Handling Short Scenes
In film and television, a scene can be extremely short and still feel complete. The visual medium helps. The eye can take in the whole setting, while also tracking the action. But I'm having a hard time with short scenes in my novel. I don't want them to waste many words, but how do I make them feel "complete" -- not rushed, or sketched?
One trick I've tried is to think of the scene as a piece of flash fiction. Flash also can't be longer than 500 or 1000 words, and yet it needs to be even more independent than a scene in a novel.
Any other ideas? I'm scratching my head.
UPDATE: I was too tired to give examples earlier, but here's what I mean.
In a movie script you could have two short scenes in a row, like this:
But if you do that in a novel, how do you do it? It seems very choppy if you say:
...but do I really need to go into the details about how the woods looked and smelled, or the compound, if I've described these things before? I kinda just want to cut to the good stuff....
If I were writing in omniscient, I could roll both scenes together.
However, I'm writing the rest of the book in Third Person at various degrees of Closeness.
Can you have a scene in a novel that's only one or two sentences?
One trick I've tried is to think of the scene as a piece of flash fiction. Flash also can't be longer than 500 or 1000 words, and yet it needs to be even more independent than a scene in a novel.
Any other ideas? I'm scratching my head.
UPDATE: I was too tired to give examples earlier, but here's what I mean.
In a movie script you could have two short scenes in a row, like this:
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT.
A DARK FIGURE runs through the trees.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE WAR LEADER'S COMPOUND.
WARRIOR
He's taken the bait.
LEADER
Send someone to follow him.
DISSOLVE TO...
But if you do that in a novel, how do you do it? It seems very choppy if you say:
* * *
A dark figure ran through the forest, keeping to the shadows of the trees.
* * *
A warrior rushed into the compound and knelt before the war leader.
"He's taken the bait," the warrior reported.
A grim smile spread over the war leader's face. "Send someone to follow him."
* * *
...but do I really need to go into the details about how the woods looked and smelled, or the compound, if I've described these things before? I kinda just want to cut to the good stuff....
If I were writing in omniscient, I could roll both scenes together.
That night, illuminated only by a sliver of moon, a dark figure raced through the trees. The swift and furtive motion of the lone fugitive suggested he did not want to be observed.
He was observed, however, and not long after his flight through the woods, a warrior rushed into the compound and knelt before the war leader.
"He's taken the bait."
A grim smile spread over the war leader's face. "Send someone to follow him."
However, I'm writing the rest of the book in Third Person at various degrees of Closeness.
Can you have a scene in a novel that's only one or two sentences?
Comments
Its been working for me at least:)
Also, one really useful blog I have read about setting (http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/2008/08/introducing-sensory-saturdaymeet-our.html) stresses the importance of sensory information. Much about a setting is conveyed through a character's observations through its senses. A short description of how a room smells, for instance, can say as much about it as a paragraph describing how it looks.
Good luck!
Description isn't my strong point, but a character's emotions color how he/she perceives the setting.
Hope this helps.
@ Sandra. I don't know if it's just the setting, but that was mentioned explicitly.
@ Domey. Yes, maybe it's pace rather than setting that's the problem. In thrillers and military sf, particularly if there are a lot of minor characters, short staccato scenes are used to quicken the pace toward the climax. I like to use a succession of short scenes in battles, where I think it works okay.
It's when I try to put a few short scenes in with "normal" long scenes that it seems to scan awkwardly.
I'd be interested in reading how you handle it. If you want another beta reader, just say the word....