What’s at stake?
Each scene needs to push the action forward
in some way and you may have lost the emotional connection with your hero
or heroine. Try asking yourself: is what’s at stake strong enough?
Fling in a problem
Chuck in something that stops the action in its
tracks, and causes your hero/heroine maximum embarrassment, anguish or
whatever. Lydia Bennet running off
with Wickham in Jane Austen’s Pride
and Prejudice is a brilliant example of this; it brings Lizzy and
Darcy’s increasing intimacy to a sudden halt and throws a serious spanner
in the works. Suddenly, a whole lot more
is at stake.
Good luck.
Elizabeth Hawksley
2 comments:
Great advice, Elizabeth and very useful. Most writers get stuck at some point in a book, and the quicker one gets over it the better!
Thank you.
I agree, Melinda. The last thing one needs it to get bogged down. For me, I find that asking the right questions helps - like, 'What's at stake here?'
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