Wing Tip #1: Secrets of Scene

I read almost as many writing books as I read fiction.  So I'll be sharing a tip each week (probably on Thursdays) from what I've learned.  This excerpt comes from a writing conference I attended and unfortunately, I didn't write down the instructor's name.  If I find the brochure, I'll let you know.  This is a tip on working your scenes.

Conflict - Make sure there is some sort of problem, even if it's coming from within your character.

Action - Your character must DO something.

Surprise - We all love this!  Give your reader a bit of surprise.  OR give your character one.

Turn - The main character must enter the scene with one emotion and leave with another.  It can be small or dramatic.  If nothing changes, then nothing happened in the scene.

Senses - It's good to show some of the five senses, but BEST to have all of them.

• Taste - food, gum, drink, blood, OR lack of food - growling stomach and hunger
  
• Smell - coffee, leather, smoke, B.O.
  
• Touch - even the steering wheel or the bumping of gravel when going off the pavement
• Hear - not just who's speaking but other sounds in the scene
• See - let the character see something new, familiar, disturbing, or dull

Keep all these details in mind and your scenes will pop!