How To Make A Plot Board? The 13 New Answer

When we talk about stories, we tend to use the word “plot”. But what is action exactly? How is it different from a story, and what are the main characteristics that make a well-written plot? We answer these questions here and show you real examples of action from the literature. But first, let’s take a look at the basic plot definition.

What is plot? definition and overview

What is the plot of a story? The answer is actually pretty simple.

Plot is the way in which an author creates and organizes a chain of events in a narrative. In short, the plot is the basis of a story. Some describe it as the “what” of a text (while the characters are the “who” and the subject is the “why”).

This is the basic plot definition. But what does plot do?

The plot must follow a logical, engaging format that draws the reader in. The plot differs from the “story” in that it emphasizes a specific and purposeful cause-and-effect relationship between a sequence of important events in the narrative.

In Aspects of the Novel, the famous British novelist E. M. Forster argues that the plot emphasizes the causality between these events, rather than just revealing random events occurring in a text (as “Story” does):

“We have defined a story as a narrative of events arranged in their chronological order. A plot is also a narrative of events with an emphasis on causality. ‘The king died, and then the queen died’ is a story. ‘The king died, and then the queen died of grief’ is a conspiracy. The chronological order is preserved, but the sense of causality overshadows it.

Authors usually develop their plots in a way that is most likely to capture the reader’s interest and keep them engaged in the story. Because of this, many plots follow the same basic structure. What is this structure exactly?

What is plot structure?

All plots follow a logical organization with a beginning, middle, and end—but there’s much more to the basic plot structure than just that. In general, every plot has these five elements, in this order:

Exposition/Introduction Ascending Action Climax/Turning Point Descending Action Resolution/Resolution

#1: Exhibition/Introduction

The first part of the plot establishes the main characters/protagonists and the setting. We learn who is who, when and where the story takes place. At this point, the reader is just getting to know the world of the story and what it’s about.

Here we are shown what normal looks like for the characters.

The primary conflict or tension around which the plot revolves is also usually introduced here to set the course of events for the rest of the narrative. For example, this tension could be the first meeting between two main characters (think Pride and Prejudice) or the beginning of a crime novel.

#2: Rising action

This part of the story introduces the primary conflict (if it hasn’t already) and builds on it to create tension both within the story and in the reader, who ideally feels more and more drawn to the text. The conflict can affect one character or multiple characters.

The author should have made the challenges of this central conflict clear to the reader. In other words, what are the possible consequences? The advantages?

This is the part of the plot that sets the rest of the plot in motion. The tension builds as the tension builds, eventually leading to the climax of the story (see below).

For example in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone the upcoming action would be us learning who Voldemort is and many bad things happening which the characters eventually realize are all connected to Voldemort.

This little guy says his cousin was part of the plot in the Harry Potter books.

#3: Climax/Turning Point

Arguably the most important part of a story, the climax is the biggest plot point that puts our characters in a situation where they have to make a decision that affects the rest of the story.

This is the critical moment upon which all the burgeoning actions have been built and the point at which the overall conflict will finally be addressed. What will the characters do and what will happen as a result? Tensions are at their highest here, giving the reader a sense of excitement, fear, and urgency.

In classic heroic stories, the climax would be when the hero finally faces the great monster, leaving the reader to wonder who will win and what that outcome might mean for the other characters and the world at large in the story.

#4: Falling Action

At this point the tension is released and the story takes its course. We begin to see the results of the climax and the main characters’ actions, and get a sense of what this means for them and the world they live in. How did their decisions affect themselves and those around them?

At this point, the author also ties loose ends in the main story and any sub-plots.

In To Kill a Mockingbird we see the aftermath of the trial and Atticus Finch’s involvement in it: Tom goes to jail and is shot and killed, and Scout and Jem are attacked by prosecutor Bob Ewell, who accuses their father of fooling him during the process.

#5: Resolution/Resolution

That final plot point is when everything wraps up and the new world – and the new sense of normality for the characters – has been established. The conflict from the climax has been resolved and any loose ends have been neatly tied up (unless the writer intentionally plots the story for a sequel!).

