Whether you’ve just decided to write a novel or have already written one, it doesn’t take long to realize just how long novels are. That’s why it’s helpful to break it down into manageable parts. Today we’re going to be discussing one of the smallest units: scenes.
This post will cover how to write a scene in a novel, including the definition of a scene in a novel, the elements of a scene, how long a scene should be, and the difference between scenes and chapters.
What Is a Scene in a Novel
Scenes are the building blocks of story. At their most basic level, they depict a change that drives the story forward and they have a beginning, middle, and end.
Beginning
An introduction to where the scene takes place, who’s in it, and what they’re doing. It’s important to begin the scene as close to the moment of change as you can.
Middle
A good middle has action or active dialogue driven by the character’s motives. This usually builds to the high point of the scene—aka the change that drives the story forward
End
As with the beginning, you want to end the scene as close to the moment of change as you can. If you don’t, the scene may become boring as it peters out. The end can also include a connection to the next scene.
Elements of a Scene in Novel Writing
Along with a beginning, middle, and end, each scene should have its own distinctive mixture of setting, character, dialogue, and action.
Setting
It’s important to describe the setting in each scene. Even if the characters have already been to that place and you’ve already described it, it’s a good idea to remind readers what the place looks, sounds, and smells like. If you don’t give some description, your scene may have white room syndrome.
Show where the scene takes place and how the characters interact with the setting. If your characters are just talking, their interactions with the setting can be a great way to break up the dialogue.
Character
Sometimes when I’m editing a book for a client, a character will appear halfway through a scene as if they were there the whole time. When this happens, it’s jarring for readers because they’ll think they missed seeing where that character was mentioned at the beginning of the scene.
This is why it is important to establish who is in the scene from the start. You also want to be clear when a new character enters the scene.
Character motivations drive the action or dialogue of a scene. To figure out how their motives shape the scene think about what they want, what they are doing to get it, and how that compares or contrasts with what the other characters want.
Dialogue
If a scene only has one character, there may not be any dialogue except internal dialogue. But if there are two or more characters, chances are they are going to speak to each other. What they say depends on context, but it all goes back to their motivations.
For more tips on writing dialogue, check out this post.
Action
Action often is the main component of a scene. But it doesn’t mean a character has to be running through a forest or fighting a bully. Action is anything in the sphere of activity: bathing a dog, shopping for clothes, making dinner, etc. Your characters need to be doing something to make the scene interesting.
Scenes where a character is just sitting there thinking tend to be pretty boring, even if they’re thinking about something really important. If your character needs to think, give them something to do at the same time to break up the internal dialogue.
How Long Is a Scene in a Novel
There is no perfect scene length; it really depends on the author’s style and the scene’s needs. Scenes can range anywhere between about 500 words and 3,000, but they can be longer or shorter.
If a scene is feeling too long or too short, consider if you are beginning it and ending it in the best places.
Scenes vs Chapters
Unlike scenes, chapters have no set requirements. They can begin or end wherever the author sees fit. They often set the reading pace, but strategic chapter endings can actually be a tool to keep readers reading.
How to Write a Scene in a Novel
So how do you actually write a scene in a novel?
The most important thing to determine before you write a scene is the change that drives the story forward—the scene’s purpose. Ask yourself what is going to be different about the story once the scene is over? That’s the change.
Once you know that, you can shape the scene around it by determining where the scene takes place, who’s in it, what they are saying and doing, and how much time you need before and after the moment of change to begin and end the scene.
For example, let’s say I have a scene about one character catching another character cheating on a test. After the scene is over, the thing that will be different is that Character A will know that Character B is cheating. So Character B getting caught is the moment of change, the scene’s purpose.
A scene like this might naturally take place at school, either before, during, or after the test. Character A and Character B must be in the scene, but there could also be other students or faculty nearby. You may choose to have the scene take place in a crowded hallway to add to the tension of the moment of change. How Character A finds out and how they react depends on who they are. Perhaps they report Character B immediately or perhaps they threaten to expose Character B if they don’t help Character A cheat too.
As you can see, the elements of the scene largely depend on the characters and the story in question. You may have to brainstorm ideas to decide what will work best for a given scene.
Now you know how to write a scene in a novel. If you’re still struggling with scene writing, look at the scenes in your favorite book to see how they were written.
Happy writing!
