STORYBOARDS – SCENES & CHAPTERS
Whether or not you’ve chosen to develop your entire plot, including a list of the scenes you plan to include, you will need to consider each individual scene. First a few “rules of thumb” about scenes and chapters. In short genre books, mysteries, short westerns, romances, ect.), it’s usual for all your chapters to have approximately equal length. In other forms of fiction, this is less observed. However, if you’re writing within a genre for a certain market, you probably don’t want to have chapters that are of wildly different lengths.
An average chapter will be between 18-25 ms. Pages (double spaced). There are probably TONS of exceptions to this, but this is the general rule.
Usually, there will be an average of three scenes per chapters. This is a TRUE average, meaning that in emotional sections of your book, you might have 2- or even 1 – scenes that take up a whole chapter. In others, where you’re presenting info and transitional material, you might have 5-6 scenes per chapter. However, if you have a lot of chapters with 5-6 scenes, you should consider the possibility that the effect will be one of choppiness. If you have lots of chapters with 1-2 scenes, then the effect might be rather slow.
What’s a scene? It’s a unit of time/place and (usually) characters. That is, the introduction of a new character can, in effect, create a new scene, whether or not the location and the tie change. Just because there is no scene break (skipped space in print) doesn’t mean that the scene hasn’t changed. A simple transition may do it. (After finishing her chores, Matilda strolled out to the coral.)
Scenes are the building block of your book. This is how you’ll want to think of your book – in terms of these individual units. Before you begin to write a scene, you should probably have an idea of its purpose (another obvious statement!)
Purpose List
* Forwards the plot (external framework), sets up subsequent events/ plants a clue or red herring
* Demonstrates something important about a character (i.e., shows him/her involved with profession, relationship to child, etc.)
* Reveals her to heroine or vice versa (or both).
* Gives readers new information about hero/heroine.
* Forwards the relationship/boosts emotion temperature and/or sexual tension between hero and heroine.
* Increases or (temporarily) diminishes internal conflict.
NOTE: Except for very short transitional scenes, each scene should accomplish AT LEAST 3 OF THE ABOVE.
In addition to understanding your purpose in writing the scene, you need to have an idea of WHAT happens? Where? When? What is learned? External consequences. Emotional consequences.
Before writing a scene – or afterward, either immediately, afterward, or during the revision process (depending on how you work) – you should consider the scene in light of the following questions
Can I pack more of the purposes listed above into this scene? (The more purposes accomplished, the stronger the scene.)
What else might I accomplish with this scene? (Description, ambiance, historical info, etc.)
Has it changed the emotional level or is it static?
Is the emotional result of the scene what I need it to be at this point in the book?
Do I have too many emotions in this scene?
Here's a helpful exercise. Take any small book (preferably less than 200 pages) then grab some paper clips and clip each chapter together. Within each chapter, note the scene breaks (blank line between scenes). Don't read anything just yet, not until you've noticed where all the scenes are. Once you've done that, then go to chapter 1 and read the first scene. What's it about? Sum it up in three words. EX: John buys gun, John shoots bear, John rescues sue. Do that scene by scene and you'll eventually start to notice a plot taking shape. When you're done, you'll have the outline for how that book was put together. This is generally what I've been doing for my story. I list each chapter and I sum up each scene in no more than one sentence.
Lastly, here’s some highly suggested reading for you guys. These books can be easily found on Amazon:
TECHNIQUES OF THE SELLING WRITER – DWIGHT SWAIN
SCENE AND STRUCTURE – JACK BICKHAM
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
My Review - The Vigilante's Bride by Yvonne Harris
Set in the wild frontiers of Montana in the 1880s, The Vigilante’s Bride is a western-themed romance story about a cowboy, named Luke Sullivan, and a young woman, named Emily McCarthy. The plot starts off when Luke robs a stagecoach on Christmas Eve, in the hopes of reclaiming the money that was stolen from his father. Instead, he ends up rescuing the feisty young Emily, who was on her way to be married to Luke’s dangerous enemy. At first she doesn’t appreciate her so-called rescue, but as time goes on, Emily learns there’s more to the mysterious Luke than meets the eye. She soon finds herself falling for him, as he just might be the man of her dreams. But Luke has crossed a very dangerous man, who’s not used to losing. And Emily is a prize he’s not willing to sacrifice.
Although romance isn’t my particular favorite genre, I have to say I did enjoy reading this novel and I’m glad I stepped outside my preference circle to try something new. The pace was easy to follow and the writing was clear and easy to grasp. Yvonne has done a great job of immersing the reader in a literary world that holds true to what the Montana territory was like in those wild days. The characters seem genuine in the way they behaved and spoke. I also enjoyed seeing the relationship between Emily and Luke gradually develop along with the storyline. But for me, it was the gunfights and action sequences that I enjoyed most.