There is a sense of finality and completion here, leaving the reader feeling like there is nothing more to learn or gain from the narrative.

The resolution can be quite brief — sometimes just a paragraph or so — and can even take the form of an epilogue, which generally takes place a while after the main plot and plot of the story.

Be careful not to confuse “resolution” with “happy ending” – resolutions can also be tragic and totally unexpected!

In Romeo and Juliet, resolution is the point where the family feud between the Capulets and Montagues finally comes to an end following the deaths of the titular lovers.

What is a plot diagram?

Many people use a plot diagram to visualize the definition and structure of the plot. This is what a simple chart looks like:

The triangular portion of the diagram indicates changing tensions in the plot. The chart begins with a flat, horizontal line for exposure, showing a lack of suspense as well as what is normal for the characters in the story.

However, this level changes with increasing action or immediately after the conflict is introduced. The rising plot is a rising line (indicating the build up of suspense) up to the climax – the climax or turning point of the story and when everything changes.

The falling action is a descending line that indicates a drop in tension and the wrapping up of the plot and all subplots. After that, the line flattens out again into a resolution – a new sense of normalcy for the characters in the story.

You can use the plot diagram as a reference when writing a story and to make sure you have all the important plot points.

4 examples of actions from the literature

While most of the plots follow the same basic structure, the details of the stories can be quite different! Here are four plot examples from the literature to give you an idea of ​​how you can use the basic plot structure and still make your story entirely your own.

#1: Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Exhibition: The ghost of Hamlet’s father – the former king – appears one night and instructs his son to avenge his death by killing Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle and the current king.

Upcoming Action: Hamlet strives to avenge his father’s death. He pretends to be going insane (and may actually be going insane) to confuse Claudius. He later misses an opportunity to kill his uncle while he is praying.

Climax: Hamlet stabs and kills Polonius, believing it is his uncle. This is a major turning point as Hamlet embraced both violence and revenge. (Another climax could be when Hamlet duels Laertes.)

Falling Action: Hamlet is sent to England but evades execution and returns to Denmark instead. Ophelia goes insane and dies. Hamlet duels Laertes, which ultimately results in the death of the entire royal family.

Denouement: As he lies dying, Hamlet challenges Horatio to make Fortinbras king of Denmark and tell his story. Fortinbras arrives and speaks hopefully about Denmark’s future.

Artist’s rendering of Hamlet’s murder of King Claudius

#2: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Exposition: Lockwood arrives in Wuthering Heights to meet with Heathcliff, a wealthy landlord, to rent Thrushcross Grange, another mansion just a few miles away. While staying the night, he sees the ghost of a woman named Catherine. After settling into the Grange, Lockwood asks housekeeper Nelly Dean to tell him the story of Heathcliff and the Heights.

Rising Action Most of Rising Action takes place in the past when Catherine and Heathcliff were young. We learn that the two children were very close. One day, a dog bite forces Catherine to stay in the Grange where the Lintons live for several weeks, leading to her falling in love with young Edgar Linton. Feeling hurt and betrayed, Heathcliff runs away for three years, and Catherine and Edgar marry. Heathcliff then inherits the Heights and marries Edgar’s sister Isabella, hoping to inherit the Grange as well.

Climax: Catherine falls ill, gives birth to a daughter named Cathy, and dies. Heathcliff begs Catherine never to leave him, to pursue him – even if it drives him insane.

Falling Action: Many years pass in Nelly’s story. A series of events allows Heathcliff to gain control of the Heights and the Grange. He then forces young Cathy to live with him on the high places and act as his servant. Lockwood leaves the Grange to return to London.

Denouement: Six months later, Lockwood goes back to see Nelly and learns that Heathcliff, still heartbroken and now tired of seeking revenge, has died. Cathy and Hareton fall in love and plan to get married; they inherit the Grange and the Heights. Lockwood visits Catherine and Heathcliff’s graves and finds that they have finally found peace.

