I find myself skipping many scenes in my writing as itâs overwhelming for me to write all I want in a scene. So, what are ways that a writer can break down a scene to its key components?
If something is truly overwhelming then there are two potential problems and solutions: either a type of anxiety (or related issue) is preventing you from organizing and/or processing the info you need to get across, or youâre trying to fit way too much into single scenes and it needs to be broken up.
If your own brain is getting in the way:
Skeleton Write. Skeleton writing is a term for when you get out the bare bones of the scene:
Basic setting and sparse description
Clear dialogue of what absolutely needs to be said
Any facts the reader is supposed to learn
Itâs kind of like writing a play with stage direction and a list of facts on the side. Then you go back and add meat with description and action, more voice and variation to dialogue, and turn those facts into good exposition.
Skeleton writing is just a super fleshed-out (ha) outline for the scene and is also a good method for stress testing entire stories. Many writers learn that they have some big problems halfway through their work, so taking the time to sit down and really plot it out can help prevent some last-minute issues. Think of it like draft 0.5.Â
If youâre trying to fit too much into a scene then:
Find the point of the scene and stick to it. Not accounting for specifics of genre or a certain writing style, novel chapters should generally be between 2,000 to 5,000 words and contain 2-3 scenes. Thatâs not really a lot of space and the reason for that is because scenes exist to fulfill a purpose and once that purpose is fulfilled, they end. Make sure you can identify a clear purpose for each scene you write. There can be more than one purpose, but they must be tied together in a way that makes sense for the scene. Stay on topic.
Think critically about the information youâre trying to deliver. Exposition and general information should be woven through a story to avoid info-dumps but info-dumping can also take the form of an overly packed scene. If you canât pinpoint a single focal point for each scene you write, then youâre likely trying to pack way too much info into a single scene and it needs to be broken up. If youâre overwhelmed, then itâs highly likely your reader would be too. You might need to break up your scenes or reshuffle the pace of information.
Itâs not about including âall you wantâ in a scene but âall it needsâ. Why are those other scenes easier to write? Do they have more action or dialogue and less exposition? If youâre finding that some scenes are way too info-heavy then you can try offloading some of the information onto the other scenes. What the writer wants to write about and what the story needs are sometimes at odds, so make sure those easier-to-write scenes are pulling their weight and not just pushing all the plot and information onto some of the others scenes.
Good luck with your scenes!
Thinking of asking a question? Please read the Rules and Considerations to make sure Iâm the right resource, and check the Tag List to see if your question has already been asked. If you can give back, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or via Venmo Username: JustAWritingAid