Will I read another romance novel any time soon? Probably not, but only because, as I said earlier, romance isn’t my particular favorite genre. However, it was nice to see what else was out there beyond my normal preference. I did take a writers class, this past summer, where I had the chance to study with the author and her expertise, as a writer, really shows through in this book. If you see The Vigilante’s Bride, in your local bookstores or library, pick it up and give a read. If you’re into romance or western stories, this book is definitely for you. And even if you’re not into romance, give it a try anyway – you might enjoy as much as I did.
Although romance isn’t my particular favorite genre, I have to say I did enjoy reading this novel and I’m glad I stepped outside my preference circle to try something new. The pace was easy to follow and the writing was clear and easy to grasp. Yvonne has done a great job of immersing the reader in a literary world that holds true to what the Montana territory was like in those wild days. The characters seem genuine in the way they behaved and spoke. I also enjoyed seeing the relationship between Emily and Luke gradually develop along with the storyline. But for me, it was the gunfights and action sequences that I enjoyed most.
Will I read another romance novel any time soon? Probably not, but only because, as I said earlier, romance isn’t my particular favorite genre. However, it was nice to see what else was out there beyond my normal preference. I did take a writers class, this past summer, where I had the chance to study with the author and her expertise, as a writer, really shows through in this book. If you see The Vigilante’s Bride, in your local bookstores or library, pick it up and give a read. If you’re into romance or western stories, this book is definitely for you. And even if you’re not into romance, give it a try anyway – you might enjoy as much as I did.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
A Contagious Case of Stupidity
Is the whole world becoming dumber and crazier or is it just me? Thanks to youtube working in tangent with mass media, it seems everyone has their opportunity at fame. However, some people who achieve overnight internet fame get noticed for reasons that just make me think... What the hell is wrong with these guys?
I recently saw some reports on the morning news about two individuals that brought to mind the words of comedian Ron White when he said, "You can't fix stupid." Those words certainly ring true in these cases.
The first incident took place at an Ohio McDonalds drive-through when a women (Melodi Dushane) ordered some chicken nuggets at 6:20am along with some other dinner items. But little did she know that McDonalds stopped serving dinner items after 2am. When the McDonalds employee informed her that chicken nuggets weren't available she flew into a total rage and began arguing with the people at the drive-through. She then began punching and assaulting an employee through the drive-up window. The incident ended after the psychotic chicken-craving lunatic threw a bottle through the window, shattering it to pieces. She was later arrested and charged with assault. Her punishment: 60 days in jail and she had to pay $1500 to cover the damage she caused.
My Opinion: Seriously!? If you think those deep-fried bits of gray chicken-ish frankenstein meat are worth going to jail over then you really are stupid. Although Melodi claims she was drunk at the time so that explains a lot.
You can view the video here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPVQHNSGt0k
The Second incident has drawn much more publich attention. A seemingly normal flight from Pittsburg to New York ended in a rather dramatic way when a passenger and a flight attendant, identified as Steven Slater, got into an argument. It started when the passenger retrieved some baggage from the overhead compartment and accidently hit Steven in the head. When the passenger refused to apologize, Steven got angry and started arguing and cursing at the passenger. He then got on the plane intercom system and cursed out everyone on the plane. He then proceeded to grab some beers and then opened the emergency shoot and slid down off the plane and calmly walked across the tarmac. Police later arrested him at his home. But he's not all sorry for what he did. In fact, police said he had a big smile on his face when the came to get him. Steven's dramatic breakdown on the job has made him an overnight internet celebrity. People are championing him as a working-class hero while others are labeling him an unstable lunatic who just snapped.
Check out the story:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/steven-slater-jetblue-flight-attendant-free-plans-hit/story?id=11374234
My Opinion: While I truly understand that some customers and people can be real douchebags, I think he did go a bit overboard but I can certainly understand why he did it. Personally, I'd love to curse out my boss and walk off the job in a dramatic fashion but I'm not willing to get arrested in the process.
These incidents have got me thinking about what kind of country we're quickly becoming. Seems we're getting dumber and angrier and common sense is becoming less common.
I recently saw some reports on the morning news about two individuals that brought to mind the words of comedian Ron White when he said, "You can't fix stupid." Those words certainly ring true in these cases.