#3: Carrie by Stephen King

Portrayal: Carrie, a teenager, is an outcast living with her controlling, strictly religious mother. One day her period starts in the shower after exercising at school. Not knowing what menstruation is, Carrie becomes frantic; This causes other students to make fun of her and throw sanitary items at her. Around this time, Carrie discovers that she has telekinetic powers.

Rising Action: Carrie is practicing her telekinesis, which is getting stronger. The students who previously tormented Carrie in the locker room are punished by their teacher. A girl, Sue, feels remorse and asks her boyfriend Tommy to take Carrie to the prom. But another girl, Chris, wants revenge on Carrie and plans to rig the prom queen election so that Carrie wins. Carrie goes to prom with Tommy and things are going well – at first.

Climax: After being named prom queen, Carrie takes the stage in front of the entire school, only to be instantly drenched in a bucket of pig’s blood, a conspiracy carried out by Chris and her friend Billy. Everyone laughs at Carrie, who goes insane and starts using her telekinesis to start fires and kill everyone in sight.

Falling Action: Carrie returns home and is attacked by her mother. She kills her mother and then goes back outside, this time killing Chris and Billy. As Carrie is dying, Sue comes to her and Carrie realizes that Sue never meant to hurt her. She dies.

Resolution: The survivors of the town must come to terms with the chaos that Carrie has caused. Some feel guilty for not helping Carrie sooner; Sue goes to a mental hospital. It is announced that there are no others like Carrie, but then we are shown a letter from a mother discussing her young daughter’s telekinetic abilities.

#4: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Exposition: Bella Swan is a high school junior who moves in with her father in a remote Washington state town. She meets a strange boy named Edward and after an initially awkward meeting, the two begin to become friends. One day, Edward successfully uses his bare hands to stop a car from crushing Bella, making her realize that there is something very different about this boy.

Rising Action: Bella discovers that Edward is a vampire after doing some research and asking him questions. The two develop strong romantic feelings and quickly fall in love. Bella meets Edward’s vampire family, who happily accept her. However, when they play baseball together, they end up attracting a gang of non-vegetarian vampires. One of these vampires, James, realizes that Bella is human and decides to kill her. Edward and his family work hard to protect Bella, but James lures her into believing that he has kidnapped her mother.

Climax: Tricked by James, Bella is attacked and fed. At that moment, Edward and his family arrive and kill James. Bella almost dies from the vampire venom in her blood, but Edward sucks it out and saves her life.

Fall Action: Bella wakes up in the hospital, badly injured but alive. She still wants to be in a relationship with Edward, despite the risks involved, and the two agree to stay together.

Denouement: Months later, Edward takes Bella to the prom. The two have a good time. Bella tells Edward she wants him to turn her into a vampire right away, but he refuses, pretending to bite her neck instead.

Despite what some critics may claim, Twilight actually has a storyline.

Conclusion: So what is the plot of a story?

What is action? Basically, it’s the chain of events in a story. These events must be purposeful and organized in a logical way that draws the reader in, builds excitement, and provides resolution.

All plots have a beginning, middle, and end, and usually contain the following five points in this order:

#1: Exhibition/Introduction

#2: Rising action

#3: Climax/Turning Point

#4: Falling Action

#5: Resolution/Resolution

Sketching a plot diagram can help you visualize your story and get a clearer sense of where the climax is, the tensions you need to have to build up to that turning point, and how to provide a tight conclusion to your story.

What’s next?

What is action? A key literary element, as it turns out. Get to know other important elements of literature in our guide. We also have a list of the best literary gadgets you should know about.

Working on a novel? Then you’ll probably want to know what types of tonal words you can use, how imagery works, what’s the big difference between a simile and a metaphor, and how to write an epilogue.

Want to write poetry? Then check out our picks for the 20 most critical poetic devices.

Five types of land

A plot is not a story but a series of events that create conflict in the story. A plot is sometimes referred to as the “backbone” of a story. Plots are the result of decisions made by the characters: the characters act (or not) and events happen as a result.

