I’m going to be 49 next week and have wanted to write a book for decades. Many things have stopped me (mostly me). Have been watching your videos for a couple weeks now and I just have to say thank you *thank* you! Your guides are so helpful and inspiring. You share exactly the information I’ve been looking for (without knowing where to look or even what I needed to ask for). I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling this way. 💛
Wow, way to go!! This comment brightened my day, thank you so much! I'm so happy my videos have been helpful and inspiring to you. Keep up the good work 🤘
Don't give up writing! I started when I was 8 years old; now I am 15 and I am in the middle of my new novel! A few tips that helped me a lot: -Write a book that is exciting to YOU, not to the public. -Write now, edit later. Don't edit every time you sit to write. If you want to change something, write yourself a note in a notebook to do it later. -Every idea has potential, and through time those ideas will change and evolve. Let them. -Get the inspiration from the world around you and people around you. -Don't limit yourself on just one long project; feel free to write every time you get inspired, it is best way to practice and find your style. -Carefully pick a beta reader ( a person who reads your work to give you advice)! Be sure they are serious about it, and don't take their comments make you feel bad. Critics are hard, but you keep going!
@@lorelay2631i absolutely love you for that advice. It's like an older sibling advising the younger one. You deserve appreciation for that gesture so here is it :) You're awesome
Go for it! I am 65 and just starting my first book too!! I am glad that you are starting while you are so you. Abbie will tell you all her secrets. When I was 9, no one had a computer, the internet did not exist, and Abbie was not born yet. I had no help. Abbie is a BIG help now. :)
I am a teenager and I am even not a native English speaker but I learning eng .. your channel is like the best guide ...I live in an environment where no one can guide me or advice me on writing ( in a detailed way ) but you came to my life in the perfect moment. I wanted someone to teach me so badly ..I really appreciate your hard work ..I am a huge fan of yours .. actually it's the beginning of my journey in this writing world and I needed exactly something like you .Boom 💥 I got you at the right moment ...you are my mentor or inspiration ..Thanks alot And also you use to say that you like stories which are more emotional and internal , same is the case with me . I am really grateful .. Thanks alot
Me too. I'm Southeast Asian, and one in my family or circle of friends are writers or even just readers. They don't teach this much in school as well. Videos like this are very helpful and it helps me analyze fiction books and learn from them.
Hi Abbie, I'm now retired aged 88. I have a degree in philosophy and a HND in Graphics. My last job for 12 years I was a graphic design manager. Now I want to write a novel encapsulating many of my experiences because younger people might enjoy them. 12 years in the Royal Navy, 3 years as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, and married more than once. I have three daughters and several grandchildren. I have watched nearly all of your splendid videos. I am now looking forward to getting started if only I could learn to use Pinterest. Can you recommend a RUclips video that teaches seniors how to create a mood board on a PC?
"A scene is a story in miniature-an action through conflict in a unity or continuity of time and space that turns the value-charged condition of a character’s life. In theory there’s virtually no limit to a scene’s length or locations. No matter locations or length, a scene is unified around desire, action, conflict, and change." Robert McKee in _Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting_
omg I literally just started doing this with my chapters, after realizing that the first draft had chapters that were going nowhere. I restructured each chapter with the 3 acts and now everything seems to have it’s own place in the volume and feel like they have actual depth and progress. I feel very vindicated by the fact that others use this too.
Hey Abbie! Just an opinion I have: I personally love when you do case studies of movies in your videos, so could you possibly do more of those? Great video as always 💕
I’ve been waiting for an in-depth vid about scene cards because I didn’t understand what you were talking about in past vids. This helps a lot. I can’t wait for NaNoWriMo. I’m so ready.
I've started using Story Genius' scene cards and it changed my writer's life forever. I love how these cards ensure not only that every scene has a clear goal but that it integrates character growth, making sure the character's arc with every scene. I'll definitely give yours a try! I love the simplicity of it.
Me too! The Lisa Cron book changed everything for me and I use her template for Scrivener as well as KM Weiland's principles of structure. Love Abbie distilling it all for us here.
