Tips on how to preserve factors in your story with scene targets
Imagine visiting a soccer game without rules. I don't know anything about you, but there is a limit to how excited I could be if I see a couple of men walking around with no specific goal in mind. Really, it would be pointless except for the tight pants.
What makes the game worth seeing is knowing that your team has a goal and that there is an opposing team that is trying to prevent them from reaching it. This pulls you to the edge of your seat, screams and pumps your fist into the air.
It is the same when you read fiction. If the author hasn't told you how to keep the score, you can't know if the characters are closer or further from achieving their goals, and there's little reason to worry about it.
So if you are sitting in the author's place, make sure that this does not happen.
Set a goal for each scene
A story is about a character who wants something and how to deal with the obstacles that stand in the way of reaching it. Each scene must bring them closer to or further from the goal. In this case, readers need to know your character's goal, otherwise the events of the scene will be tantamount to a group of sweaty men running senselessly on the field.
In addition to the goals of the intermediate scene, there is a final goal that your character wants to achieve. As your character grows and changes, this end goal can change as the story develops.
For example, at the beginning of Tootsie's film, Michael Dorsey's goal is to raise $ 9,000 so that he can produce Jeff's play. Throughout the story, his goal will be to win Julie's love.
It is best to set the final goal early in the story and the scene goals at the beginning of each scene. These need not be given bare, but should be clear to the reader.
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A story is about a character who wants something and how to deal with the obstacles that stand in the way of reaching it. Each scene must bring them closer to or further from the goal.
Big goal, small steps
Just like setting goals for your own life, the end goal must be broken down into a number of intermediate goals. Let's look at an example.
Jerry needs to find a way to get through the wire fence (waypoint) to get to the open window of the house (waypoint) so that he can spy on the meeting and discover the villain's plan (waypoint) so he can prevent you from that it happens (ultimate goal).
In my thriller Steadman & # 39; s Blind, Steadman has to learn how to play Texas Hold & # 39; em (stopover) so that he can win poker and convert his small bet to $ 10,000 (stopover) and get a seat at the big table Boy can buy (intermediate goal)), so that he can win and pay off his brother-in-law's gaming debt (final goal).
Of course, it doesn't work that way, and when conflicts arise and circumstances change (very much!), Steadman's goals also change, so I had to let my readers know how to keep points.
Goals lead to questions
Readers flick through the pages to find answers to questions about history. No questions, no page sheets. Keep asking the questions and ask new questions as soon as the answers are revealed.
And all questions boil down to this: will the character achieve its goal?
Remember that your protagonist is not the only one with goals. Every character that flows into your story has goals that he wants to achieve. It is the contradicting directions of these goals that make up history.
The goals give your readers something to enjoy when your character is successful, and something to worry about when they don't. Mix it and give both, but the more your readers worry, the more committed she will be.
flow of information
Storytelling is uncovering information. The way you provide this information is known as the flow of information. There are three key areas to consider in terms of goals.
- As an author, you should know the goals of all characters at all times. This drives the story forward, moves it forward and keeps it on track.
- Readers should know the character's immediate and ultimate goals, or at least have a good grasp of them. There will be times when this knowledge is delayed to build tension, but the reader needs to know the character Has a goal and an indication of what that goal might be. If the writing is convincing enough, the reader will be given some leeway, but this goodwill will not last forever. Give your reader what he needs.
- Characters should always know their immediate goal and believe that it will help them achieve their ultimate goal. as you understand it then.
Pitfalls to avoid
Note the common mistake that the goal is obvious when it isn't. Don't feed your reader with a spoon, but make sure they understand your character's goal.
No character should be in a story just because you need it to be there. Each character on the page must have their own reason to be there and achieve their own goal.
For example, if your character's boat sinks and she clings to her last piece of flotsam when another boat appears out of nowhere, it seems to be made up and doesn't suit your reader well.
But when the driver of this second boat came out to check his lobster traps with the goal of launching a lobster catch, the scene is more believable. Give each character a goal.
Once your reader knows how to hold dots, she can slide to the edge of her seat and cheer your character home.
Did you notice how you "score" when reading a book? Have you ever tried to read a story without goals? Tell us about it in the comments.
WORK OUT
Use your ongoing work or choose a prompt below. Write a scene and make sure that each character in the scene has a goal that the reader knows about and that there has been a movement at the end of the scene that moves the characters closer to or further from their goals.
Jill wants her dream job as a hairdresser for the stars.
Ben wants Melissa to marry him.
Trudy wants to run the Boston Marathon.
Write for fifteen minutes. When you're done, post your scene in the comments and leave feedback for your writers!
Joslyn Chase