Whether the story is a quest, comedy, journey, or tragedy, there are five elements that help create a strong plot. Now let’s look at the five stages of the storyline:

1st exhibition

The exhibition is the beginning of the story and prepares the way for the unfolding of upcoming events. In this part of the story, main characters are introduced, the setting is established and important conflicts of the story are revealed. This is also the part where the character’s backstory is presented so viewers can get some insight into the reasons why the main characters think and behave a certain way.

2. Rising action

At this point, the main problem or conflict is revealed. During the action, the protagonist will struggle to face the conflict, which can be internal (protagonist vs. self) or external (protagonist vs. antagonist, protagonist vs. nature/society), and records how the main characters deal with the Avoid curveball that suits you.

3. Climax

The climax is the turning point in the story, often revolving around the protagonist’s most difficult challenge or darkest moment. The climax is the most exciting part of the story and heralds a turning point in the lives of the characters. The climax is where the protagonist receives new information, accepts the information – recognizes it and may or may not agree with it, and then acts on that information.

4. Falling action

It’s the point that comes just after the climax, revealing the details of the consequences, good or bad, that the main characters have to deal with after the turning point of events. It prepares the conditions for dissolution.

5. Resolution

Resolution is the part where the outcome of the event and the fate of the protagonist and antagonists are revealed. In this part, the protagonist resolves the conflicts and the loose ends of the storyline are tied up, unless a sequel is planned which will have cliffhanger scenes to allow further development of the storyline.

Learn more about developing storylines and creating compelling storylines in our dedicated screenwriting course that will help you turn your story ideas into a film. Check out our screenwriting course by clicking here.

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This is another guest post by blogger and copywriter Alex Limberg. If you’ve been following my blog over the past few months, you’ve probably come across it, because Stockholm syndrome sets in faster when you drug the sweets 😀 .

Again, I’ll gently nudge you in the direction of his free e-book on “44 Key Questions” to test your story; It will help you make your scenes tight and compelling and spot any possible story problem. This time Alex shows us a very interesting recipe to keep every single part of your story interesting. Take it away Alex!

***

Oh oh! It’s showdown time.

In your breathtaking thriller, Tinky the milkman has just found out who poisoned Lady Chatterbee’s canary. Now he drives to the cinder grove for a play in the old mill.

Your scene before and your scene after are sweaty, ear-splitting, eye-catching pieces that will keep your audience glued to the page.

But that little in-between scene where Tinky sits quietly in his car, the engine humming and the wheels spinning… well, nothing happens. It is boring. Induces sleep. It would make a dog with rabies in his pajamas.

Let’s assume you still want it there. You need a connector, you want to slow down the tempo a bit so you can ramp it up more effectively later. You might even want to weave in a bit of backstory so we can better understand where Tinky came from.

But how can you do this in a way that doesn’t completely stifle your reader’s excitement?

How do you make a naturally unexciting scene interesting in its own way?

This post gives you a handy roadmap on how to make the in-between sexy. As I know that long-winded and unmotivated story parts are often difficult for the author to recognize himself, here you can download a free goodie to check your story for superfluous parts and other imaginable weaknesses (it uses test questions).

To keep your story fresh and exciting in every scene:

1. If you can, throw it away

Your first choice should always be to get rid of any in-betweens that don’t advance your plot. Showing your protagonist getting out of bed, showering, and preparing her breakfast cereal would ridiculously slow down your story, destroy its rhythm, and knock your readers’ socks off.

There’s a storytelling rule that says, “Get in the scene at the latest possible moment and get out at the earliest possible moment.” In scripts and films, you can follow this rule in meticulous action.

Filmmakers in particular cannot afford to bore their audience for even a second. With the ultra-short attention span of today’s music video culture, viewers will just switch channels in cold blood.

However, sometimes you have your own reasons for showing an extra scene: you might want to show your character in a different light, show their personality or habits, or slow the rhythm on purpose. Perhaps you want to give your reader a sense of the passage of time, or show social settings, workspaces, or landscapes. There are a million possible motives.

So if you decide to stick with your scene, here are a few helpful techniques to keep your audience engaged.

2. Introduce personality: Make it about character

Instead of worrying about filling those pages, see them as a great opportunity to bring more life to your characters!