I discovered this channel 4 days ago and have not been able to stop watching since! Amazing content AND unbelievable production quality - my mind is seriously blown. I have never been more confident in my ability to take on and CRUSH my novel. And the amount of time and energy that has clearly gone into marking video chapters, linking related videos and resources, including case studies, creating downloadable templates and supplementary masterclasses and even writing playlists…!! It’s too good to be true! I didn’t think the perfect blend of ~creative aesthetic~ and incredible organization existed BUT ABBIE YOU ARE DOING IT and I could not be more here for it
Ok at this point, I think Abbie knows what I'm going through. Like...I have this awesome story idea that I planned out and I can't even get through half of the first scene. This is just what I need!
I find this particularly important in fight scenes. It’s so easy to get lost in all the cool action, but if that doesn’t mean anything, it’s just a lot of posing. On the other end of the spectrum, it’s also very useful to keep more relaxing scenes that focus more on casual interaction, humour, or waff more interesting.
I have been thinking about taking the 3Acts-9Beats-27Chapters approach and snowflake it further into -81Scenes-243Situations (three scenes per chapter to keep the Power-of-Three structure), whereby the scenes are all set up into ' the situation at the start of the scene - something happens and everybody responds to it - a new status quo is established' or 'something happens - everybody responds to it - new state is established'. Your scene cards are going to be really helpful for this.
One of the most useful things ever. I've used this for one of my short stories and so far this was the most helpful thing having around, to plan everything out and to keep track of the events while writing!
Abbie Emmons, you fill my heart with warmth and you give amazing advice, but seriously, do not buy scene cards when you can simply write these things down yourself.
Wow, Abbie, Talk about internal and external conflict, worst fears and all the rest of the stuff in your coaching. I have been binging on Mr Selfridge and it's got everything. I'm started yesterday and now I'm up to Season 2 Ep2 and no doubt will be up long after my normal bedtime. In real life, Selfridge's wife Rose died during the influenza pandemic of 1918; his mother, who lived with them, died in 1924. My favourite character so far is Lady Loxely and Lord Loxley looks like an interesting case. I love it as entertainment.
I always like to kill the parent/mentor character off early on in the story to act as the inciting incident and key motivation for my protagonist Either then or just before the climax of the story
abbie, i have watched this video a billion times. i commented two months ago as well, when the video first came out. but i’m back, currently taking notes on the video to finally go start my own scene cards using this template, but i wanted to leave a comment on this video asking you to do a case study on some sequences from movies or books so that we can see this scene arc in action. :) also, just finished the best christmas ever the other day and it was so sweet thank you for giving us your stories ☺️
I love that you keep your methods evolving. In previous videos, the adaptation of Lisa Cron's scene cards were a huge deal for me. Currently, what's been working for me is Robert McKee's perspective of story. To him, a scene implies a change in the character's values (i.e. Justice, truth, curiosity, etc: a value can be anything that MATTERS to the character and therefore to the reader). Any scene should start with a high or low level of the value in stake and show a shift at the end. If there is no change, then the scene should be considered a NO EVENT and scrapped from the story (as most likely it'll just be an info dumping space, which is boring to the reader). Anyway, I really recommend any of his books as well :)
@@renelznicolas8659thanks! That's boos every author should read! I'd love to share a book that I find very helpful in writing scenes. It is Structuring Your Novel: Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story by K. M. Weiland. The arc is pretty similar to Abby's structure but the book gives fewer details and examples.
I was wondering and actually asked for your scene card video. Now I know why you took it down. This scene card is much more user friendly, in my opinion. Thanks for everything!
I started watching this channel today and I can’t get enough🤩thank you so much for your tips, they are very useful🫶although, I have only finished the outline of my story, I want to start writing soon and I already know that your videos will be helpful to me💜
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS. Using this template, I was able to make my MC deciding what to do during her summer break from school engaging and important to getting to know my character (Its my second scene.) You are the best Abbie!❤🔥
Ahhhh. I kept refreshing the page to see if you had uploaded. I'm in love with Wednesdays now 😂. Also, super excited for the announcement on first October!
