The Scene Machine: Creating New Problems

By Heather Sellers

Readers love scenes because they get to engage with the action in real time. Watching moments of high tension play out for those on the page, the reader becomes part of the story. Because they present the crucial moments of change in the story—when someone has to make a decision—scenes are the basic building blocks of dramatic action.

Four Tools to Rivet Readers

Of course, scenes aren’t your only choice, when composing a story, true or invented. Narration builds ou...