Think of it this way: In most scenes, your action carries the burden of moving your story forward.

But now, in your little cutscene, your character has a chance to take the stage in full and show a brand new side of themselves. If the story is about her professional life, make this scene about her personal life; If the story is about her light side, do this scene about her dark side – or vice versa.

You can also use the scene to introduce new relationships that we don’t know about yet. New relationships can provide a deeper insight into your character’s personality and show them in a different light.

Each of us humans is a complete drama in itself. We’re extremely entertaining in our own way too… Leverage your pages to help your reader get to know your characters better and benefit all of your work!

3. Introduce action: Make it drama

Better yet, bringing several of us together will potentiate the drama. So you could include multiple characters in your scene and use them for a mini-plot, a play within a play.

Your mini-plot doesn’t have to be connected to the main plot, nor does it have to be about a big and important topic. Depending on your genre, it could be everyday drama and as mundane as a girl forgetting her purse on the bus.

The overarching plot unfolds from beginning to end of the entire novel. Again, your mini-plot could proceed with a similar structure from beginning to end of the scene; for example:

Introduction Problem arises First attempt at solution New twist and problem worsens; The climax problem is solved; happy end

If you want the complete ballad of the forgotten purse, how about this: Girl happily drives the bus and thinks about happy days (Introduction); while waiting for her connecting bus, she realizes that she forgot her purse (a problem arises); she gets back on the first bus only to find the bag is gone (attempted solution, problem worsens in climax); she desperately asks the driver and learns that someone found the bag and took it to a lost property office (problem solved); happily she goes to pick it up (happy ending).

Of course, you can also let a character play through the entire sequence in his mind. For example, make him worry about horrific main storyline outcomes. At this point, he doesn’t even need to interact with anyone to create drama; He doesn’t even have to move or do anything. Just run a worst-case scenario in his head.

If you’re bored, just make it harder for your characters: a night walk through the park is much more exciting when you’re not sure if someone is following you. If all else fails, you can always resort to conflict to spice up your story.

Make sure your miniplot fits the type of story you’re telling and doesn’t overwhelm your main plot. A comedy with the mini-plot of a demented axeman is doable, but you have to be careful to get the tone right…

4. Ask questions: Make it about tension

Tension always revolves around questions: Who is the killer? Will Godzilla eat the city? What secret is Martin hiding from Sharon?

Your readers will never get bored as long as they have nagging questions on their minds.

Image by Dennis Brekke/Flickr CC

In your cutscene, you have two options to ask a question.

Option one: You could spin a question of the overall plot further. For example, have your character wonder if Craig can even be the killer because he was on vacation the whole time; Let your readers know that Godzilla just ate up another city block; Hint at the stunning secret of Martin.

Option two: Your mini-plot could create suspense by asking a question of its own. In the example above, the question would be: Does the girl ever get her purse back?

Ultimately, dealing with cutscenes is about giving your scenes a life of their own. Of course, this is something you should always do in every scene, so it’s excellent practice.

You’re a storyteller, and if you want to be a really good one, you should know that it’s not just the raisin parts of your story that are worth telling. Every part of your story should be worth writing well and making it at least a little bit interesting.

And if you put in the effort to polish every part of your story, it will feel continuous, complete, and shine like a mad diamond. Her story will continually engage your reader, pull her in and take her on a roller coaster ride she will never forget.

Alex Limberg blogs on Ride the Pen to help you improve your fiction writing. His blog dissects famous authors (works, not bodies). Check how tight your scenes are and more with his free e-book 44 Key Questions to test your story. Shakespeare is jealous. Alex has worked as a copywriter and lived in Vienna, Los Angeles, Madrid and Hamburg.

Thanks Alex!

Kristen here again.

Now let’s hear it from you: What do you usually do with a hookup scene? What happens in your story if nothing happens? Do you sometimes let boring story parts slide? Keep telling people the cookie monster ate your exciting version? Wouldn’t it be a lot easier if all our scenes could be as boring as water condensing?

Remember, guest comments get double love from me for my contest!

I love hearing from you!