The first incident took place at an Ohio McDonalds drive-through when a women (Melodi Dushane) ordered some chicken nuggets at 6:20am along with some other dinner items. But little did she know that McDonalds stopped serving dinner items after 2am. When the McDonalds employee informed her that chicken nuggets weren't available she flew into a total rage and began arguing with the people at the drive-through. She then began punching and assaulting an employee through the drive-up window. The incident ended after the psychotic chicken-craving lunatic threw a bottle through the window, shattering it to pieces. She was later arrested and charged with assault. Her punishment: 60 days in jail and she had to pay $1500 to cover the damage she caused.
My Opinion: Seriously!? If you think those deep-fried bits of gray chicken-ish frankenstein meat are worth going to jail over then you really are stupid. Although Melodi claims she was drunk at the time so that explains a lot.
You can view the video here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPVQHNSGt0k
The Second incident has drawn much more publich attention. A seemingly normal flight from Pittsburg to New York ended in a rather dramatic way when a passenger and a flight attendant, identified as Steven Slater, got into an argument. It started when the passenger retrieved some baggage from the overhead compartment and accidently hit Steven in the head. When the passenger refused to apologize, Steven got angry and started arguing and cursing at the passenger. He then got on the plane intercom system and cursed out everyone on the plane. He then proceeded to grab some beers and then opened the emergency shoot and slid down off the plane and calmly walked across the tarmac. Police later arrested him at his home. But he's not all sorry for what he did. In fact, police said he had a big smile on his face when the came to get him. Steven's dramatic breakdown on the job has made him an overnight internet celebrity. People are championing him as a working-class hero while others are labeling him an unstable lunatic who just snapped.
Check out the story:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/steven-slater-jetblue-flight-attendant-free-plans-hit/story?id=11374234
My Opinion: While I truly understand that some customers and people can be real douchebags, I think he did go a bit overboard but I can certainly understand why he did it. Personally, I'd love to curse out my boss and walk off the job in a dramatic fashion but I'm not willing to get arrested in the process.
These incidents have got me thinking about what kind of country we're quickly becoming. Seems we're getting dumber and angrier and common sense is becoming less common.
Friday, June 11, 2010
My Review: The Giver - By Lowis Lowry
When I was in middle school, I read a book called "The Giver," by Lowis Lowry. This was a required reading for our lesson plan. And I'm glad it was. This novel was the first to capture my imagination and give me an appreciation for creative fiction. Years later, as a young adult, I re-read this story and it was just as enjoyable now as it was then.
The premise of this story centers on a young boy, named Jonas, and the community in which he lives. At first glance, his community appears to be a utopia; there's no war, no pain or suffering. But when you look deeper you soon realize Jonas' world isn't as utopian as it looks. Although there's no suffering, there's no love and no free choices either. Everything from jobs, and homes, to spouses and children are all assigned, not chosen. This is done under the seemingly noble intention of keeping people from making the wrong choices.
When Jonas turns twelve, he is selected to receive special training from a man called the giver. The giver holds all the memories of true pain, suffering, love, joy, and all the things that other members of the community have long forgotten. Jonas is selected to be his successor. As Jonas receives knowledge from the giver, he slowly becomes aware of how superficial and shallow the people in his community are.
I enjoyed this book because of its unique storyline and setting. A world with no emotion, no free will, no freedom of choice, and no individuality seems like the stuff of true fantasy. Lois Lowry portrays such a world in striking detail but also does an equally good job of helping the reader relate to Jonas and his journey. This was what I found most enjoyable about the book. You really get the sense of frustration Jonas has as he awakens from his ignorance and gains a new awareness of his world but is unable to share his experience with his fellow community members. This ultimately ends up alienating him from his friends and family.
Although The Giver won the Newberry Award for best contribution to children's literature, it's not without its controversies. Since this book deals with mature subjects, such as euthanasia, infanticide, and suicide, some school districts have banned it because parents complained that these subject matters were not appropriate for children. Some have even gone so far as to suggest that this book promoted communism! However, I'm glad that I had the opportunity to read this book when I was middle school. I feel that this story gave me a great appreciation for creative fiction but also expanded my view of the world. Just as Jonas' perception of the world had also changed. This book was written well and simply enough that I was able to grasp these serious subjects with little trouble. I have no doubt that children, who read this, will also be able to understand the mature subject matter. Some may not be comfortable exposing their kids to that stuff but they will learn about it eventually, just as Jonas found out the truth for himself.
This book was the first piece of intellectual material I ever read. It enriched my knowledge and I am thankful for having been exposed to it at an early age. Whether you like it or not, The Giver, by Lois Lowry, will definitely leave a lasting impression that anyone of any age can appreciate.
