Forgotten Bestseller Secrets - Keep 'Em Reading: Lesson 05

THE SCENE AND ITS SEQUEL. Scenes are far beyond just change of scenery on a stage - they are the building blocks of all writing, along with their sequels...

The reason scenes are the building blocks of all stories is seldom told. Because most writers only sense a good scene, but never studied its framework.

You’ve read stories that are riveting, that keep you right to the end and then leave you wanting more. Their authors specifically wrote those in scenes with sequels.

By its name, we know a sequel happens next. And so continues the story. A story is by definition, a character with a conflict - somewhere.

CONFLICT RIVALS CHARACTER as a source of interest in fiction. Man is born to trouble and finds in it his chief interest. In real life, trouble too often takes the form of dull routine.

The reader in his fiction prefers their conflict as more dramatic and emotional. The magazine reader demands emotional release and escape from the monotony of ordinary living.

Fictional characters become more compelling through conflict. Any fight involves at least two. During a struggle of any kind, characters reveal themselves. The contestants in any combat must exhibit purpose, as action always speaks louder than words.

Motion in itself is arresting, and when combined with emotion becomes absorbing. Such action provides movement, which is the basic principle of narrative. And so, conflict in fiction offers an exciting spectacle, shows character to great advantage, and also provides a high rate of movement.

Conflict of characters in fiction is best displayed in the scene.

THE SCENE.

The scene is a unit of plot, a dramatic unit, and has nothing to do with scenery. It uses dramatic action and dialogue, much like a play-by-play description of a sporting contest. This is a story unit which unfolds at a single time, place, with specific characters. But it is more than this.

You can reduce anything that makes sense to a formula. Dramatists long ago discovered the formula for the dramatic scene.

To write successful fiction, master this formula. Know it forwards and backwards.

(We credit John Gallishaw for codifying this formula in his 1928 book, “The Only Two Ways Io Write a Story”)

THE FORMULA FOR THE SCENE is simple. Every dramatic scene exhibits conflict. Two opposing forces define conflict. Whenever two such forces collide, there must be intention, purpose, expressing itself in action. One contestant will triumph, except if it’s a draw. These facts determine the elements or parts of the dramatic scene:

Meeting, or collision.

Intention, or purpose.

Encounter.

Final Action, which decides the contest.

Sequel.

An illustration may be helpful here. If we imagine a prize fight in which a boxer gets knocked out in the first round, we have a perfect pattern of the dramatic scene: The champion and his challenger meet. Each has a purpose, an intention — to knock the other out. They engage in an encounter lasting two minutes. In the last action, the challenger knocks the champion out, and so becomes the winner. The sequel is that the winner gets the lion’s share of the gate receipts and becomes champion.

THE ENCOUNTER HAS ITS FORMULA, as well. In any conflict between human adversaries, there are only a few ways in which one may try to overcome the other:

• He may use physical force to compel.

• He may appeal to his opponent’s reason through argument, interrogation, or by imparting information.

• He may try to impress, influence or overawe his antagonist or attempt persuasion through pleading—thus addressing himself to his adversary’s emotional nature.

These are the six elements of the encounter in any dramatic scene:

The Appeal to Reason:

• Interrogation.

• Information.

• Argument.

The Appeal to Emotion:

• Persuasion.

• Influence.

The Appeal to Force:

• Compulsion.

Writers might use one, several, or all six methods; sequence is up to them. Repeat this method as needed within a single encounter. This gives the scene great flexibility.

The First Action which decides or ends the encounter may take one of three forms, since the chief character must either win, lose or quit. One of those three things must happen.

THE COMPLETE FORMULA FOR THE SCENE:

Meeting—of the two forces (emotions) involved in the conflict.

Purpose.

Encounter, containing these elements:

attempts—

- to interrogate, or seek information;

- to inform, or convey information;

- to overcome by argument or logic, to convince;

- to persuade;

- to influence, impress;

- to compel.

Last Action (win, lose or quit).

Sequel.