To prove it and show my love, for the month of APRIL I will be putting your name in a hat to anyone who leaves a comment. If you comment and link to my blog on your blog, you’ll get your name in the hat twice. what do you win The unvarnished truth of me. I will pick a winner once a month and it will be a critique of the first 20 pages of your novel or request letter or abstract (5 pages or less).

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Every fiction must have a central antagonist. The antagonist is the source of the story problem, but the term “antagonist” can be very confusing. Without a proper understanding of how to use antagonists, the plot can become a wandering nightmare for both the writer and the reader.

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Are you writing your story too little or too much? In this post, we look at five things to eliminate from your book and six things to keep.

If you want to write well, learn to shorten it.

You only have 80,000 words to say what you want to say in a book. So every word should be worth your reader’s time.

Most first-time authors find it easier to overwrite than underwrite.

If you don’t need a passage, let it go. If it was so good you can’t imagine cutting it, write a short story to get it out of your head.

What to keep in your book

1. Setting descriptions

We need to know where it’s happening. However, we don’t need 10 pages on every aspect of the world. Modern audiences won’t tolerate this level of detail unless you’ve already earned their respect. So save that for the sequels.

2. Tone and Mood

We need to know what your story feels and looks like. Work on the tone you use and the mood you create. Tone is the way the author writes about the subject and mood is the way the reader responds to it. The tone will set the mood.

3. Character and Motive

We need to know what makes your characters tick and why they do what they do. We need to know their motivations.

That’s crucial, don’t let me guess what your main character is feeling. I need to know he likes the love interest before I can worry about what happens to them.

4. Context

A bit of context can really convince your reader of the importance of plot development. You need to get your readers interested in what’s happening. We only care about the love life of Jane from Pride and Prejudice because we know it will make or break the lives of her and her family.

5. Progress

Go forward. Tempo is important. Don’t write a scene that stagnates the plot. [Read: Everything Writers Need To Know About Scenes And Sequels]

Even peaceful moments should flow into the next stage of a story. You show the quiet times in a book so you can destroy them later. That brings us to our next point.

6. Escalating tension

Until you reach the climax of the story, you have to build more and more tension.

The stakes should be higher, cliffhangers should be used, main characters should die and it should look more and more desperate for our protagonist. After that, you can release the tension and bring the story to a satisfying ending.

What to remove from your book

1. Unnecessary exposure

Don’t just tell the reader what happened. show us

Let the character’s actions show you what’s going on in the world. Let’s get crucial information from the captured spy. Don’t just let the protagonist state the obvious. Make sure your audience is always seated on the edge of the seat.

2. Too many characters

Never have three characters when one would do just as well. Because of this, main characters only have one best friend and one love interest.

Your main character should come across as an introverted loner as far as the number of people she knows is large.

3. Redundant descriptions

Never describe a place or object more than once in a story. Everyone probably skipped the description the first time around. Only you care what a building looks like.

4. Intrusion of the author

If you want to say something in a story, give that opinion to a relevant character. But only do so if it makes sense that that character would think so.

An author’s job is to make a work compelling and easy to understand. If you digress to fit in something you want to say, you should probably trim it down and wait for a more appropriate story to be written on that topic.

Suggested Reading: What is Author Intrusion?

5. Stuff you can’t cut.

Eventually there will be things you love, things that make you cry, things that are very important to you that don’t make any sense in the story.

Your heartless editor will say, “What does that even mean? I do not get it. Rewrite that.”

You are almost always right.

Nearly.

Keep those writings, remember how it made you feel, and write a better version of it in another story.

The writing gods gave them to you for a reason. If your editor says it’s not the right time or place, then take that as divine intervention and:

Learn to cut it!

Written but not edited by Christopher Luke Dean

Christopher writes and moderates for Writers Write. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisLukeDean

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They say if writing is boring, reading is boring.

This little piece of writing advice is one of the true ones. But when you’re writing a scene that just doesn’t work and you need it to move the story forward, it’s difficult to turn that boring writing into non-boring reading.

Did you just delete the scene?

