Some scenes seem simple until you actually sit down to write them.
For me, it's often scenes where the audience needs to feel a character's internal conflict without simply having them explain what they're feeling.
What's the hardest type of scene for you to write?
Examples might include:
• The first ten pages
• Romantic scenes
• Comedy
• Action
• Confrontations
• Endings
• Emotional goodbyes
• Exposition
More importantly, how do you overcome it?
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The hardest type of scene to write is almost universally exposition disguised as natural conflict (like delivering backstory while diffusing a ticking bomb). It requires balancing necessary plot mechanics with engaging drama so the audience doesn't realize they are receiving an information dump. These scenes always take me a few drafts to get right, but I start by writing the worst, most obvious version of the scene and it's always too long. Then draft by draft I'm usually able to improve and get to the sharpest core message eventually
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Sometimes it's the scene where characters just talk, Joshua Powell. Exposition scenes too. I like to add things that make the dialogue more interesting.
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I definitely struggle with the first ten pages ^^; don't want to go so slowly that people tune out but also don't want to go so fast I practically give the game away...
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The one which you know nothing about because you haven’t done the research yet so can’t write it.
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Pat Alexander I like that approach. Writing the obvious version first takes the pressure off, then each draft becomes about finding what the scene is really trying to say.
Maurice Vaughan I agree. If characters are just talking, I try to make the environment or their actions carry part of the conversation so the dialogue isn't doing all the work.
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Banafsheh Esmailzadeh That's a tough balance. I've found it's better to leave readers wanting one more answer than giving them ten too early.
David Taylor That's a great point. Research gives you confidence, and that confidence usually shows up on the page.
It really is, Joshua Powell. I naturally want to go slowly but I also have no trouble just diving right in, it depends on the story. I’ve been criticised for both lol