Creating ScenesCreating Scenes

Fiction Writer’s WorkshopFiction Writer’s Workshop

Josip NovakovichJosip Novakovich

To construct a scene: Conflict: a scene has a plot of its own that

relates to the overall plot Characters are fleshed out, seen Geography exists At least one in a short story—fully realized Event: who, what, where, when, how, why Continuous: must flow like music and be

spatial

Minor scenes and summary—lead to one major scene

Example: “Every Sunday morning she walked to the Unitarian Church. As she walked, she would spit at the hedges.”

The summary takes care of many small scenes, although there can be exceptions in which you come close to a real scene

Exceptions (John Cheever’s “O Exceptions (John Cheever’s “O Youth and Beauty”Youth and Beauty”

““Then if the host had a revolver, he would be Then if the host had a revolver, he would be asked to produce it. Cash would take off his shoes asked to produce it. Cash would take off his shoes and assume a starting crouch behind a sofa. and assume a starting crouch behind a sofa. Trace would fire the weapon out of an open Trace would fire the weapon out of an open window, and if you were new to the community window, and if you were new to the community and had not understood what the preparations and had not understood what the preparations were about, you would then realize that you were were about, you would then realize that you were watching a hurdle race. Over the sofa went Cash, watching a hurdle race. Over the sofa went Cash, over the tables, over the fire screen and the wood over the tables, over the fire screen and the wood box. It was not exactly a race, since Cash ran it box. It was not exactly a race, since Cash ran it alone, but it was extraordinary to see this man of alone, but it was extraordinary to see this man of forty surmount so many obstacles so gracefully.” forty surmount so many obstacles so gracefully.” In the end, Cash’s wife kills him with a gun in a In the end, Cash’s wife kills him with a gun in a developed scene.developed scene.

A Miracle

• Think of your scene like a miracle.• Developed scene is not a usual event; it

happens only once.• If it is a habit or happens many times, it

is a custom.• Culminating point of your story must be

laid out as a scene or several scenes.

Goal (end of story)Goal (end of story)

Summarize auxiliary action, (the girl Summarize auxiliary action, (the girl habitually spitting in the hedge) BUThabitually spitting in the hedge) BUT

Dramatize key momentsDramatize key moments

Include specifics of characterInclude specifics of character

Nonverbal BehaviorNonverbal Behavior

Brisk, erect walkBrisk, erect walk Standing with hands on Standing with hands on

hipships Sitting with legs crossed, Sitting with legs crossed,

foot kickingfoot kicking Sitting, legs apartSitting, legs apart Arms crossed on chestArms crossed on chest Walking with hands in Walking with hands in

pockets, shoulders pockets, shoulders hunchedhunched

ConfidenceConfidence Readiness, aggression Readiness, aggression

BoredomBoredom

Open, relaxedOpen, relaxed DefensivenessDefensiveness DejectionDejection

Hand to cheekHand to cheek Touching, slightly Touching, slightly

rubbing noserubbing nose Rubbing the eyeRubbing the eye Hands clasped behind Hands clasped behind

backback Rubbing handsRubbing hands Sitting with hands Sitting with hands

clasped behind head, clasped behind head, legs crossedlegs crossed

Evaluation, thinkingEvaluation, thinking Rejection, doubt, lyingRejection, doubt, lying

Doubt, disbeliefDoubt, disbelief Anger, frustration, Anger, frustration,

apprehensionapprehension AnticipationAnticipation Confidence, superiorityConfidence, superiority

Slow Down Action

• Slow down even quick action• To do so, concentrate on the sensory

details: • Wooden floors, bucket of water in the

kitchen, down cover• stamping, cold hands, creaking throat

bulging eyes• Wants more honey cakes (even though

he’s scared)

Conflict

• Whatever conflict evolves will culminate in a scene.

• Character clashes with obstacle (person or thing)

• Tension builds leading to scene• A boy has seen his father killed by German

soldiers; a soldier arrives when boy is sick: puts something in glass and it tastes bitter—the boy thinks he’s poisoned and we know this, even though he doesn’t say so, by his actions.

• The character must want or fear something that might happen during this scene

• When the action of the scene occurs, we are immersed in the action.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez Gabriel Garcia Marquez One One Hundred Years of SolitudeHundred Years of Solitude

““Jose Arcadio’s companion asked them to Jose Arcadio’s companion asked them to leave them alone, and the couple lay down on leave them alone, and the couple lay down on the ground, close to the bed. The passion of the ground, close to the bed. The passion of the others woke up Jose Aracadio’s fervor. On the others woke up Jose Aracadio’s fervor. On the first contact, the bones of the girl seemed the first contact, the bones of the girl seemed to become disjointed with a disorderly crunch to become disjointed with a disorderly crunch like the sound of a box of dominoes, and her like the sound of a box of dominoes, and her skin broke out into a pale sweat and her eyes skin broke out into a pale sweat and her eyes filled with tears as her whole body exhaled a filled with tears as her whole body exhaled a lugubrious lament and a vague smell of mud. lugubrious lament and a vague smell of mud.

