Another SYW challenge?

Anyone interested in doing another Historical SYW challenge? I might even work up the courage to post something this time.

Maybe we can do something on a topic, like love scenes, fight scenes, sex scenes, death scenes, childbirth scenes. Something that might come up in most of our pieces.

What do you all think?

I understand what you're saying, Puma, and I agree that first chapters are easier. In my case, though, I don't necessarly write the beginning first, and I don't necessarly seperate out into chapters until I'm done, so that's why scenes work better for me. That, and I thought it would be neat to compare how we all handle a similar theme (love, anger, etc.) based on the characters and the time period that we are writing on.

Just a suggestion!

Diviner said:

Scenes are great, but how about doing brief characterizations or descriptions, particularly of the famous historical characters in the story? This would interest me immensely.

I just read GG Kay's new fantasy Ysabel, where his story's prologue is three pages of description, including history, of Provence. It didn't work for me. I doubt, if he were not an already successful writer, if he could have found any publisher to accept this as a beginning. But we do need such information, and I think it would be fun to see how others handle this artfully.

Unlike many, I like description and dote on good characterization, but I think both need to be woven into the story. In a sense both can be tells, but they can also be integral to good story telling and turned into shows and scenes. If handled right, they can also be narration as gripping as an action scene.

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I don't think that 'scene' necessarly has to mean action or dialogue. To use examples from PDR's excellent list, an important decision or first meeting scene may be entirely internal or descriptive. I think by saying 'scene', we aren't forced to put an entire chapter. It may be shorter than that and, therefore, easier for readers to get through on here. I'm with you, though, I'm a sucker for a good description!

c.e.lawson said:

f a question is coordinated by topic then the comparisons of different contributions might shed some great light on how we handle each type of scene. Or we can tackle specific problematic issues that come up with writing a particular type of scene - i.e. how to avoid cliches in a love scene.

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Yes, this is what I was thinking too. And we can get some ideas of how to construct our own scenes on a certain topic by reading everyone elses. For example, I'm unsure of my little fight scene, as I've never been in a fight myself, so I'm curious to see how others (who may be more experienced) have written fight scenes.

What would you say to maybe starting with something like the 'plot in one sentence' thread over in the novel writing forum? With a very (one or two sentence) plot summary, then we can set each other up for the excerpts that we will later post.

I know we already did a first chapter challenge, but I think we have some new members on the historical forum. What about trying PDR's suggestion of an opening hook scene? Not the whole first chapter, but maybe a few paragraphs, a page, or something. We can set an approximate word limit or not, and see if we can hook the reader in that few paragraphs or pages.

I like PDR's idea of doing it fortnightly (every two weeks), as the challenges wouldn't necessarly be an entire chapter, but rather just brief scenes. And if we have a lot of challenges fairly frequently like that, there might not be as much pressure to have to respond to every challenge. You can pick and choose which ones you want to submit to.

What do you think?

Puma said:

So, pdr, you're suggesting to start with a fight scene - but, in one thread or as individual threads? No more information given as preamble than the date and the place (sounds good to me). Posts from the beginning to the end of the scene (approximately 500 words give or take). And everyone submitting should nicely critique everyone else who posts. That sound about right?

What if people who want to participate don't have the exact topic posted in their WIPs? For example - I have a heated argument and a recounting of one of the battles of the War of 1812 in mine - but no fight scene per se. My feeling is that I'd pass on the fight scene topic. Agreed? Puma

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I agree, Puma, that individual threads work better than one thread. So, like last time, we can indicate in the title that it is 'Fight Scene' or whatever, so that folks know it is in response to the challenge.

Sounds great! After years of unfinished works, I've finally finished something and have done one revision, and am looking forward to the comments!

I don't think that 'fight scene' has to necessarly has to be a physical fight. We can leave it up to the authors to determine if something is a fight scene. So, Puma, if you felt that your argument scene could be considered a fight, go for it.

I like the idea of monthly. That's true, I'd forgotten how many people we had responding to the last challenge near to the end of the month. It also gives more people the time to work up the courage to post, if they are a little unsure about it. And if someone is using the challenge as motivation to write a certain scene, it gives them time to do that.

I agree that everyone who posts their own scene should critique the others

Well, then perhaps we can leave that up to the critiquer. We can still just post time and place, but if a critiquer feels like they need more information about a character, they can ask. I can see what c.e. lawson is saying, but I suspect that a lot of that information would (or should) come out in the scene anyhow. A young knight who is going into his first battle and a grizzled veteran who is fighting his last are going to come across differently in the text. Of course, based on the way that you cut your snippet to post, some of that may be lost. Should we leave it up to the critiquers to ask for more information?