place at a different time, but it works ...
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Examples of dialog beats and bookism
I was wondering if there is a list of ideas on how to add beats to dialog. For example:
"Listen to me!", John said excitedly. "We can sell all these coins now
and get rich today." He got closer ...
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1k
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How to write intercut scenes in a novel?
I wish to write an intercut scene for a novel, where two very contrasting things are happening at the same time. The technique works really well on the screen, but I think we can use the same ...
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How much uncertainity will the 'general (Non-YA) fantasy reader' tolerate?
In my current project my goal is to go for the following narrative style within scenes:
Show only what the POV-Char can see, hear,... sense.
Show their emotional reaction (through body-feelings, ...
user13402
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Don't look at what I did there
This question is about hiding from the reader the fact that I am skipping some steps. Worse, perhaps, I don't want to show them, and I may have no clue or intention of figuring out how these steps ...
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Spicing up a moment of peace
In the ever swinging tone of a novel, one may wish to show a moment of peace amidst all the chaos. In my novel it happens a few times, most notably when characters are travelling across vast natural ...
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My scenes seem too fast
I’m having issues because while I’m in the process of writing I think my style has enough length to it, but when I go back and read my work it feels extremely fast. A scene I expected to take me ...
- 1,006
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How to not confuse readers with simultaneous events?
In an omniscient third person, I have 8 (practically unrelated) events going simultaneously in different parts of a large mansion. I want to present these events as they happen, but I feel jumping ...
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What's the most humane form of ritual sacrifice? [closed]
Not sure if this is off-topic, sorry.
I'm writing a cult ritual to summon a powerful entity.
The ritual must include:
1. A willing sacrifice
2. Them being stabbed in the heart
3. Their death taking ...
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1
answer
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Good recess scene screenplay [closed]
I'm wondering if anyone could tell me how to write some very short recess scene at a school? I'm out of ideas. P.S. this would be acted.
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Is it advisable to add a location heads-up when a scene changes in a novel?
In my novel, I have a scene at home which changes to scene at the office which is completely different. I have written it in a way that in a line or two the reader will understand the scene is changed ...
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How do I indicate that the next scene actually happens at the same time as the previous scene
I'm currently working on a script for a college project and there's one part of the script that sorta goes like this:
A character heard a scream from outside of the room they're in and decided to ...
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I wrote a scene that the majority of my readers loved. How do I get back to that place while writing my new book?
I wrote a scene that I put my heart and soul into. It was received well by most of my readers, but I'm struggling with crafting a new scene for a book I'm currently writing. Here's some comments from ...
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The concept of description and the structure of Mckee's view of story design
Consider the following text:
Tania is in her living room, in the summer.
She looks to the window and the street in front of her house, then she realized how dry and parched they are, this makes ...
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How many blank lines before scene headings (and secondary scene headings) using Amazon Storywriter
Question : How many blank lines should be before scene headings and secondary scene headings in a screenplay? Note that I am using Amazon Storywriter.
Detail : I am writing a screenplay with Amazon ...
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207
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Which techniques maintain reader interest when the POV is a spectator? (Sports story as sidequest?)
In my case, my character is literally a spectator. They're at a sporting event. There will be a major event which ramps up their plotline that occurs at this event, but I'm finding the event itself (...
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How to script two scenes happening simultaneously?
I am writing a movie where a character has an interview with a news reporter. The scenes segues into a character profile of the interviewee that features a voice over from the interviewer. How would I ...
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If the narrator of the story is a pet, can I still add some philosophical stuff into its narration?
So, the story is about the heroine of the book, but the whole thing is narrated by her pet. Initially the plot is light and easy, but later into the story, it gets a little serious. There's stuff ...
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Pre-modern battle - command it, or fight in it?
If I were to describe Waterloo from Napoleon's point of view, it would be very different from that same battle from the point of view of a soldier, or even a cavalry lieutenant in the front ranks. ...