Lol I'm 16 and have published 4-5 books on an online platform. I don't know if I want to be a writer but writing comes naturally to me and it's my biggest Passion. I can't help it, specially if I don't write for more than a few days. It doesn't just feels good... So I'm looking forward to improving my skills by every height. No matter what and where I'm in the future, I want to develop this skill because it calls for me :)) or so I feel like
The content you share with us is priceless Abbie! Your channel has been a game changer in my writing, I was so amazed at the sheer quality of your advice the first time I watched your videos. And it hasn't changed! Thanks a million for all the hard work you put in!
This is so helpful. I'm in developmental editing and one of my scenes felt super scattered and unfocused and I think I was trying to do too much and focus on too many different conflicts in what is essentially one scene. Thanks! I'll try this.
I've always believed that a great chapter is like one of those old radio shows from back in the day where you would have the story and then at the very end the narrator would run down the questions from the story in the lead up to the next installment: "will so and so end up with so and so, will (a) happen to (b)? Tune in next week to find out" It's worked very well for me.
Thank you again for all that you provide for free to your followers. I just purchased the scene card template and will start using it to get my structure working better right away. You are a rock star, Abbie!!!
Thank you so much Abbie. This video is so fantastic and I think you've finally unstuck a major scene that I've been staring at the last few days. I knew something was wrong with it but I couldn't quite pinpoint what it was and I realized I didn't have enough setup for the payoff/crossroads moment to be satisfying. You're an angel!
My interpretation of a scene: pre-conflict, conflict, post-conflict. Pre-conflict is the mood/theme/setting/character who wants or conveys something. Conflict is obstacles stopping that want. Post-conflict is how has the above mentioned noun changed. (So that a sense of progress is felt by the reader. I feel like scenes that don’t offer much change feel…pointless? indistinguishable? when reading.) So if your character is upset that they want to save their bodyguard but, upon seeing their death, is afflicted with a strange sense of glee that scares even them…that’s a good scene.
This video has already been amazingly helpful. I used it to help make an outline for the third draft of a short story I'm writing. This story's been giving me problems lately, but I think I've figured out how to fix it now! I don't really outline each scene beforehand, but I'll probably use it for editing again in the future. It's a great tool.
I just wrote a scene, loved it and couldn’t figure out what I did right, and then I watched this video and discovered it was this! I used that exact structure. I’ll definitely be keeping that in mind and using it for everything
That is so cool! While I was developing this scene card I studied a bunch of my favorite scenes across different genres to see if it held up... it's always so cool to find examples in your own writing!
In addition to what you say here, which is awesome, I write every chapter in novels...using the 6 landmarks in episodic TV writing--- which BAM! totally gives each sequence or chapter a full-circle beginning, middle, and end. Something that could really be "gold" for your viewers...I can expand if you like? It will also keep the arc climbing: key thing---the character cannot go BACK to their former life. That is most important. If people do THAT, by default, your story drives onward!
I think it’s important to end each chapter with a cliffhanger, as long as that cliffhanger helps to move the story forward, instead of being used to create fake suspense only to trick the reader. Cliffhangers are what urge me to read the next chapter of a story or watch the next episode of a TV show, so I consider them to be extremely important to include. I would really love it if you make a video on how to write cliffhangers 🥰
Thank you so much for motivating and pushing me to start writing my book, Abbie!!💕💕 I have seen many writing videos but none are as detailed and informative as yours! Thank you 💕💕💝
Abbie, thank you so much. I’ve recently been struggling to actually write the scenes out and at times they have felt empty/even I’m not sure where a scene is going. So this is so helpful. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and resources 💜
It's so interesting; I was researching scene cards about two or three weeks ago and trying and trying and struggling to figure them out I was actually hoping you'd make a video on the topic, haha! Sure enough, I'm not even halfway through this video and I understand them at last! Thank you so much for your amazing videos, you're more helpful than you know!
I MISS THE HEIST PLAYLIST-!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭 I'm gonna preptober a children's story. Yipes!!!! 😂😃 I've had this idea for years and finally gonna get to play. After sweet Zoe is asleep. Zoe is my new kitten. She's crazy in the morning and I can't get any thing done til around noon when she decided it's nappers.
Abbie! Thank you so much for this! I've been in a rough spot with my novel for a while and I've been thinking it's partly a plot/pacing problem, plus me needing to reconnect with the characters and the theme. This totally solves one of those problems! I can't wait to get started with this scene card!