Yes! But then you realize that it contains information crucial to the upcoming twist, and you really have nowhere else to incorporate that information (full disclosure, this may have happened to me during a recent edit).

are you rewriting the whole thing?

Secure! But then you get about halfway through and realize you’re just rehashing what you had because that’s how your writing brain sees that scene — and somehow you’ve made it even more boring now.

What you need to do is not scrap the scene or completely rewrite it, but transform it and give it the kick it lacks.

So how do you do that?

You take your boring but necessary scene and make it readable with these writing ideas!

5 writing ideas to transform a boring scene

1. Ask “What if?”

Wondering what would happen if a certain event did or didn’t happen is a great way to create a story or expand on a plot. Applying the same question to a boring scene works just as well.

What if your MC didn’t go to school or work today? What if they open a mis-delivered package? What if they arrive somewhere early or late? How would that change the events of the scene?

Jump start your creativity and turn the scene from ordinary to interesting by asking “What if?”.

2. Skip the Yadda-Yadda

Sometimes the reason a scene is boring is because the best part is you. Maybe you didn’t bother to spell it correctly. Maybe you didn’t know how to spell it correctly. Or maybe you didn’t know how important the scene was going to be when you first drafted it, and now you need to make it more important. Either way, you end up with a scene that’s boring to read because the only interesting thing about it wasn’t detailed enough.

Skip the yadda-yadda and see where you can delve a little deeper into the inner character thoughts, descriptions, or conflicts.

On the other hand, you may have gone into too much detail and lengthened the scene. Look closely at each sentence and see if turning a few paragraphs into yadda-yadda will get the scene going at an interesting, non-dull pace.

3. Say just a little bit

Another well-known writing advice is to show, not tell. That is, instead of telling the reader how the MC outwitted their opponent or what emotion she felt when doing so, show it. Where such advice can get boring, it goes too far and shows it all.

Would the reader like to read about the great magical battle and feel how the MC felt as power coursed through his veins? Yes! Do you want to read how the MC got to said battle in his battered old car, parked it down the street and walked to the scene of the battle on tired, aching feet? No!

You may need to include these things because the car or the setting are relevant in the grand scheme of the story, but it is this information that can benefit from being told rather than shown. Examine your scene for parts the reader needs to know but can be told, and show the parts the reader doesn’t want to skim to make it less boring.

4. Select the dialog

There are a few ways to get important information across to the reader, including a paragraph filled with descriptions or internal character thoughts. I did this in certain scenes and almost fell asleep reading back the same scenes. One way I got off the train to Snooze-Ville is to hitchhike into the dialogue town and take that important, fun-to-know information and turn it into conversation instead.

If you have at least two characters in the scene and that paragraph of your MC internally reflecting on something that happened to them can instead be revealed in a snappy back-and-forth conversation, give it a try and see if it suits your scene helps from boring to funny!

5. Drop in some thrills

A key to creating a balanced book is page-turning scenes and slower-paced sequels. Sequels give your characters a chance to catch their breath and process big events that may have happened to them. Such scenes are intended to highlight exciting events that can seem boring.

How many times have you been reading a book late at night, ignoring the fact that you have to get up early, and you hit a spot where everything meanders and you decide it’s the perfect time to put the book down.

Nothing happens and the scene is boring enough that you decide to get a good night’s sleep instead of reading. Then bam! There is one phrase that grabs your interest and won’t let go. It might be a premonition that makes you want to read on. It could be the revelation that unexpectedly ties the MC’s actions in chapter five to this plot twist in chapter ten, and now you’ve got to see how it all connects!

It’s even more thrilling to end a chapter that feels predictable and a safe place to drop your bookmark on a cliffhanger. This little trick will keep readers turning the page until the sun comes up! If you feel like your chapter is getting on the verge of boring (and it works for the plot), amplify the thrill with an unexpected reveal or cliffhanger!

And there you have five ideas to help you transform a boring scene. It would be nice if your writing was so to the point that you never had to use them, but creative life just doesn’t work that way. If you have any tips of your own, be sure to share them in the comments!

— KM Alan

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