Every writer should commit this formula to memory. It is helpful to post a copy above your own work desk to serve as a constant reminder of the possibilities of the scene. Powerful scenes and characters can offset weak plots. Powerful scenes are essential for a successful plot. So, no matter what kind of fiction you attempt, mastery of the scene is indispensable.

The encounter’s components needn’t follow the presented order. A scene uses only one to three of its potential elements. Also, only one of the three forms of the last action can occur in any one scene. The order of the five main parts of the scene is also variable. Thus, the meeting may precede the purpose, or the purpose may bring about the meeting. Sometimes the scene may imply or omit one or more of its five parts. But to begin with, plan and write your scenes out so that everyone contains a meeting, a purpose, an encounter, a final action and a sequel.

The Sequel Or Aftermath.

Whatever else you may imply or omit from the scene, you can rarely dispense with the sequel or aftermath. Its purpose differs from the scene’s four other segments. The first four parts of the scene (meeting, purpose, encounter and final action) arouse interest. That is their principal function, and wherever you require intense interest, you must make the most of these four parts.

The sequel’s main purpose is plausibility. Without good sequels, it is impossible to make the reader believe in your tall tale. In fact, a plot comprises the sequels of scenes. Each sequel, except the last, is the doorway to a new scene. A knocked-out prizefighter, upon waking in his dressing room, might feel cheated and seek a rematch. His resolve is the sequel of the first scene in which he got knocked out, but it also then leads to a second scene—a second bout with his rival.

The function of the scene’s sequel is to show the character’s reaction to what has happened. It includes the dilemma he’s found himself in, and so develops his purpose for the scene to follow. Thus, the sequel forms the link which fastens scenes together. Once you grasp this fact, you will have little difficulty in binding your scenes together into the sequence called a plot. It is through the sequels of scenes that writers make their scenes “hang together.”

Further, the proportioning of scene-to-sequel determines your novel’s pacing.

That is: emphasis on scene, emphasis on the conflict element, emphasis on the struggle between your two forces – this builds action and excitement and speeds up your story.

Emphasis on the following sequel gives you the logic and the believability of your story.

From this, you derive the formula for emphasis on constructing scenes:

• To intensify interest, develop the first four parts of the scene (meeting, purpose, encounter and final action).

• To increase plausibility, develop the fifth part of your scene (sequel).

• To tie the scenes into a plot, develop the sequels of your scenes.

A fair scene leaves the reader thinking, “It might have happened that way’’; a good scene leaves the reader thinking, “Of course, it would have happened that way’’; an excellent scene leaves the reader thinking, ‘“That is the only way it could have happened.” Apply this test to every scene you write.

Sequel Use in Plotting.

Above, I showed that the sequels of scenes make up the binding elements that link scenes together, creating plot continuity.

Having failed in one scene to achieve his purpose, our hero in the sequel must resolve upon a new attempt, this new attempt to be developed into a following scene. Thus the sequels of scenes have vital importance for plotting in every sort of fiction. Frequently, these sequels are longer than the scenes they follow.

This is particularly true of the sequels to the concluding scenes of the three main divisions (Beginning, Middle, End) of a story.

The sequels of scenes show what state of affairs, the hero’s plight. Successful plotting, therefore, depends perhaps more upon the proper handling of sequels of scenes than upon any other one thing. Of course the scenes should be in themselves convincing.

Additional Scene-Sequel Devices

Adhesive Incidents.

Besides scenes, simple incidents may stick a plot together now and then. For example, let us suppose one man threatens another. In the incident, the threatened man does not resist. The incident is not exciting for the hero, yet the reader may find it thrilling despite the lack of conflict. Especially where the hero is unprepared for the impending disaster.

Even happenings, though less often used, may have this adhesive quality.

Overlapping Paragraphs.

Well-written stories use transitional words or phrases where paragraphs end. These hint at upcoming content. Preparing in one paragraph for the next are called overlapping paragraphs.