But she bore the impact with a But she bore the impact with a firmness of character and a bravery firmness of character and a bravery that were admirable. Jose Arcadio felt that were admirable. Jose Arcadio felt himself lifted up into the air toward a himself lifted up into the air toward a state of seraphic inspiration, where state of seraphic inspiration, where his heart burst forth with an his heart burst forth with an outpouring of tender obscenities that outpouring of tender obscenities that entered the girl through her ears and entered the girl through her ears and came out of her mouth translated came out of her mouth translated into her language.”into her language.”

The scene (an evaluation)The scene (an evaluation)• Engages our sensory imagination Engages our sensory imagination

(hearing, touch, sight, smell, even (hearing, touch, sight, smell, even balance)balance)

• Uses metaphors (“seraphic inspiration”)Uses metaphors (“seraphic inspiration”)• In writing this erotic scene, the beauty of In writing this erotic scene, the beauty of

the language in creating vivid imagery the language in creating vivid imagery creates an aesthetically strong creates an aesthetically strong experience.experience.

• Has no dialogue, although talk is impliedHas no dialogue, although talk is implied• This kind of scene could lead to the This kind of scene could lead to the fully fully

developed scene that usually developed scene that usually contains dialogue.contains dialogue.

The Big SceneThe Big Scene

Once you know your characters and their Once you know your characters and their conflicts, you can enter the big scene.conflicts, you can enter the big scene.

Stephen Crane’s “The Blue Hotel.”Stephen Crane’s “The Blue Hotel.” A paranoid Swede expects snowy A paranoid Swede expects snowy

Nebraska to be the wild West where Nebraska to be the wild West where everybody cheats at cards; he trembles everybody cheats at cards; he trembles with fear that someone will kill him, thinks with fear that someone will kill him, thinks he sees people cheat at cards, gets into a he sees people cheat at cards, gets into a fist fight with an innkeeper’s son, wins and fist fight with an innkeeper’s son, wins and then becomes cocky at another bar. Just then becomes cocky at another bar. Just when he celebrates his being a tough guy, when he celebrates his being a tough guy, This is what happens. He insists that a This is what happens. He insists that a gambler drink with him, but he refuses.gambler drink with him, but he refuses.

The Swede drags the gambler from his The Swede drags the gambler from his chair, “’What! You won’t drink with me, chair, “’What! You won’t drink with me, you little dude….There [is] a great you little dude….There [is] a great tumult, and then [is] seen a long blade tumult, and then [is] seen a long blade in the hand of the gambler. It [shoots] in the hand of the gambler. It [shoots] forward, and a human body, this citadel forward, and a human body, this citadel of virtue, wisdom, power, [is] pierced of virtue, wisdom, power, [is] pierced as easily as if it had been a melon. The as easily as if it had been a melon. The Swede [falls] with a cry of supreme Swede [falls] with a cry of supreme astonishment.” The scene goes on.astonishment.” The scene goes on.

Elements of storytelling in the Elements of storytelling in the Big SceneBig Scene

DialogueDialogue Action: the Swede grasps the gamblerAction: the Swede grasps the gambler Body language: “He [stalks] over to the Body language: “He [stalks] over to the

table…”table…” Vivid similes and metaphors: “pierced as Vivid similes and metaphors: “pierced as

easily as if it had been a melon.”easily as if it had been a melon.” Steady POV (objective): “and then was Steady POV (objective): “and then was

seen a long blade.” Theatrical POV But seen a long blade.” Theatrical POV But don’t be lured into using passive voice don’t be lured into using passive voice such as you see here.such as you see here.

Note that the objective narrator is not Note that the objective narrator is not consistent. When the narrator consistent. When the narrator comments, the “human body, this comments, the “human body, this citadel of virtue, wisdom, power…” he citadel of virtue, wisdom, power…” he is intruding, making a judgment about is intruding, making a judgment about the Swede that would be the Swede that would be inappropriate to a pure theatrical inappropriate to a pure theatrical narration. It works here because the narration. It works here because the narrator has been so well established.narrator has been so well established.

Wrap-UpWrap-Up

Summary scenesSummary scenesMinor scenesMinor scenesSilent scenes Silent scenes lead up tolead up tothe BIG SCENEthe BIG SCENERemember, all rules can be broken; Remember, all rules can be broken;

this pattern can be reversed and this pattern can be reversed and work well.work well.