{A note from Alyson: all the strategies and rules of this blog series apply primarily to adventure novels. Not all standards and regulations will carry into other genres.}
So, now you have a first sentence, a positive-negative current, an opening paragraph, and the beginning of a scene. It’s time to build the rest of the scene. A scene, by definition, is a sequence of actions in your hero’s life. Let me give you a quick example.
“Chariots and gold, that’s all he ever cared about, yet she still went to see him at the cost of her life. As Mary pressed through the crowds of the marketplace toward the amphitheater, she shivered. She tightened the turban about her head, making sure it covered her face, and then pushed her way into the group of orphaned boys who were slaves of the rich men going to see the race. “If only Father would look at me when he wins this time and know that I come to watch him,” Mary thought. “Would he love me then?”
The boys jostled around her. They also wore turbans around their heads to keep their light skin from burning underneath the scalding Althasis rays. Mary held out her hand. She compared its tone to that of the boys around her, who rudely swore and slapped one another. Yes, she still had her mother’s complexion, smooth as honey and twice as light; a foreigner’s shade.
“Move on, the line’s movin’!” one of the boys snapped at her. Mary jerked her head up and hurried forward. As they drew closer to the amphitheater, the colossal form threw its shadow over them. Mary trembled as they passed the sentries on duty. There they stood, week after week, resting their hands on the hilts of their gleaming swords, just waiting – waiting for lawbreakers like her. Yet, once again, they were through safely. Mary followed the boys into their spot against the lowest rail. They stood there, and the boys admired the steeds in quiet tones. Then, with a fanfare, a man spoke in the Althanien language. There was a hush, a moment of breathless anticipation. The horses chomped at their bits and stamped their hooves, and the charioteers held their whips high. Everyone waited.
Crack! They were off! The prince of Althasis sprung into the lead, and the other five charioteers barreled after him. Three times they passed by, flinging clouds of brown dust into the face of the crowd, who cheered louder every time. Two of the charioteers crashed against the stone wall. Mary kept her eyes fastened to her father as he urged the two bay stallions around the prince’s chariot. A riotous cheer went up from the crowd. The last lap – and her father was in the lead! Mary stood against the rail, her heart pounding. “Oh, he’ll win,” she thought, “he just has to win this time!”
The prince of Althasis whipped his steeds without mercy. Just as it seemed the prince might pass, Mary lost sight of them. She stood on her toes, waiting for them to appear. The chariots rounded the corner, sparks flying between the chariots as the spokes of the wheels grated against each other. “He’s still winning. He’ll win,” Mary thought. She felt the crowd push from behind her.
“Long live the prince! May he win! Let there never be a winner other than Amitas!” they all cried. Mary swallowed hard. The prince had never lost. What would he do if her father won? Was that why girls and women were not allowed to see the games? The chariots rounded the last corner, with Mary’s father still in the lead. Suddenly, the crowd behind Mary shoved her off her feet and over the rail! Mary reached for the iron bar, but she was already far past it. She was plummeting feet first toward the track with the chariots bearing down on her spot!” {1}
The scene ends here. The next scene picks up at a different time. See, the sequence of Mary’s actions stopped, so the section also did. For an adventure novel, this example outlined the basic structure of any scene:
1) the character is doing something
2) the character goes somewhere
3) the character finds an obstacle in his or her path
4) the character resolves to do something else OR
the character faces a crisis.
It’s not just your first scene that will follow this pattern. All your segments going forward will be structured this way, with the occasional change in the fourth rule. You can end a part in many ways, but you need to start them all the same: doing something.
What Does a Scene Do Exactly?
Well, for one, scenes build your entire book. Your book would have to be one long, run-on string of actions that the hero takes without stopping for a single rest without divisions! Not a good idea. Heroes need rest (and so do you).
Simply put, a scene has three jobs:
1) Create questions
2) Answer questions
3) Create questions
Did you catch that? If you want your audience to keep reading, you have to create questions and not answer everything. Then, give more questions so you can answer a few more, with some leftover. Please don’t overthink this. You will create and answer questions naturally when you write. Being aware of those questions and answers will make your story even better! If you need help identifying each of those questions and answers, try using the form below. I filled it out using the excerpt above to help you along.
What is my opening question?
{Why is the heroine going to see this person race?}
What will be my ending question?
{Did Mary survive?}
What is the answer to the opening question?
{Because it is her father and she wants him to love her.}
What is one question I can create inside the scene?
{Why aren’t girls and women allowed to see the chariot races?}
What is the answer to that question? Note: you don’t have to give them this answer in this scene.
{The ruler of Althasis banned women and girls from coming so there would be fewer witnesses to what happened. Also, to keep women out of the men’s sport.}
This form will leave you with one question going into the next scene every time {the ending question}. You can create more Q&As as you desire.
Your first chapter could have one, two, three, or even four scenes inside it. As a general rule, the shorter your first chapter is, the more enjoyable it is to read {and write}. However, it’s totally up to you!
Scenes are broken up by little shapes or dots, implying that there was a break in our hero’s life where he was doing pretty much nothing to further the story goal {for example, sleeping, using the restroom, taking a shower, etc.}. Have you ever wondered why the heroes in books don’t do all those typical things humans do? Well, they do, but writers imply it in that little break between scenes. Dots are my favorite break-up character. When I read aloud to my sisters, the part that always made them smile was my quiet “dot-dot-dot” between scenes.
Give it a try! Build a scene onto your first sentences and paragraph, creating questions and answers for your readers! If you want, build a couple more sections to put in your first chapter!
If you have any questions, please put them in the comments below, and I will try my best to help you!
Next week we get to the final part of this blog series, and you get to finish that first chapter. Also, be on the lookout for a bonus blog!
