3 Things Every Scene Needs to Succeed
Photo by Loren Cutler on Unsplash
Novels (and narrative nonfiction) are made up of scenes. These mimic the larger story structure, with a beginning, middle, and end.
It starts with a question or problem. Then through the actions of the protagonist, it results in a variety of things that move the story in a new direction, leading to the next scene. This might be a discovery, a new understanding, an experience, or some kind of mini-epiphany. Note that these may well be an incorrect understanding or an experience that leads the protagonist in the wrong direction! In fact, that makes the reader more invested, as they try to figure out how the protagonist will solve the overall story problem.
In other words, something has to happen to move the story forward. It is a transformation: things are not the same at the end as they are at the beginning.
There are several types of scenes:
Summary – not really a scene, but usually a transition between scenes that tells us some necessary information that we don’t need to see dramatized.
Internal rumination – generally, interior reactions should be show within a larger scene, but occasionally there will be a scene where the protagonist needs to stop and reflect. This should be kept to a minimum, since it can stop the action (and forward momentum) dead. But there can (and should) still be some tension – the protagonist wondering what to do, or debating between two equally unpleasant actions to take, for example.
The majority of scenes should be Action Scenes – these usually involve action and dialogue of some kind. Again, there is a problem or goal at the beginning. Some action or dialogue occurs in an attempt to find a resolution. The resolution, however, isn’t final. It propels the protagonist to the next scene.
Constructing a scene:
It starts with an opening, which is usually something that gets us into the meat of the scene right away.
Then there are complications: twists and turns that throw obstacles in the protagonist’s path.
The Crisis forces the protagonist to make a decision and to act.
The Climax, or emotional apex of the scene – where the protagonist succeeds or fails to resolve the question or problem posed at the beginning of the scene (which should be a smaller unit of the main story question).
The Resolution that leads into the next scene. Each scene needs to build to the next in a cause-and-effect trajectory. This draws the reader constantly forward as they seek to figure out what will happen.
In all of this, we have to know why this means something to the protagonist. If accomplishing the goal or solving the problem doesn’t matter much to the protagonist, it won’t matter to the reader. BOR-ING.
In other words, you need stakes, both inner and outer, in every scene. This gives the scene dramatic tension. Without tension, readers will get bored quickly. If nothing matters to the characters, it won’t matter to the reader either.
Inner stakes define what it means to the protagonist emotionally.
Outer stakes define what it means to the external world.
EX: Julia auditioned for the city orchestra and finally, after years of studying the violin, she hears the news that she won a place among the best of the best. And then – she spots her arch rival, Elise, who is also celebrating. And she has even more to celebrate, since she’s won first chair. Julia’s joy has soured, but it only fuels her determination to do even better, and win the first chair from Elise.
You can see how this combines External stakes and Internal Stakes. Externally, she’s achieved a big goal: becoming part of the orchestra. But internally, she is still wrestling with jealousy and a feeling of “not enough.” Will she overcome those internal obstacles? Will she win first chair over her rival? These stakes are always intertwined, and that’s the way it should be.
In this example, too:
We enter at the moment Julia is waiting to hear if her audition succeeded.
Complication: she won a seat! BUT: she spots her biggest rival, also celebrating
Crisis: Julia finds out Elise won first chair.
Climax: Elise gloats over her “win” to Julia. Julia can’t help telling Elise what she really thinks. Worse, other players overhear it.
Resolution: Julia resolves to win first chair from Elise. And she now has another problem: her attitude hasn’t exactly won her friends among the other players.
Question resolved: will Julia make the orchestra?
Transformation: Julia goes from anxious, to overjoyed, to jealous and angry, to determined. Not all scenes need such an emotional roller-coaster, but this one feels like a major scene in the story overall.
For every scene, you should check the following:
Does it have a point? In other words, does the protagonist have a goal? Is there a question to be answered, information to be gained, or some other goal?
What are the complications? Are they organic to the scene? (Don’t shoehorn something in just because it sounds cool).
What is the Crisis?
What is the Climax
How does the Resolution propel the protagonist to the next decision and action?
What are the stakes, inner and outer?
What is the transformation that happens from the beginning to the ending of the scene? It doesn’t have to be something big – but there should be a sense of transformation and change, either internal or external (or both).
Remember, scenes needs tension (in the form of inner and outer stakes), narrative drive (a cause-and-effect trajectory), and some sort of transformation to be compelling and keep readers reading. They need a complete story arc - from opening to resolution - in order to feel satisfying. If you succeed in this, you’ll be well on your way to creating a compelling story.
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