Love the video. Just recently found you here on YT and working on my first novel using scrivener. Hopefully one day soon I can buy the scene card....sucks being in a nursing home lol
I love these Scene Cards. The only piece of feedback would be the video would benefit from a real-life example, as you did in your Chapter Outline video. Thanks for the great videos 🥰
YES! I was going to outline today! I always knew this was the way to outline as I have pieced it together myself but this is absolutely great affirmation.
Its funny how i watched this video the first time and it didnt resonate so much, i came back and watched it after mentally analysing a good show and boy are you spitting facts. As always❤
I'm great fan of videos and you. Your videos motivates me so much and I'm writing my own book and I write it everyday. Your tips are so powerful. Thanks love you ❤
I also started to focus more on splitting my story into small scenes. I already split it into scenes for some time, when I structure my story. I knew what has to happen in a specific part of the story. But for the most time, it was just part of a continuum. A scene didn't have a purpose on their own but to advance the plot. And after a scene, the next scene just began without a break. Now I try to do it this way: - almost every scene is a small story, which should be interesting on its own in some way. It could just be a small joke. - a scene normally shouldn't have skips (there are exceptions, I'm not sure about yet) - when it should be clear to the reader, how the scene ends, I just end the scene there, so the reader can interpret , what would happen next themselves - the next scene might start after skipping some obvious stuff, normally when the next interesting thing starts to happen, maybe explaining what happened before in one sentence Example: - first scene is about someone going to the city to buy some stuff, and the scene just ends before he decides what to buy - next scene begins after he uses the thing he bought
Abbieeeeeeeeee❤️❤️❤️ how should I express this now, I completed my outline with the help of ur template and was searching for the scene card one amd didn't find the video,I was a bit stressed for it and was not able to decide it even I was searching for any screenshots I took from the previous video all these early mornings and here u are with that new version of that video 🤧🤧 thank you so much ❤️❤️ And wow ur editing alwaysss rocks on. Wts special here is u teach us the way to think,u make us think and see ourselves building ideas ❤️ such teachers are so rare, thank you so much Abbie for existing❤️u helped me a lot
Hi Abbie, great video, thank you. Two questions: 1) You emphasize the question What Has Changed? to be the most important question to ask at the end of every chapter. Is this equally true for scenes, or more so for chapters? 2) Should scenes have a shift of emotion, no matter how subtle, where the scene begins with one emotional quality (say, two characters on a blind date feel anxious meeting each other) and ends with a different one (the two are relaxed and enjoying each other's company)? I believe I came across this scene-emotion arc concept in a podcast on the Save the Cat! website, but I cannot find it now.
“You might have some fantastic ideas and some conflicted characters, and a great world for them to exist in, but when it comes to the actual writing part, you have no sense of direction.” Me: *immediately starts frantically double, triple checking my pockets and tearing apart the walls of my room in search of the cameras. I love your videos btw, they’re a gift from the heavens.
I love writing and always have, but sometimes I can’t think of ways to hold off on getting to the climax of the story. Do you have any recommendations for ways to pace your story appropriately and not jump into the climax too quickly? Love your channel!
