Directory Writing Workshops

Writers Workshop: Writing The Perfect Scene

Dancing Word Writers Workshop

with Randy Ingermanson

June 18, 2004

Hosted by: Anne McDonald

Dancing Word Publisher/Editor

*This chat has been edited for clarity.

Anne McDonald: Welcome to our first writing workshop of the year. Tonight's guest is word master Randy Ingermanson.

*Annie leads the applause

Anne McDonald: Randy has agreed to field questions first, and then do a bit of teaching.

Annie hands Randy the mike so he doesn't have to stir from the beanbag chair.

Randy Ingermanson: All right then, I guess I'd like to hear from you all on what sorts of problems you're finding most difficult in writing a scene. 

AngieP: Biggest problem=different location, same expressions, different results. Gets boring seeing raised eyebrows and sighs. Same stuff.

Anne McDonald: Male POV.

Randy Ingermanson: Uh oh.  I'm am STILL trying to figure out male POV.

MangyCat: What is the easiest way to write a scene with three or more of the same sex characters - three women for example - when there is action and dialogue.

Buddyingnzauthor: I had a really hard time recently trying to get an action scene to move alone quickly and get the right tension.

Vickie: Balancing romance equally with suspense in a romantic suspense without lessening the tension.

Limey: I’m still confused about this POV for scenes.

Randy Ingermanson: Limey, what confuses you about POV?

Limey: I've written several scenes with different characters POV because the protagonist isn't there to show his POV.

Anne McDonald: Timing for ending one POV and starting a new one.

MangyCat- I don't think there is anything wrong with that, Limey, as long as you're in a different chapter.

Jane: How many POV's are considered okay in a single scene?

Randy Ingermanson: First things first: Our goal as a novelist is to give our reader a Powerful Emotional Experience. Now, let's think about romance versus suspense. I tend to write suspense with some romance. A lot of folks on ACRW would reverse that, with romance that has some suspense. Either way is fine.  There is an audience for just about any mix. In any given scene, it's likely that one of these will dominate.

Randy Ingermanson