How to Write a Scene EXPLAINED | Definition, Structure, Examples, and More!

Learn how to write a scene, what a scene actually is, and how to choose which scenes to include in your book.

This is not the definitive definition of a scene. This is only how I like to define scenes. Remember that nobody is an expert on writing, they have just figured out things that work for them. What works for someone may not work for you. You need to experiment with a lot of different things to develop your own process, style, and understanding of writing.

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CHAPTERS:
0:00 I’m YA author Claire Fraise
0:38 Definition of a scene
3:43 Example of a scene
5:50 Example of what a scene is NOT
7:25 How do you choose which scenes to include in your book?
9:16 Subscribe!

[carlacraft]

Nailed it. Girl you are SO good in explaining what you mean. I have been trying to wrap my head around this after watching videos and reading BLOGS on the subject, but you are so clear and concise. Enjoy your writing and God Bless You!❤

[mattbell]

Definitely the most helpful explanation of scene(s) out there! Thank you

[aurtocdeeprock]

Hey claire just wanted to say thanks for providing content that is rich of information and your passion. You really have a way of explaining with a perspective of a writer I find your channel really helpful. You've been in the trenches and know what has hurt and helped you. Thank you so much keep up the great work and thanks for all the help. It's much needed, 😅

[SHVDETHEDON]

Hey hi Claire, i have a problem and i don't know if it is plot/subplot, character or p.o.v related all that i know is that it prevent me from learning more and actually understand how to write anything and i was wondering if you could help me ?

Ok so here is where am at when it come to the understanding of the basics:
Note: i'm french so please forgive my english.



THE BASICS

PLOT =
The sequence of events that make up the narrative, that's easy right ? ... Everything in a story is an
- Event:
(Somebody try to lit a fire in the wood is an ACTION because it's performed by an agent/person, but is also an EVENT because well it happen, if the rain start and put out the fire, it is not an ACTION since nodody has performed it but it is still happening therefore it is an EVENT, finally if the cops came it's both action + event) and we have different level of events: minor, mid, major, those events are what is a
- Story:
the recounting or counting of events in their order of happening, CHRONO-logical order: breakfast THEN lunch THEN dinner, the only link between those event are JUST their CHRONO-logy. Event 1 happen before event 2 and event 3 happen after event 2: The king died, then the queen died.
- Plot is those story events, selected, deleted, rearranged, extended, shortened, and tied by causality, the king died, then the queen died OF GRIEF. She died because he died and let her alone, one event is the cause OR the effect of the other. In the plot the events are not linked CHRONO-logically (they can be) but rather CAUSALLY
- Character arc: is basically what it says, an arc, going from selfish to altruist, from liar to honest, from Walter White, a ridiculed teacher washing cars to HENSEINBERG, or not changing at all: Sherlock Holmes, Columbo etc...
- Plot = EXTERNAL journey : The stuff that the character does in the physical world: actions or event (happenings/occurrences due to character actions)
- Character arc = INTERNAL journey: The reason why the character do what they do and what it does to them, how the journey change them.
- Motivation > objective > goal
and then you have the
- Narrative which is just the whole, what you generally tell to people when talking in real life, the movie, the book, the complete piece !



MY PROBLEM

I'm trying to make sense of three things:

-1. Are SUB-goals MINI-PLOTS ?
-2. What is a SUB-plot
-3. What happen to character own plots when they enter other character plots

---

SUB-GOALS / MINI-PLOTS

Every goal is composed of SUB-goals !
Let's say i have a character who's goal is to protect earth by destroying an asteroid (man vs nature)

- motivation: protecting his family, friends, the human race
- goal/objectif: destroying the asteroid
- conflict: every antagonistic force in his way, preventing him from reaching his goal

Joe's plan to get rid of that asteroid is to go himself place an explosive on it but for that he needs a professor to do the trajectory calculations for him, he need to have the support from high ranks generals etc. So his goal will then be composed with a bunch of SUB goals and the success of the MAIN goal will then be conditioned by the success or failure of those SUB goals right ? So my first question his are those SUB-GOALS

- Finding a way to leave town and get to the professor
- Finding the professor
- Convincing a general to let him use military equipments

MINI-plots ? With their own exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax and resolution ?

---

PLOT & SUBPLOTS

My understanding is that their is the joe's plot (MAIN PLOT) which start at the inciting incident and then end at the resolution, so for a movie it is at the end of the film, for a trilogy each film should have their own plots, and for a tv shows it is at the end of the entire show and then you have SUB plots which are side stories that are in some way tied to Joe's plot (MAIN PLOT) example:

The professor ex wife call asking him to go get their son to his baseball match cause she's seek, therefore can't ? I get that this is a sub plot because well, getting his son is not part of saving the world joe's plot but the timing and duration of that subplot will ultimately affect the trajectory calculations part of Joe's plot. Am i getting this correctly ?

---

CHARACTER PLOTS

Then this is the most important thing for me: What happen to character plots when they enter someone else's plot ?

Let's say.

Joe he's leaving his best life when the NASA call him tell him they need him cause an asteroid is about to destroy earth, this is the inciting incident, the event that will force Joe to do a bunch of actions related to that asteroid ! It is joe's plot, SAVING THE PLANET

Joe will not do this alone, he's gonna have several characters that help him pull this off, some will help some will inder him, what happen to those characters plots when they enter joe's one ? and at which part of their plots (inciting incident, rising action, climax, resolution) do they enter Joe's plot ?

[saritaschaffter]

This is helpful because I have 10k to finish my first draft(it’s 40k now) and I’ve being stuck on scene setting and moving the plot forward.

[k.christopherpfeiffer]

Have you heard of Abbie Emmons channel?
Look at her scene card video if you want to do scenes.
Overall, I say Abbie's channel is character development is the right way to write with her 3-act outline videos shows how to expand your story.