As a reader, I hold a grudge when a writer messes up a scene when writing, more so when it's a romantic one.

In other words, it's a sin to mess up a scene for readers as a writer.

You have a great idea for a scene, but can't translate it to words? Don't fret - every writer, at some point, suffers through this. 

So here are five tips to crafting a perfect scene!

1. Ask yourself, "What is the outcome of this scene?" 

Ever watched a brand new episode of your favorite TV show only to realize that it's just jam-packed with filler? 

Looking at you, Supernatural! 

Those type of "filler" episodes are something you want to avoid in any book. Every scene should have an outcome, and they don't have to be huge, epic ones. 

Some outcomes of scenes could be: 

*Character development
*Introducing a new character
*Introducing a new conflict
*Introducing new information about a character, conflict, etc.
*Resolving a conflict
*Revealing a secret
*Foreshadowing
*World-building 

Next time you are struggling to begin a scene, think about what outcome you want it to have! This will help your scene be concise, intriguing and interesting! 

2) Hook the reader 

Even if you are writing Chapter Thirty of your book, you should introduce each chapter with some sort of hook - big or small. 

You don't want to disinterest the reader. Therefore, along with the outcome, try to write it in such a way that it attracts the audience. 

Therefore, get straight to the action. Don't drag your feet and write ten paragraphs about the setting or a character's appearance. Include those details if you must, but don't bog down the chapter with too much. 

Have a balance between action, dialogue and detail. 

3) Act first, think later. 

That sounds silly hmm?

If you are starting straight off with action, then do just that. Don't have the character's thoughts come first. 

For example - which one reads better?  

No, no, this can't be happening! Keira thought as her brother's corpse, spewing blood, collapsed on the ground. 

OR

Blood spewed from Tyler's chest, staining his sister's feet before he collapsed to the ground. 

No, no, this can't be happening! Keira thought. 

4) Include conflict or information

Nobody wants to read a conversation that amounts to nothing. This is why Game of Thrones is so successful - even in the small scenes where characters are conversely interacting, there is some sort of conflict or information presented. 

This ties back to my first point about the outcome of a scene. 

Suppose you decide to have a scene where two friends are concerned about another friend's drug problem. This is good opportunity to not only advance the plot, but further develop your two characters by having them disagree on how to help. You could have Friend A wanting to admit him to rehab for help and Friend B wanting to turn him into the cops so he learns his lesson. These kind of small disagreements reveal more about the characters rather than just the two conversing. 

5) Create emotion

Do you (also) not like Kristin Stewart because she seems completely emotionless as she acts? 

Avoid the same for stories! You want to evoke some sort of emotion through every scene, which can include: 

*Happiness
*Worry
*Concern
*Sadness 
*Anger
*Frustration
*Rage 
*Relief

Every scene should invoke at least one emotion. Even if the outcome of your scene is to world-build, have the character see something saddening on the streets of your fantastical city, such as a homeless war veteran or a woman being catcalled harshly. You don't want to just report the facts of a scene - include emotional aspects to it as well. 

Even in scenes where a large chunk of information is being revealed, have the characters react naturally to it. Don't just reveal the information of it - also describe how your characters are grappling with the new information too! 

And those are some tips on how to craft a decent scene! Do you agree with any of these tips? Did they help you! Let me know! 

Next week, we'll take another view on writing scenes. Settings are crucial to creating a perfect scene and you won't want to miss it. XD

Have a lovely day! 

-Lexie (miss-gatsby)

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We'd love to see a scene from any of your works. All you have to do is leave a comment with the link to the specific chapter of your story.