Hubby and I went on a Chapters date on Saturday and as a result I find myself studying You Can Write A Novel by James V. Smith, JR. So far I'm finding what Smith has to say quite interesting. He suggests that we write Incidents rather than scenes. That's a new concept to me, but I like his suggestion. Don't Incidents sound snappier than scenes? When I consider novels that I've really had a hard time putting down, I must admit, they read more like connected incidents making up the story. Each incident delivers a punch that draws me in further and further to the story world and characters. Scenes just sounds so drawn out now to me.
What do you think? What do you see as the difference between writing Scenes or Incidents? If any?
Personal Note:
Donner did amazing on the weekend for my girls. He went around the course like an old pro and it was pouring rain the whole day, too. Not exactly a good way to introduce him to showing, but he didn't seem to mind at all. Hurray!
Surrendering to Him,
Eileen
15 comments:
Interesting difference between scene and incident, Eileen. It's funny because the word 'incident' reminds me of a comment that a Harlequin editor made about my book, that my writing was 'episodic', ie. writing in episodes or incidents, instead of writing scenes that build from one to the other. Apparently episodic is a VERY undesirable trait. At the time I had no idea what that even meant, so I put it away to re-examine MUCH later!
Myself I like incidents! What can I say. LOL.
I'd be curious what distinction Smith makes between scenes and incidents. I assume it's much more than mere semantics.
I'm glad Donner did so well, even with the challenges the weather presented.
I have never heard it described in this way--but scenes can and should be incidents.
Webster's defines incident as "something dependent on or subordinate to something else of greater or principal importance". So, it seems like you might be able to write part of your book as incidents, but the primary action would have to be written as scenes.
Interesting thought, I'd like to know more about how a passage is classified as scene, or incident. Can you post more details in another post? I'm thinking that my writing might be a combination of the two.
I agree with Joanne. Definitely something to ponder.
That term is new to me, too. Interesting. I'll be curious to hear your overall thoughts on the book when you're finished.
And what great news about Donner! If he can survive bad weather, he was born to show. :)
That does sound interesting. I'm going to have to check that out. Thanks for the info! Have a great week. :)
Yay for your girls and Donner!!
Never heard it said that way but interesting - scenes...incidents.
I do like it.
Very interesting. I like the idea of calling it an incident. A scene can be anything. A conversation, a man and woman walking down the street, but an incident implies an action and reaction which would move the plot along. I like it! :)
I'm reading a Maeve Binchy book right now and she definitely writes a string of incidents. I'm forever thinking, just one more . . .
Actually, I think I totally agree. I remember thinking about Francine Rivers' book A Voice In the Wind and I realized a long time ago that in each scene, something significant happened. Now that I'm a writer, I can see that the story was built around each incident which somehow strengthened goals and motivations, thus upping conflict.
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing and congrats to the girls. :-)
I don't analyze things that much. Other than the POV, shoe - don't tell, character development, and research, my writing is pretty much organic.
Hmm, I think I love it. I need to know more though. I hope you do post some examples to help us wrap our minds around this. Writing in scenes is sometimes difficult for me in the classic definition. So I'm thinking this incident thing might resonate with me. =)
Hmm I've never thought of it that way before Interesting consept. I'll have to try it out.
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