Elements of Fiction Writing - Scene & Structure

Home > Other > Elements of Fiction Writing - Scene & Structure > Page 24
Elements of Fiction Writing - Scene & Structure Page 24

by Jack Bickham


  Story-within-a-story, 127

  Stream of consciousness, 3

  Structure, defined, 1; history of, 2-3; sequels

  and working cards, 82

  Subplot, 9, 93, 96, 99-102, 122, 125, 128;

  romantic, 126-127

  Summary, 87

  Suspense, 18, 75, 76, 82, 93, 100, 102-104,

  106, 125

  Sympathy, for character, 80

  T

  Third-person novel, 3

  Thought, 163; indicating, 145,147, 148; and

  pacing, 67-68; reminiscences, 82; and

  viewpoint change, 100, 101

  Tiebreaker, 137-144, 150-157

  Time, between chapters, 125; establishing,

  134

  Time limitations, 96, 106, 127, 128

  Timing, 64

  Tip sheets, 116

  Transition, between chapters, 118-119

  Transition, space and time, 101-102

  Transitional statements, 64

  Transitions, 50-51, 61; See Sequel

  U

  Underdevelopment, 29

  Unfair odds, 90

  Unmotivated opposition, 90

  V

  Viewpoint, 42-44; antagonist and, 126;

  changes of, 44, 75-76, 100; chapter

  ending, 117-118; dominant, 100; and

  emotional coolness, 88-89; hierarchy,

  99-100; loss of, 88; multiple, 44, 75-

  76, 96, 100, 101-102; of protagonist,

  96, 124, 125, 126, 127; of secondary

  characters, 128; suspense and, 103;

  variance of, 100

  Viewpoint character, 24, 42, 47, 96, 99-102,

  107, 109, 148; action and, 68;

  confrontation and, 84; goal, 78;

  hidden story and, 98; internalization

  and, 77; interpretation of structure

  and, 77; in novel, 123-124; odds and,

  90; and sequel, 51, 79-82; statement

  of goal, 75; See also Antagonist,

  Protagonist

  Villain. See Antagonist

  Villain plot, 124, 127

  Villain plot question, 126

  W

  War novels, action and, 113

  Westerns, and action, 113

  Winter of Our Discontent, The, 8

  Craft your fiction with scene-by-scene flow, logic and readability.

  An imprisoned man receives an unexpected caller, after which "everything changed...."

  And the reader is hooked. But whether or not readers will stay on for the entire wild ride will depend on how well the writer structures the story, scene by scene.

  This book is your game plan for success. Using dozens of examples from his own work—including Dropshot, Tiebreaker and other popular novels—Jack M. Bickham will guide you in building a sturdy framework for your novel, whatever its form or length. You'll learn how to...

  • "worry" your readers into following your story to the end.

  • prolong your main character's struggle while moving the story ahead.

  • juggle cause and effect to serve your story action.

  As you work on crafting compelling scenes that move the reader, moment by moment, toward the story's resolution, you'll see why...

  • believable fiction must make more sense than real life.

  • every scene should end in disaster.

  • some scenes should be condensed, and others built big.

  Whatever your story, this book can help you arrive at a happy ending in the company of satisfied readers.

  Other books in THE ELEMENTS

  OF FICTION WRITING, the

  definitive fiction writing series,

  include:

  Characters & Viewpoint

  by Orson Scott Card

  Beginnings, Middles & Ends

  by Nancy Kress

  Conflict, Action & Suspense by William Noble

  Setting by Jack M. Bickham

  Plot by Ansen Dibell

  Description by Monica Wood

 

 

 


‹ Prev