which scenes do you find hard to write?

[Byakuya]

I saw this post on another forum, but there were few replies, so i'm hoping to get more here.

Which scenes do you find hard to write? such as opening scenes, conflict scenes, infodump scenes etc...

I don't know how to put this, but personally, the bits i find hardest to write are the "filler" scenes, where you write inbetween the action or major plot points. I think it's because when i don't have some kind of objective for the scene, i kinda go astray and it messes up my ideas.

[Mythical Tiger]

The scenes that are hard for me to write would have to be the fighting scenes. Or the training scenes where Kai teaches Tessa how to fight:tongue. One other thing that's hard for me is if an opening of any kind is an entryway, exit, doorway, or something else. Like my last scene theres an arched opening in Tessa's hospital den room. Theres curtains instead of doors and I called it a doorway. Hey I could call it and opening with curtains! Now I need to go fix it before I forget:tongue.



Sorry for rambling on there. Happy writng!


~Sam

[Mumut]

I suppose mine is the start, the very first scene, in the sequels. I want to get into the action as soon as possible but I've left the last story in a cliff hanger or with MC discovering there is still unfinished business in what she thought was home and hosed. I want the book enjoyable if read first but satisfying to someone reading it in sequence.

What I do is write it and keep going but then I get to a stage where I think of something better so I change it. Then later I change it again and so on until the book has been written. By then it should be acceptable.

[Danthia]

For me, endings. I'm so focused on goal-conflict-complication structure that it's hard for me to just let things END -grin-. I always want to throw in one more problem, so it's tough to wrap things up.

[Wark]

The important ones. The "talking about sandwiches" scenes are easy.

I can write action and dialog all day, but in a scene where someone dies, or hope is lost, I flounder. I might write it OK, but it doesn't feel like it. -> doubt

Danth, I also can't do endings. My WIP ends with a cliche wake-from-coma. It has to, but...how do my people act when that happens? I can't ask the reader to play soft, victorious music as they read the last page to signal the end.

[Libbie]

For me, endings. I'm so focused on goal-conflict-complication structure that it's hard for me to just let things END -grin-. I always want to throw in one more problem, so it's tough to wrap things up.

Oh my god, ME TOO. It's way hard for me to actually tie things up.

[backslashbaby]

The 1st and last because they are so important.

But, yeah, all of those transition scenes! I'm on my first draft of my WIP, and the fascinating things are easy. But at the moment it's too choppy and I need some pacing filler. What to include; what's boring? Oy. I hear ya.

[lauraannwilliams]

The easiest scene to write for me are two characters discussing whatever plot point I want them to reveal. ( Darth Vader 'Luke, I am your father' sort of scenes. ).

The hard part is rewriting them so they aren't crap. ( In my version, Luke would have clung to the pole thingy long enough to have several paragraphs of dialog, asking a ton of questions before falling. )

In my current story everyone has a secret, ( or just knows stuff the main character doesn't ), and trying to figure out how to reveal it and when is driving me nuts. ( "Oh, no one told you Darth was Luke's father? See, this is how it went down.... " ).

Blech.

[firedrake]

The end scene...I find it hard to let go sometimes.

Naughty bits. I'm getting better, but they're still tough.

Filler bits between major plot things...trying to justify their existence and make them interesting enough to hold the readers' attention is bloody hard work!

[Samantha's_Song]

For me it's the violent scenes. I'm not usually a violent-thinking person, but with my works often having that element of violence in it, I have to keep rewriting it until I think it comes over to the reader as I see it in my mind's eye.

[thethinker42]

Which scenes do you find hard to write? such as opening scenes, conflict scenes, infodump scenes etc...

Sex scenes. Hands down. I think I'm good at writing them, and the vast majority of my books have quite a few of them (I write erotic romance, after all)...but they're not easy to write at all.

[scarletpeaches]

Liar. You're too good at them to find them ha- I mean difficult.

I hate writing scenes where I have to hurt my characters emotionally.

[barbilarry]

I agree with the thinker42. How to appeal to the masses, you know different strokes for different folks. Deciding what would appeal to the most readers and at the same time not offend anyone.

I'm aoso writing my first crime/mystery. I am having a horrible time with red herrings and clues.

Jane

[thethinker42]

Liar. You're too good at them to find them ha- I mean difficult.

They're still not easy to write. It's a safe bet that I've written over 100 of them in the last year, and they're still hard. I mean...erm...

You know what I mean.

I hate writing scenes where I have to hurt my characters emotionally.

That too. Those are difficult in the "this hurts" sense.

Sex scenes are just plain old difficult. LOL

[thethinker42]

I agree with the thinker42. How to appeal to the masses, you know different strokes for different folks. Deciding what would appeal to the most readers and at the same time not offend anyone.

It's not that...the difficulty for me comes from trying to be true to the scene/characters. Getting just the right level of sensuality, touching on all five senses so that the reader is as "into it" as the characters, etc.

I write erotica and erotic romance...I'm not concerned with offending people. I'm concerned with being true to my characters and my story. Some people will find a reason to be offended no matter what, and while I don't go out of my way to offend them, I also don't go out of my way not to. So that's not an issue at all...they're just not easy scenes to write.

[scarletpeaches]

Aye.

I write for readers of erotica. Not people who are offended by it. That way lies madness and a bucket of WTFery.

[thethinker42]

Aye.

I write for readers of erotica. Not people who are offended by it. That way lies madness and a bucket of WTFery.

QFT.

[Ruth2]

Transition scenes because getting from here to there can be boring. I hate info dumping..

Sex scenes, just because -- although I did find someone to beta the ones I'm not sure about for me.

[Caramia]

Conveying veiled emotions is my hurdle.

[Byakuya]

I thought i'd be one of the only ones who struggles with particular scenes, i guessed wrong.

