Scene and sequel

Scene and sequel are two types of written passages used by authors to advance the plot of a story. ''Scenes'' propel a story forward as the character attempts to achieve a goal.Swain, p. 84-85. ''Sequels'' provide an opportunity for the character to react to the scene, analyze the new situation, and decide upon the next course of action.

Scene

The concept of a scene in written fiction has evolved over many years. Dwight V. Swain, in ''Techniques of the Selling Writer'' (1965) defined a ''scene'' as a unit of conflict, an account of an effort to attain a goal despite opposition. According to Swain, the functions of a scene are to provide interest and to move the story forward. The structure of a scene, as described by Swain, is (1) goal, (2) conflict, (3) disaster.

In ''The Art of Fiction'' (1983), John Gardner described a scene as having an unbroken flow of action without a lapse of time or leap from one setting to another. Over the years, other authors have attempted to improve on the definition of ''scene'', and to explain its use and structure.

Sequel

In addition to defining a scene, Swain described a ''sequel'' as a unit of transition that links two scenes, adding that a sequel functions to translate disaster into a goal, telescope reality, and control tempo. Swain also described the structure of a sequel as (1) reaction, (2) dilemma, and (3) decision. Other authors have attempted to improve on the definition of a ''sequel'' and to explain its use and structure.

Proactive vs. reactive

Rather than viewing scenes and sequels as distinct types of passages, some authors express the concept as two types of scenes: proactive and reactive.

Scenes and sequels

Swain defined, described, and explained scene and sequel as if they were separate entities, but then he explained that they must complement each other, linking together smoothly into a story. He went on to observe that

*An author controls pacing by the way he proportions scene to sequel.
*Flexibility is important, versus a mechanical approach.
*The peaks and valleys in a diagram of a story correspond to scenes and sequels.

Structural units of fiction

The ''structural units of fiction writing'' comprise all fiction.Klaassen, p. 3.

*A chapter is a segment of writing delineated by a form of punctuation called a ''chapter break''. ''Prologue'' and ''epilogue'' are two specialized types of chapters.
*A chapter may include one or more ''sections'', passages separated by another form of punctuation called a ''section break''.
*Scenes and sequels are specialized passages of writing. A ''scene'' is a passage of writing in which the character attempts to achieve a goal. A ''sequel'' is a passage of writing in which the character reacts reflectively to the previous scene.
*Some novels, especially long ones, may be further divided into ''books'' or ''parts'', each including two or more chapters.
*The smallest units of writing are words, phrases, clauses, sentences, and paragraphs.
*Two or more paragraphs with some common purpose are referred to as ''passages'' or ''segments'' of writing.

Types of passages

Passages of writing may be classified into four groups: (1) scenes, (2) sequels, (3) passages that are ''neither'' scenes nor sequels, and (4) passages that include elements of ''both'' scenes and sequels. Examples of passages that are neither scenes nor sequels include ''fragments'' of scenes or sequels and passages of narration, description, or exposition. An example of a passage that includes elements of both scenes and sequels is the ''problem-solving passage'', common in mystery and detective stories.

Types of scenes

Scenes may be classified by their position within the story (such as an opening scene or a climax scene). A scene may be classified by the fiction-writing mode that dominates its presentation (as in an action scene or a dialogue scene). Some scenes have specialized roles (such as flashback scenes and flashforward scenes).Klaassen, p. 23.

The Anatomy of a Scene

Before a writer crafts a scene, they must know its purpose as it relates to the story, because each scene must move the plot forward. If nothing new happens, if the character has not been changed, then the scene is not effective. Each scene should be a response to the one that came before it. Something happens that makes the character react or change. It can be physically, emotionally, or both. Then the character must decide what to do next. The previous scene's ending triggers the next scene's beginning. Just like the whole story, each scene has a beginning, middle, and end. And much like the start of any story, each scene's beginning must hook the reader. The middle can't lag. Tension or conflict must rise. It doesn't need to be action-packed. Maybe there's unspoken tension between characters, internal conflict for the protagonist, or new information is discovered. The scene ends with the character processing what just happened, and their response (a reaction, a decision) sets up the beginning of the next scene. Each scene starts with an action, tensions rise, and it ends with a reaction.

See also

*Dramatic structure
*Literary element
*Scene (drama)
*Theatrical scenery

Footnotes

References

*Bickham, Jack M (1993). ''Scene and Structure: How to Construct Fiction with Scene-By-Scene Flow, Logic and Readability''. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books.
*Gardner, John (1983). ''The Art of Fiction''. New York, NY: Vintage Books/Random House.
*Ingermanson, Randy and Peter Economy (2010). ''Writing Fiction for Dummies''. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing.
*Klaassen, Mike (2016). ''Scenes and Sequels: How to Write Page-Turning Fiction''. Pensauken, NJ: Bookbaby.
*Lukeman, Noah (2006). ''A Dash of Style: The Art and Mastery of Punctuation''. New York, NY: W. W. Norton and Company.
*Marshall, Evan (1998). ''The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing''. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books.
*Morrell, Jessica Page (2006). ''Between the Lines: Master the Subtle Elements of Fiction Writing''. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books.
*Obstfeld, Raymond (2000). ''Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes''. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books.
*Rosenfeld, Jordan E (2008). ''Make a Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time''. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books.
*Scofield, Sandra (2007). ''The Scene Book: A Primer for the Fiction Writer''. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
*Swain, Dwight V (1965). ''Techniques of a Selling Writer''. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. {{ISBN, 9780806111919

Narratology
Fiction
Plot (narrative)