Monday, November 5, 2012

Beware the Bubble Scene


Fiction narrative is a river of cause and effect which sweeps the reader and the characters through the novel.  What happens in each scene affects what happens through the rest of the novel, and main characters should change as these events affect them.  

If the sweet heroine has to kill someone to save her lover’s life, that death should change her, and the person’s death should affect the events of the novel.

If that death scene has no effect on either the heroine or the plot, that is a bubble scene.   

If she nearly makes love to another man and doesn’t think about her true love and that event does nothing to change her or the plot, that’s a bubble scene.

Bubble scenes are such an emotional disconnect from the rest of the story that they are failures.  

You should ask yourself if a scene which has nothing to do with the rest of the novel or the character should be included.  In most cases, you’ll realize that the bubble scene should be popped. 

NOTE: This is my 500th post!  Thanks to my loyal readers for letting me talk to you every week.  

To thank me, please tell your writing friends about my blog, ask me questions about writing, or just let me know you are out there.  Blogging like writing fiction is a lonely business and a little feedback is appreciated.

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