But reading all your replies i've seen a few other parts that i have trouble with also =3

I was drunk when i wrote the post so forgive me, it seemed like a good question at the time. =P

[scarletpeaches]

Drunken posting? Well I am disgusted. As if I ever-

Wait.

Never mind.

[ChaosTitan]

Ditto sex scenes. I've only written a handful, but they are by and far the hardest scenes for me to write. I'd rather write hand-to-hand combat or a terrible, emotional breakdown for the MC. Torture someone, even.

[scarletpeaches]

Ditto sex scenes. I've only written a handful, but they are by and far the hardest scenes for me to write. I'd rather write hand-to-hand combat or a terrible, emotional breakdown for the MC. Torture someone, even.

That is sex, isn't it?

[Adam]

End scenes, and romance scenes. Thankfully my writing usually doesn't involve much romance, but when it does, bleh.

[ChaosTitan]

That is sex, isn't it?

It certainly can be.... :ROFL:

[~*Kate*~]

I haven't gotten to the end scene yet-- partly because I keep going over and over the opening scene. I know I need to leave it alone and come back to it when the whole draft is finished, but something about it is making me crazy. I bet I've edited the first two chapters ten times so far. *headdesk*

[barbilarry]

I agree with you thethinker42 and scarlet peaches. I didn't mean I am afraid of offending the reader. More what would hold their atention and be arousing. I have tried my hand at erotica too. Although I'm quite sure my writing isn't even close to as good as either of yours'.
Jane

[barbilarry]

Sorry about that. I guess I did say offend. I didn't mean it, I promose I didn't. embarrassed now. But I really didn't mean offend. LOL
Jane

[scarletpeaches]

Not at all, no offence taken. Sex is a controversial subject. ;)

(I'm sure tt42 will agree when she returns from going out to breakfast).

[thethinker42]

Not at all, no offence taken. Sex is a controversial subject. ;)

(I'm sure tt42 will agree when she returns from going out to breakfast).

*agrees*

[cindystubbs]

I am awkward describing a fight and the mechanics of who hit who where and then what he did and it's complicated. Also awkward with action period. I am good at writing people's thoughts and can go on for pages, which of course is boring for the reader.


It seems to me that writing is like a corridor filled with an infinite number of doors....it still seems that way. Stephen King

[john barnes on toast]

I hate those rare scenes when my characters have to move, or worst of all rush, between places.

Far happier when they're being civilised; sitting down, talking.

[Chasing the Horizon]

Another vote for sex scenes. And openings. The first scene is always one of the hardest to get right.

[Cranky]

Filler scenes, endings, and sex scenes. Looks like I'm not alone in that. :D

[barbilarry]

Hmm, I wonder if there is a workshop offered somewhere on how to write a convincing sex scene?
Jane

[thethinker42]

Hmm, I wonder if there is a workshop offered somewhere on how to write a convincing sex scene?
Jane

I'm no expert, but I've blogged about how NOT to (http://navywifeadventures.blogspot.com/2009/04/lets-talk-about-sex.html) write a sex scene. If there's a workshop on how TO write one, I'd be all over it.

[scarletpeaches]

You do all right as it is.

Besides, what the workshop leader thinks is sexy and what WE think is sexy are two different things.

The biggest erogenous zone in the human body is the brain, so appeal to that and you've got it made.

[barbilarry]

Awesome list Lori. You keep a lookout for one and so will I. In the mean time I'll print out your list of what not to write. It will probably do wonders for my writing sex scenes.
Jane

[gothicangel]

Emotional scenes. I've just killed off a character and the death scene was torturous. My protaganist was so filled with fear he refused to play ball for a while.

[Aschenbach]

I am awkward describing a fight and the mechanics of who hit who where and then what he did and it's complicated. Also awkward with action period.

Agreed. I always imagine my action based scenes as being really cool and exciting. When I write them they usually come out like like a shopping list.

[Anonyouth]

Honestly, I find almost every scene hard to write=] But I will always keep writing, even if it's hard.

[Adam]

Honestly, I find almost every scene hard to write=] But I will always keep writing, even if it's hard.

That's the best attitude to have. :)

[bonitakale]

Any scene without dialogue. My usual fault is to write like a radio play, and if there's no dialogue, I have a very hard time.

[The Lonely One]

Strange. So many people have said sex scenes are hard to write for them, but those are the kinds of scenes I feel most in control over. They're fun. But I don't write romance, so this may be the difference. My sex scenes aren't usually detailed in any anatomically specific way, I just use them to bring my characters to some conclusion. It may be abusive or hurtful or raw in general. Or selfish, like I think it often can be (we're human). It can be power play. Or a revelation of weakness. Sex tells us so much about one another.

Then again, maybe I just haven't been doing it right...

I think where I struggle the most is in between scenes. If my characters aren't moving, acting, all that, I don't know WHAT I should be having them doing. Suddenly eating a sandwich becomes an issue. Well, what kind of sandwich? What's the name of the restaurant? Insert meteor. Etc....

[Folofop]

Character and location descriptions I find the most difficult.

It's just sooo hard, I tend to normally write:

<write description of town here>

and carry on with the story. Coming back to the description parts later.

[JoNightshade]

The majority of my characters tend to be emotionally "blocked" in some way - unable to face their own feelings about something, or express them, or what have you. So for me, the hardest scenes are when those characters break, or come close to breaking. It's difficult because going even a little bit overboard will ruin a scene like that completely, while going "underboard" reduces the impact of the scene. Also, once I get attached to my characters, it's really hard to "watch" them in those scenes. Painful! :)

For the past couple of days I've literally been writing a scene one line at a time - I keep coming back to the keyboard now and then to put down another sentence or two. That's usually how these scenes go.