The premise of this story centers on a young boy, named Jonas, and the community in which he lives. At first glance, his community appears to be a utopia; there's no war, no pain or suffering. But when you look deeper you soon realize Jonas' world isn't as utopian as it looks. Although there's no suffering, there's no love and no free choices either. Everything from jobs, and homes, to spouses and children are all assigned, not chosen. This is done under the seemingly noble intention of keeping people from making the wrong choices.
When Jonas turns twelve, he is selected to receive special training from a man called the giver. The giver holds all the memories of true pain, suffering, love, joy, and all the things that other members of the community have long forgotten. Jonas is selected to be his successor. As Jonas receives knowledge from the giver, he slowly becomes aware of how superficial and shallow the people in his community are.
I enjoyed this book because of its unique storyline and setting. A world with no emotion, no free will, no freedom of choice, and no individuality seems like the stuff of true fantasy. Lois Lowry portrays such a world in striking detail but also does an equally good job of helping the reader relate to Jonas and his journey. This was what I found most enjoyable about the book. You really get the sense of frustration Jonas has as he awakens from his ignorance and gains a new awareness of his world but is unable to share his experience with his fellow community members. This ultimately ends up alienating him from his friends and family.
Although The Giver won the Newberry Award for best contribution to children's literature, it's not without its controversies. Since this book deals with mature subjects, such as euthanasia, infanticide, and suicide, some school districts have banned it because parents complained that these subject matters were not appropriate for children. Some have even gone so far as to suggest that this book promoted communism! However, I'm glad that I had the opportunity to read this book when I was middle school. I feel that this story gave me a great appreciation for creative fiction but also expanded my view of the world. Just as Jonas' perception of the world had also changed. This book was written well and simply enough that I was able to grasp these serious subjects with little trouble. I have no doubt that children, who read this, will also be able to understand the mature subject matter. Some may not be comfortable exposing their kids to that stuff but they will learn about it eventually, just as Jonas found out the truth for himself.
This book was the first piece of intellectual material I ever read. It enriched my knowledge and I am thankful for having been exposed to it at an early age. Whether you like it or not, The Giver, by Lois Lowry, will definitely leave a lasting impression that anyone of any age can appreciate.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Let Me See If I Got This Right...
My aunt sent me this post. I believe this accurately portrays our country's failed immigration policies. Most of the countries on this list are considered sponsors of terrorism yet they make a greater effort to secure their boarders than we do. The original poster is right about one thing... WAKE UP AMERICA!
"To the world you may be one person, to one person you may be the world"
LET ME SEE IF I GOT THIS RIGHT
IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR.
IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.
IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.
IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE JAILED.
IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN.
IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED.
IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE THROWN INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.
IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET ---
* A JOB
* A DRIVERS LICENSE
* SOCIAL SECURITY CARD
* WELFARE
* FOOD STAMPS
* CREDIT CARDS
* SUBSIDIZED RENT OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE
* FREE EDUCATION
* FREE HEALTH CARE
* A LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON
* BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS PRINTED IN YOUR LANGUAGE
* THE RIGHT TO CARRY YOUR COUNTRY'S FLAG WHILE YOU PROTEST THAT YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH RESPECT
* AND, IN MANY INSTANCES, YOU CAN VOTE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD A FIRM GRASP ON THE SITUATION.
PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING ....FORWARD TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
**IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP AMERICA !!!!!!!!!!!!*
"To the world you may be one person, to one person you may be the world"
LET ME SEE IF I GOT THIS RIGHT
IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR.
IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.
IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.
IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE JAILED.
IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN.
IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED.
IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE THROWN INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.
IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET ---
* A JOB
* A DRIVERS LICENSE
* SOCIAL SECURITY CARD
* WELFARE
* FOOD STAMPS
* CREDIT CARDS
* SUBSIDIZED RENT OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE
* FREE EDUCATION
* FREE HEALTH CARE
* A LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON
* BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS PRINTED IN YOUR LANGUAGE
* THE RIGHT TO CARRY YOUR COUNTRY'S FLAG WHILE YOU PROTEST THAT YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH RESPECT
* AND, IN MANY INSTANCES, YOU CAN VOTE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD A FIRM GRASP ON THE SITUATION.
PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING ....FORWARD TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
**IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP AMERICA !!!!!!!!!!!!*
Hello Everyone
For those of you who don't know who I am, this is my official introduction. My name is Dave, I'm a writer, creator, and dreamer. I've had a creative capacity my whole life. My taste in art spans across several mediums, including paintings, photography, films, music, and literature. Right now, I'm in the process of writing my first novel and I hope to write more. I even created a personal website to showcase samples of my writing. Please be sure to check it out and let me know what you think.
dp-authoring.tripod.com
dp-authoring.tripod.com
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