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DEVIN BOND
Thoughts of a wanna-be author and student.


January 24, 2011

Scene Dilemmas

I've always hated having to wait for the good parts when I'm writing. Always. When I was younger, I'd do only the scenes that'd excite me and by the time I'd finish writing those I'd lose the will to write the less exciting in between scenes and would move on. This was when I was about 13-14. (When I was in that loner, darkie phase that everyone seems to go through. I could throw up at some of the stuff I wrote, haha. Angst city.)

Luckily, I realized that it'd be better if I just suffered through the less exciting scenes and used the exciting scenes as enticement to get through them. Of course, sometimes I skipped ahead and failed the whole point of keeping that in mind. Other times I sped through them and didn't give them the justice they deserved. Rest of the time I made my friend and writing partner do it for me. (Don't think I've ever not had someone trying to write with me, now that I think about it.... Interesting.) 

By now I've gotten over the less exciting scene versus exciting scene (for the most part). Still, whenever I encounter the dreaded boring scene, I at first get into the "must suffer through" mindset. Though, I know that if it's boring for me to write it's probably boring to read. So, this leads me to my dilemma. 

What if the boring scene has necessary information? Obviously you've got to think of a different way to get it out, right? But what if it's the best? Do you just suffer? Do you force the information somewhere else? 

And another question is, what if the scene really isn't boring? What if it's simply less exciting? I know I'd much rather write some flirting and teasing over fighting. Perhaps it's just my attitude toward it? We'll find out!

Now, for a walk to clear my mind despite the fact that it looks like it's midnight outside. Exciting~  :)

7 comments:

  1. i just try to make sure that even the boring scenes have some sort of conflict or action, even if it's minor, and that helps A Lot. Also i don't allow myself to write the fun scenes until all the other scenes before it are written

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  2. I had the same thing. But it went away in Doorways.

    Why?

    Because even the boring scenes have a reason to be there.

    Things that seem insignificant now will come back later to bite my characters when they least expect it.

    :-)

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  3. Good thing we figured this out :) now you don't even have to suffer even partially.

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  4. Sarah - That's a good technique. I'll have to try it sometime.

    Misha - Haha, your poor characters. Boring scenes definitely do need to be in there sometimes.

    Jessica - Yeah, I'm glad we did! Thank you~

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  5. I suffer through them or find a way to make them more exciting. Most of the time, they are not really boring, just less exciting than the scenes I'm really looking forward to. Which means I just suffer through them.

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  6. Storytreasury - That's exactly what it's like for me. They're just less exciting than the scenes I want to do. With you there completely!

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  7. I think those lesser scenes are usually the nuts and bolts of the story. Your reader will want to read it all if it gets them through to the exciting parts! As long as you keep them hanging in there with cliff hanger chapter endings, etc.!

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I like reading what you've got to say, so go ahead and make my day! :)