The Scene Book A Primer for the Fiction Writer

A treasure-trove of scene-writing wisdom from award-winning author and teacher Sandra ScofieldTo write a good scene, you have to know the following: • Every scene has an EVENT • Every scene has a FUNCTION in the narrative • Every scene has a STRUCTURE: a beginning, middle, and end • Every scene has a PULSE The Scene Bookis a fundamental guide to crafting more effective scenes in fiction. In clear, simple language, Sandra Scofield shows both the beginner and the seasoned writer how to build better scenes, the underpinning of any good narrative.

Sandra Scofield is the award-winning author of seven novels and a memoir, and is a popular workshop instructor for the Iowa Summer Writing Festival and other conferences.

Introduction : the reading writer
The scene primer : sense and structure
The basics : basic concepts about scenes	p. 3
Event and meaning : how actions add up in scenes	p. 22
Beats : how a strong central event can be broken down into beats	p. 42
The focal point : a place where a scene converges and turns	p. 54
The heart of a scene
Pulse : how the pulse carries action and emotion	p. 59
Tension : how tension increases reader involvement	p. 72
Negotiation : an alternative view of conflict	p. 92
Images : writing that appeals to the senses	p. 106
Some useful scene skills
Scene activity and character response	p. 125
Scene openings : establishing scene elements in opening lines	p. 142
Big scenes : scenes that have many characters	p. 156
Moving to independent study
Reading for story and scene : learning to read scenes as a writer	p. 175
Evaluation : using various templates to evaluate your own writing	p. 180
Scenarios : a helpful accessory to planning narratives	p. 189
Sample scenes
From more than allies	p. 195
From opal on dry ground	p. 204
"Shout"	p. 211
"Cartography of a heart"	p. 218
Further reading
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster boy	p. 229
Catherine, called Birdy	p. 229
The smell of the night	p. 230
Child of my heart	p. 230
Lost in the city : stories	p. 231
Breathing lessons	p. 232
Bodily harm	p. 233
Birds of America	p. 233
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.

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The Scene Book A Primer for the Fiction Writer

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials