Scene and "Sequel" (split from December Book Study: Storm Front)

Fenika · Jan 10, 2009

Another AWer linked to Butcher's blog entries on Scene and Sequel.

If you don't already have a grasp of those, have a read (or a skim).

But what I find interesting is the last few paragraphs on the sequel page. I'm going to ask permission to quote it here, but in short he says people love the Dresden files due to the effect the sequels have on the reader.

Now I certainly enjoyed Harry's voice, and though detective stories aren't my cup of tea, I rather enjoyed Storm Front. I'd say there was a good bit of truth to Butcher's claim. The emotional connection was there, and it came mostly from the sequels. But I also enjoyed how Harry handled himself in the scenes. Tackling the Big Bad for example.

Cheers

Fenika · Jan 11, 2009

And here is the quote from Jim's Blog

Knowledge of how sequels effect your book's impact on the reader is damned handy in rewrites, too. If a character is coming off too flighty, all you have to do is add in a bit more Reason to their sequels. Character too dry and boring? Add in more Emotion to /his/ sequels. Someone comments that your character's motivations aren't clear? Go give their sequels a tune-up, and make sure his Emotion-Reason-Anticipation-Choice is in the correct order and consistant.

When you do it right, the reader knows exactly what is going through your character's head, and why. The /reader/ starts being the one anticipating along with your character, and when that happens, you pwn them. It creates forward momentum for the next scene, and it helps the reader /want/ to read it.

This basic structure for sequels is pretty much the ENTIRE secret of my success. I do it like this in every freaking book I write. I know it works because check it out. People like my books. They like them for some of the special effects, sure, and for some of the story ideas sometimes--but mostly it's because they find themselves caring about what happens to the characters, and that happens in sequels.

People don't love Harry for kicking down the monster's front door. They love him because he's terrified out of his mind, he knows he's putting himself in danger by doing it, he's probably letting himself in for a world of hurt even if he is successful, but he chooses to do it anyway.

Emotion. Reason. Anticipation. Choice.

Special effects and swashbuckling are just the light show.

The heart of your character--and your reader--is in the sequel.

First, I think it's interesting that the sequel can create forward momentum. Another way of classifying scene and sequel is a roller coaster's peak and trough. You wouldn't think the low point would get you that forward momentum, but I can see how it does. The sequel is meant to slow down pacing so the whole book isn't one (flat) wild ride. The reader needs time to catch their breath. But while they are catching their breath, we need to be working on that forward momentum and keep them turning the page.

Also, now I see why Harry is so reflective. Because Butcher made an effort to make him so in every other scene. I'm more motivated to go back and break my WIP up into scene and sequel now.

Anyone else have thoughts? Different views?

ChaosTitan · Jan 12, 2009

I split this out of the Storm Front thread, because I thought it was a good topic for its own thread. Butcher has a lot of great advice on his blog, and it's useful for all of us.

While I don't think his scene/sequel advice is new or groundbreaking, he has a new way of explaining it to folks, and that's important. Readers need a chance to breathe and sympathize with your MC. If the action is a steady incline the whole way, there's never room to step back and understand his/her motivations. By making that line a constant squiggle of ups and downs, highs and lows, readers can savor the moments of calm in between the action.

I try to do this with my own novels--action, calm, action, calm, action, calm. Too much action is exhausting. Too much calm gets boring.

Liosse de Velishaf · Jan 12, 2009

I feel so useful...

Anyway, I agree that for the well-studied writer, Butcher's explanations aren't new. But as I discovered on another forum I'm on, this perspective on writing is not exactly common knowledge among many new writers. Some poor fellow asked a question about the technique, and was jumped on by several people--who on that site are considered authorities to an extent--who attacked him for being unclear and not knowing his definitions.

First, as I mentioned in the other thread, this technique can make pacing a lot easier. It's also very useful for analysis. I've found that a lot of people who are just starting out don't have a very good grasp of why some scenes are slow, and some fast. And especially in my favorite two genres, this tends to result in a lot of info-dumping and irrelevant dialogue.

What I liked about Butcher's explanation was that he went a litte more into the uses of the technique. He extended it to so many parts of good narrative writing. I've heard plenty of people talk about "troughs(valleys) and peaks", both in terms of play-writing and narrative fiction, but this is one of the better descriptions of why and how the "up-down action-calm" structure works.

zornhau · Jan 12, 2009

Robin Hobb seems to use sequels to go walkabout through her world. E.g. Fitz wanders the castle while trying to make up his mind etc.

Scene and "Sequel" (split from December Book Study: Storm Front)

Fenika

Fenika

ChaosTitan

Around

Liosse de Velishaf

zornhau

Swordsman