I found this so amusing to read all the way through I cackled!
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Conflict in every scene? Disasters in every act? Yes and no
Some good points can be taken from this for us writers. Useful especially as I’m about to re-read a few chapters I’ve wrote, I’ll be reading with this advice in mind making sure the story is moving forward in each scene if not -delete!
I’ve had an interesting question from Ben Collins.
I have read that each part of a novel should contain a ‘disaster’ and that every scene should either contain conflict or be deleted. Is this too rigid a formula, or do you think it is correct?
That’s a good question with a lot of answers.
So let’s take it apart.
‘Every scene should either contain conflict or be deleted’
I certainly subscribe to the view that every scene should feel like it’s moving forwards. Something should change, and in a way that keeps the reader curious.
In my plot book I talk about the 4 C of a plot – crescendo, curiosity, coherence and change. You can hear me discuss it here with Joanna Penn on her podcast. Three of those Cs are relevant to this question – curiosity change, and crescendo. Crescendo is a sense that the pressure is…
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Day #84
Oh as the deadline for submission to my publisher draws near I am now getting REALLY excited for the book, and the characters in the book. I’m now wrapping up the story and around 75,000 words deep pre editing!
Today, I was thinking about the way stories end, and as a writer you always aim to please your readers, however what if the ending you have in mind is not a happy ending for all characters? This is not the case with my story, what I’ve plot out is some kind of happy ending that’s satisfying; however a few weeks ago I had a conversation with a friend of mine she to is writing a novel (or has been writing this novel for some time), her predicament is that her ending is not too pretty. We discussed whether an ending in a story ALWAYS needs to be happy; personally I don’t feel it always has to be what do you think? Life is not always pretty and if you’re writing a plot line with rather deep or serious issues sometimes things may not turn out pretty in reality. Also sometimes it’s refreshing to read something that’s not all sunshine and roses. This is just my view.
I encouraged my friend to keep writing, and write what feels natural if there is a death, suicide, murder or something a bit ”unpretty” at the end of the plot so be it! Yes, 9/10 readers may want a nice ending but reality needs to also be considered also.
So my question is, when it comes to your reading pleasure do you always need a happy ending? Does genre play a part in whether an ending should be happy or not? When it comes to the romance genre (as that’s what I’m writing now) do you as a romance reader need a pretty, happy and loved up ending or not? Do you feel dissatisfied if you don’t have this in a romance genre book?
These questions I feel are good research into the genre to see what romance readers generally feel and think… let me know your thoughts with a comment.
Author, Kim Knight 