If your novel feels slow, disjointed, or emotionally flat, it might not be your plot that’s the problem. It might be your scenes.
In this episode, we’re digging into what makes a scene work. Because most first-time writers aren’t writing in scenes, even when they think they are.
I’ll share my own early struggles with scene-writing (and what finally clicked), and walk you through the 3 essential elements that every scene needs to keep your story alive, immersive, and emotionally resonant.
Whether you’re drafting or revising, this episode will give you the tools to identify flat scenes and shape them into dynamic, purposeful moments that move your story forward.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”
Episode at a glance:
[03:27] What Do We Mean By Scene?
A scene is a unit of story that takes place in one time and place with the characters moving through space and time. It has a particular purpose in your story. Think of it as a mini-story – a microcosm of your narrative as a whole.
[06:36] Desire and Resistance
Every scene begins with a character who wants something, even if it’s something small or unspoken. Someone or something will oppose with or interfere with that desire. It may even be the character’s inner resistance that’s getting in the way.
[11:36] A Change
If nothing changes by the end of your scene, you don’t have a scene. You have a static moment. Every scene needs movement, not just physical action, but emotional or narrative shifts. By the end of the scene, something should be different from how it began.
[14:22] Grounded Setting
We need to know where and when the scene is taking place. You just need enough sensory detail to anchor us in the moment and keep us anchored throughout the scene. Your characters are moving through space and time, so ground us in the physical world of the scene, one the reader can see, hear, smell and feel.
Books Mentioned In This Episode:
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Normal People by Sally Rooney
A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
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