What about the old, time-tested definition of scene taught at the University of Oklahoma? Specifically, that taught by Dwight V. Swain in his book _Techniques of the Selling Writer_ (1965), reiterated by his student Jack M. Bickham, who also taught at UO, in his book _Scene & Structure_ (1993), and continued in _The Fantasy Fiction Formula_ (2016), a book by Bickham’s successor at UO, Deborah Chester. A definition used by writers as successful as - oh, I don’t know - Jim Butcher, the author of the _Dresden Files_ urban fantasy series (Butcher was Chester’s student). If that definition has worked so well for so long, why ignore it? Scene Pattern: statement of scene GOAL by the scene's MC > intro & development of CONFLICT > tactical DISASTER (which must be inevitable, yet a surprise to the reader). Yup, there's your three-act structure. With respect to the scene goal, the disaster can give one of four different answers: (1) yes (this should never happen, except at the end of the story, since the story would be over, or it is only permissible for the antagonist, since a success for that character is a threat to the protagonist), (2) no, (3) yes, but…, or (4) no, and furthermore… But the disaster should feel/be (1) inevitable, (2) logical, and (3) unexpected to the reader. And this leads to sequel… Sequel Pattern: emotion > thought > decision > action. But the emotion, thought, and decision can be short and sweet, or lengthy, or maybe even a bit jumbled as the character struggles to recover from the scene disaster, but finally does decide and takes action. The pattern of thought within the sequel, when expanded upon, is review (of what just happened), analysis, and planning, which leads to the decision to take action. And that action leads us to the next scene. Sequels, Bickham points out, are what a writer uses to control a story's pace - when scene after scene after scene are followed by short sequel after short sequel after short sequel, the story just flies, but can leave the reader breathless. So, sometimes, especially if a disaster warrants it, it helps to have a lengthier sequel from time to time, giving the reader a break. When it comes to cliffhangers, though, and how many of today's indie writers use them, it just makes me sick. Overused and cliché. Especially when they end a novel with a cliffhanger. Cliffhangers belong at the end of a scene, or the end of a chapter - but not every bloody chapter or scene, as you said - or, maybe, the end of the final episode of a TV show's season (especially if the show sucks and they want to use a cheap trick to try to keep you watching). But if a writer puts a cliffhanger at the end of their book, I'll toss that book in the trash and that writer will never see another ridiculously inflated red cent of my money. “And that's a promise, not a threat,” as my mum used to say.
exactly! if your story can only be read by cliffhangers, you aren’t doing a good job as a writer. as long as you keep the reader expecting something good/bad, you don’t need to overly rely on cliffhangers!
To clarify on the four possible answers I gave above, I should have said that they are the answers to the question formed in the reader’s mind when the MC states their scene goal. Namely, will they achieve that scene goal? (The same caveats and notes apply, as I said above.) Those answers can be (1) yes, the goal is achieved, (2) no, it is not achieved, (3) yes, it is achieved,… BUT…, and (4) no, it is not achieved, and furthermore… These four answers are how each scene disaster unfolds. Some say #2 should never occur except at the end of a story. Their argument is that if that's the result of a scene disaster, then the story is over. Really? It seems to me that if the disaster at the end of a scene is simply a failure to achieve the _scene_ goal (which is not the overarching _story_ goal), and that means the story has just ended, then that protag can't be a very motivated character, can they? How many in life fail, only to let that failure motivate them to continue on, more motivated than ever? If that is true, then why can't it be true in fiction? So, no. I say that scene disaster #2 does not _necessarily_ result in the end of the story (but it can - as seen in the third possible way a story can end, as noted below). Think of any movie you've seen and you'll see scene disasters 2, 3, and 4 all throughout the story, for protag and antag alike. In fact, #4 always stands out, since you see the antagonist really giving it to the protag and enjoying it. You'll also see #1 in the middle of a movie, but that only happens for the antag; #1 only happens for the protag at the end, if it is a happy ending. But, technically, there are, generally speaking, only four possible endings to any story: (1) protag achieves their goal, and it is a good thing (happy ending); (2) protag achieves their goal, but it is a bad thing (rather bitter sweet); (3) protag does not achieve their goal, and it is a bad thing (your classic tragedy); and (4) protag does not achieve their goal and it is a good thing (also bitter sweet, but in the other direction). The trick is to make whichever one happens feel inevitable, logical, and unexpected. Sure, some stories can be ambiguous with their endings, but they’re usually and frequently too “literary” for most readers/movie-goers to care. That’s not what they want in a story. But inserting the notion of ambiguity about who is good or evil, as in Game of Thrones, simply throws more exquisite unpredictability into a story, without it actually being ambiguous. And we know how readers/viewers reacted to that. The principles are simple, but executing them well is _HARD!_ Just as Abbie notes at the beginning of this vid.
I’m going to be 49 next week and have wanted to write a book for decades. Many things have stopped me (mostly me). Have been watching your videos for a couple weeks now and I just have to say thank you *thank* you! Your guides are so helpful and inspiring. You share exactly the information I’ve been looking for (without knowing where to look or even what I needed to ask for). I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling this way. 💛
Good luck and achieve your dream!
Good luck! With this knowledge, I'm sure you'll do great! Keep going at it!
