 Drama: November 06, 2012 Issue [#5351] |
  Drama
This week: One Scene at a Time Edited by: Kate - Writing & Reading  
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"When asked, 'How do you write?'
I invariably answer, 'one word at a time.'"
Stephen King
Welcome to this week's edition of the WDC Drama Newsletter. I'm honored to be your guest host, and invite you to explore with me a building block to insinuating drama into our writing. |
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Greetings, to paraphrase Mr. King's statement above, consider this:
How do I write drama? One scene at a time!
Makes sense, doesn't it??
A scene is a bite-sized portion of a play, a story, a poem. A scene doesn't just appear on a page, but is woven of words and images we, the writers put to paper (or computer).
So, what's a scene? It's a single event that moves the story, poem, play forward. I see a scene as akin to flash fiction, a chapter in a story, a stanza (or two) in a poem. I once submitted the start of a novel in a seminar to a well-published author who commended me for my lyrical writing, even saying she wished she could write lyric prose thus; then followed praise with, "...but where's the scene."
Tough love, and an effective, memorable lesson. A scene is akin to a short play and, like the complete story, poem or plan in which it appears, it has a beginning, middle and end. It can be a stanza, a few paragraphs, or several pages long. And yes, we want drama in the scene, moving it forward with passion, with action, with pathos, as befits our work-in-progress.
A dramatic scene will have one or more of the following:
 An action sequence, between several characters or one individual's conflict;
Dialogue exchange;
Tension - focusing on on dramatic moment or event; and/or
Be set in a particular time and/or place.
So, we're back to the idea that a scene, particularly a dramatic scene, has tension. It engages the characters or idea, and draws the reader in; makes him/her care about what's happening. So crafting a scene is like crafting the story/poem itself.
Is the tension immediate. Can make the scene more dramatic, funnier, more embarrassing?
Is dialogue effective, convincing?
Does the scene reveal character?
Does the scene present information that's important, vital?
Does the scene incite questions and keep the reader involved?
If, reading what you just wrote, you don't see the above qualities in the scene, and you want a dramatic scene to engage the character and reader , it's time for the dreaded re-write. I like to read aloud and see if I can hear the voices, see the action, and feel the drama, the tension developing. Then on to the next scene, to see if a question is resolved, the drama increased or decreased, before the next dramatic event.
Without drama, characters (and readers) get out of the story and may or may not make the effort to re-engage the story. So, write that scene with dramatic tension and move on to the next, and the next, and the next...
Write On
Kate
Kate - Writing & Reading
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Now, I invite you to read some dramatic scenes as woven by several members of our Community. See if the drama holds you in the story. Let the writers know if they've kept you in, with a comment or perchance a review Then, weave a story or poem of your own and share in the the challenge I offer for your muse dramatic
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Although as a guest host, I don't have a standard Ask & Answer, I'd like to share with you some comments to our exploration last month of the monologue and a rant as dramatic devices. Please take a moment to visit with the writers here as well and engage their dramatic work.
From: readsalot
Thank you for your advice it will reaally help me in my books.
I'm glad you found the exploration useful and look forward to reading your books. Do share!
From: writetight
Your newsletter on monologue was interesting. I used to use 'poetic license', but it expired, and I couldn't get it renewed.
I'm glad you had fun with the exploration. By the way, I just presume my 'poetic license' is perpetual.
From: NickiD89 
I've never included a monologue or rant in a story, but your description of both made me think what a fun exercise writing one would be as a means of fleshing out a character. Let him or her go off, and find out what s/he is really thinking! Sounds fun!!
I'm glad you had fun with the exercise, and look forward to reading some of the internal workings and dramatic rants of your characters.
Thank you for sharing this exploration with me. I leave you with high praise for our valiant 2012 NaNoWriMo authors, with dramatic emphasis:
"NaNo, NaNo" 
Write On!!
Kate
Kate - Writing & Reading
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