For example, near the end of one paragraph, you find the words: “It was odd that Mary had mentioned Jim; Elinor had not thought of him for months, she,told herself.” In the next paragraph you find something like this: “The usual crowd were at the dance. Yet the first person she saw there was Jim!”

In making transitions by indicating time (a favorite device), the beginner will do well to avoid obvious statements such as “Five hours later...” Instead, opt for a smoother approach that considers the character, such as this: “Joe was still feeling sick five hours later, when...”

Emotional Rhythm.

To carry your reader with you and avoid disturbing his progress through your story, improve pace and timing. Use such rhythm and cadence to the emotion you wish him to feel. This will avoid a jerky or too slow advance. To assure this, strive for a flowing style in which the words ripple along and carry the reader with them.

Every device used to create smooth transitions should provide plausibility. One thought or feeling departs human consciousness. Its successor must remain similar. Transition between emotions and story phases to avoid jarring the reader.

You should exercise versatility and ingenuity in doing this.

Discovery-and-Reversal.

As we have seen, the basic elements of fiction are interest (surprise) and plausibility (familiarity).

One device combines these elements. Since Aristotle, it has been called Discovery-and-Revolution, or Recognition-and-Reversal. I prefer to call this device Discovery-and-Reversal.

By Discovery, we mean that a character in the story finds out something which causes him to change his mind or his intention towards some other character. By Reversal, we mean the change is so caused.

Each Discovery might surprise the reader. Or it might please them because they already knew what the character just learned. Unexpected Reversals, while also surprising, feel natural after the initial shock.

From this, it’s clear that a handled Discovery-and-Reversal provides both pleasures to the reader.

There are four types of Discovery-and-Reversal, as outlined by Aristotle, since we can only act or not act, knowing or unknowingly.

The four types are:

The character makes a Discovery and then experiences a Reversal of intention. For example, Cleopatra Discovers Antony is about to abandon her. She then shifts from flattery to an alternative approach, in order to keep his love.

The character acts in ignorance and makes the Discovery later. For example, a criminal shoots a man whom he supposes to be a detective, and then discovers that he has killed his pal.

The character makes a Discovery, but goes through with his original intention. Just as a young man takes a seat, he sees his rival’s hat on the chair. Delighted, he sits on the hat.

The character makes a Discovery, but does not carry out his original intention. Thus Hamlet finds his enemy, the king, at prayer, and could kill him. Hamlet weakly refrains and makes excuses for letting the king live.

Every compelling plot, whether comic or tragic, must include one or more Discoveries-and-Reversals. That’s how writers introduce every delightful surprise in characterization.

Playwrights build every great scene to include Discoveries-and-Reversals, to a greater or lesser extent.

I saved this key plotting tool for last. Remember its value when building characters, composing scenes, and constructing plots.

Without Discoveries-and-Reversals, the art of fiction is impossible. Included and properly handled, everything falls into place. A single good Discovery-and-Reversal will provide the turning point of a plot, provide pivotal characterization, and provide the climax of a scene.

And so, be on the lookout for Discoveries-and-Reversals. In every form of fiction, they provide the groundwork.

The point is this: to begin a story, invent a Discovery-and Reversal; that will start things moving. To provide a complication, make up a good Discovery-and-Reversal. To solve your hero’s problem, imagine a suitable Discovery-and-Reversal.

For Discovery-and-Reversal-of-Intention not combines action, characterization and a turning point of the plot, but also is a never-failing fountain of emotion. This is your main reliance on working for plausibility.

Some readers will believe what you tell them, maybe; some readers will believe what you can make them see: but every reader will believe whatever you can make him feel.

Good fiction’s fundamental principle, a classic proverb, should guide your stories: “Seeing is believing, but feeling hath no fellow.” Without it, you have no story.

In short, you can do anything with the fiction device known as Discovery-and-Reversal; and you can do nothing without it.

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Now we have the bulk of everything to write with. Next: it's how to write in the most efficient and effective way possible.

The muse is on your shoulder, dictating – how do you proceed to keep up with her pace?

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