Wow, way to go!! This comment brightened my day, thank you so much! I'm so happy my videos have been helpful and inspiring to you. Keep up the good work 🤘
You echo my sentiments exactly.
good luck! Abbie, you did the same for me girl... thank you really.
I am only 9 years old but I am already writing a book. Abbie, you are my hero when it comes to writing. You give me so much confidence. Thank you!
Don't give up writing! I started when I was 8 years old; now I am 15 and I am in the middle of my new novel! A few tips that helped me a lot:
-Write a book that is exciting to YOU, not to the public.
-Write now, edit later. Don't edit every time you sit to write. If you want to change something, write yourself a note in a notebook to do it later.
-Every idea has potential, and through time those ideas will change and evolve. Let them.
-Get the inspiration from the world around you and people around you.
-Don't limit yourself on just one long project; feel free to write every time you get inspired, it is best way to practice and find your style.
-Carefully pick a beta reader ( a person who reads your work to give you advice)! Be sure they are serious about it, and don't take their comments make you feel bad. Critics are hard, but you keep going!
@@lorelay2631i absolutely love you for that advice. It's like an older sibling advising the younger one. You deserve appreciation for that gesture so here is it :)
You're awesome
@@smoothies-hz9fxawww thank you!
Go for it! I am 65 and just starting my first book too!! I am glad that you are starting while you are so you. Abbie will tell you all her secrets. When I was 9, no one had a computer, the internet did not exist, and Abbie was not born yet. I had no help. Abbie is a BIG help now. :)
Thanks!
I am a teenager and I am even not a native English speaker but I learning eng .. your channel is like the best guide ...I live in an environment where no one can guide me or advice me on writing ( in a detailed way ) but you came to my life in the perfect moment. I wanted someone to teach me so badly ..I really appreciate your hard work ..I am a huge fan of yours .. actually it's the beginning of my journey in this writing world and I needed exactly something like you .Boom 💥 I got you at the right moment ...you are my mentor or inspiration ..Thanks alot
And also you use to say that you like stories which are more emotional and internal , same is the case with me . I am really grateful ..
Thanks alot
Thats the same for me!
Me too. I'm Southeast Asian, and one in my family or circle of friends are writers or even just readers. They don't teach this much in school as well. Videos like this are very helpful and it helps me analyze fiction books and learn from them.
I was
So..its been a year, have you started writing?
Hi Abbie, I'm now retired aged 88. I have a degree in philosophy and a HND in Graphics. My last job for 12 years I was a graphic design manager. Now I want to write a novel encapsulating many of my experiences because younger people might enjoy them. 12 years in the Royal Navy, 3 years as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, and married more than once. I have three daughters and several grandchildren. I have watched nearly all of your splendid videos. I am now looking forward to getting started if only I could learn to use Pinterest. Can you recommend a RUclips video that teaches seniors how to create a mood board on a PC?
Your contribution to writing community deserves a special award. Well done. I think, ig my daughter did what you're doing ― I would be proud of her.
"A scene is a story in miniature-an action through conflict in a unity or continuity of time and space that turns the value-charged condition of a character’s life. In theory there’s virtually no limit to a scene’s length or locations. No matter locations or length, a scene is unified around desire, action, conflict, and change." Robert McKee in _Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting_
omg I literally just started doing this with my chapters, after realizing that the first draft had chapters that were going nowhere. I restructured each chapter with the 3 acts and now everything seems to have it’s own place in the volume and feel like they have actual depth and progress. I feel very vindicated by the fact that others use this too.
Hey Abbie! Just an opinion I have: I personally love when you do case studies of movies in your videos, so could you possibly do more of those? Great video as always 💕
I love doing case studies too! ;) More of those videos coming soon.
@@AbbieEmmons thanks!
I’ve been waiting for an in-depth vid about scene cards because I didn’t understand what you were talking about in past vids. This helps a lot. I can’t wait for NaNoWriMo. I’m so ready.
I'm so glad this video helped you! Good luck with NaNoWriMo 😍
I've started using Story Genius' scene cards and it changed my writer's life forever. I love how these cards ensure not only that every scene has a clear goal but that it integrates character growth, making sure the character's arc with every scene. I'll definitely give yours a try! I love the simplicity of it.
Me too! The Lisa Cron book changed everything for me and I use her template for Scrivener as well as KM Weiland's principles of structure. Love Abbie distilling it all for us here.
I discovered this channel 4 days ago and have not been able to stop watching since! Amazing content AND unbelievable production quality - my mind is seriously blown. I have never been more confident in my ability to take on and CRUSH my novel. And the amount of time and energy that has clearly gone into marking video chapters, linking related videos and resources, including case studies, creating downloadable templates and supplementary masterclasses and even writing playlists…!! It’s too good to be true! I didn’t think the perfect blend of ~creative aesthetic~ and incredible organization existed BUT ABBIE YOU ARE DOING IT and I could not be more here for it
Ok at this point, I think Abbie knows what I'm going through.
Like...I have this awesome story idea that I planned out and I can't even get through half of the first scene. This is just what I need!
I'm so glad this came at the right time for you! :)
@@AbbieEmmons thanks for the vid :) very informative!!!
I find this particularly important in fight scenes. It’s so easy to get lost in all the cool action, but if that doesn’t mean anything, it’s just a lot of posing. On the other end of the spectrum, it’s also very useful to keep more relaxing scenes that focus more on casual interaction, humour, or waff more interesting.
Is it just me or is anyone else completely addicted to this channel??
I have been thinking about taking the 3Acts-9Beats-27Chapters approach and snowflake it further into -81Scenes-243Situations (three scenes per chapter to keep the Power-of-Three structure), whereby the scenes are all set up into ' the situation at the start of the scene - something happens and everybody responds to it - a new status quo is established' or 'something happens - everybody responds to it - new state is established'. Your scene cards are going to be really helpful for this.
One of the most useful things ever. I've used this for one of my short stories and so far this was the most helpful thing having around, to plan everything out and to keep track of the events while writing!
Abbie Emmons, you fill my heart with warmth and you give amazing advice, but seriously, do not buy scene cards when you can simply write these things down yourself.
Wow, Abbie, Talk about internal and external conflict, worst fears and all the rest of the stuff in your coaching. I have been binging on Mr Selfridge and it's got everything. I'm started yesterday and now I'm up to Season 2 Ep2 and no doubt will be up long after my normal bedtime. In real life, Selfridge's wife Rose died during the influenza pandemic of 1918; his mother, who lived with them, died in 1924. My favourite character so far is Lady Loxely and Lord Loxley looks like an interesting case. I love it as entertainment.
I know this is random, but As the world caves in would be perfect for a major death scene, especially if It's a character's loved one.
I always like to kill the parent/mentor character off early on in the story to act as the inciting incident and key motivation for my protagonist
Either then or just before the climax of the story
@@unicorntomboy9736 that's a really popular trope that usually see in anime
@@gallerycatstudios8018 I recently written a short story about a female samurai warrior in 1497 Japan for a college assignment. I am very proud of it
abbie, i have watched this video a billion times. i commented two months ago as well, when the video first came out. but i’m back, currently taking notes on the video to finally go start my own scene cards using this template, but i wanted to leave a comment on this video asking you to do a case study on some sequences from movies or books so that we can see this scene arc in action. :) also, just finished the best christmas ever the other day and it was so sweet thank you for giving us your stories ☺️
that color looks so good on you!!!
also thank you for the new scene cards! game changers!!! you’re a queen
Aw, thanks! :) I'm so glad this video helped you!
We meet once again scene cards!
When you’re knee deep in writing screenplays, scene cards become one of your best buds.
I love that you keep your methods evolving. In previous videos, the adaptation of Lisa Cron's scene cards were a huge deal for me. Currently, what's been working for me is Robert McKee's perspective of story. To him, a scene implies a change in the character's values (i.e. Justice, truth, curiosity, etc: a value can be anything that MATTERS to the character and therefore to the reader). Any scene should start with a high or low level of the value in stake and show a shift at the end. If there is no change, then the scene should be considered a NO EVENT and scrapped from the story (as most likely it'll just be an info dumping space, which is boring to the reader). Anyway, I really recommend any of his books as well :)
Hi Reme! Thanks for explaining Robert McKee's method. Could you share the name of his book that consists of more details of this method?
@@ІраПавле sure! It's "Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting"
@@renelznicolas8659thanks! That's boos every author should read! I'd love to share a book that I find very helpful in writing scenes. It is Structuring Your Novel: Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story by K. M. Weiland. The arc is pretty similar to Abby's structure but the book gives fewer details and examples.
Ahh I needed this today! Thank you thank you thank YOU for posting this, Abbie! ❤️
you are most welcome 😉
The quality of information in these videos is outstanding. Abbie is an expert in the science of storytelling.
I was wondering and actually asked for your scene card video. Now I know why you took it down. This scene card is much more user friendly, in my opinion. Thanks for everything!
I'm so glad you like this scene card! I hope it helps :)
Thank youuuuu!!!
I was in dire need of this! Love you, abbie!💕
I started watching this channel today and I can’t get enough🤩thank you so much for your tips, they are very useful🫶although, I have only finished the outline of my story, I want to start writing soon and I already know that your videos will be helpful to me💜
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS. Using this template, I was able to make my MC deciding what to do during her summer break from school engaging and important to getting to know my character (Its my second scene.) You are the best Abbie!❤🔥
Ahhhh. I kept refreshing the page to see if you had uploaded. I'm in love with Wednesdays now 😂. Also, super excited for the announcement on first October!
Aw, I'm so glad!! Thank you :)
Riiiight! Wednesday is my favorite day of the week now 🥰
Lol I'm 16 and have published 4-5 books on an online platform. I don't know if I want to be a writer but writing comes naturally to me and it's my biggest Passion. I can't help it, specially if I don't write for more than a few days. It doesn't just feels good... So I'm looking forward to improving my skills by every height. No matter what and where I'm in the future, I want to develop this skill because it calls for me :)) or so I feel like
Thanks
The content you share with us is priceless Abbie! Your channel has been a game changer in my writing, I was so amazed at the sheer quality of your advice the first time I watched your videos. And it hasn't changed! Thanks a million for all the hard work you put in!
This is so helpful. I'm in developmental editing and one of my scenes felt super scattered and unfocused and I think I was trying to do too much and focus on too many different conflicts in what is essentially one scene. Thanks! I'll try this.
OH MY GOODNESS this video came EXACTLY when I needed it!! THANK YOU!!!
Hey Abbie, thank you for your commitment to this channel and context. It’s very helpful and informative.
I was literally asking this question yesterday. Thanks Abbie!
Ps. LOVE “A HUNDRED DAYS OF SUNLIGHT”!! ☀️
I've always believed that a great chapter is like one of those old radio shows from back in the day where you would have the story and then at the very end the narrator would run down the questions from the story in the lead up to the next installment: "will so and so end up with so and so, will (a) happen to (b)? Tune in next week to find out"
It's worked very well for me.
You are a godsend! Im amazed of the simple yet deep informational videos like this! AND provide resources… thank you so much
Thank you again for all that you provide for free to your followers. I just purchased the scene card template and will start using it to get my structure working better right away. You are a rock star, Abbie!!!
Currently, I'm teaching two homeschool students how to write using the tips I've learned here!
Thank you so much for uploading this! It's going to help me a lot since currently I'm writing scenes from my Lion King fanfic that appears in my head
Abbie nearly at 150k subs already!
Good stuff 👏
Thank you, Tom! :D
Thank you so much Abbie. This video is so fantastic and I think you've finally unstuck a major scene that I've been staring at the last few days. I knew something was wrong with it but I couldn't quite pinpoint what it was and I realized I didn't have enough setup for the payoff/crossroads moment to be satisfying. You're an angel!
Man, Abbie is a GENIUS! I appreciate all this SO MUCH, Abbie!
My interpretation of a scene: pre-conflict, conflict, post-conflict.
Pre-conflict is the mood/theme/setting/character who wants or conveys something.
Conflict is obstacles stopping that want.
Post-conflict is how has the above mentioned noun changed.
(So that a sense of progress is felt by the reader. I feel like scenes that don’t offer much change feel…pointless? indistinguishable? when reading.)
So if your character is upset that they want to save their bodyguard but, upon seeing their death, is afflicted with a strange sense of glee that scares even them…that’s a good scene.
This video has already been amazingly helpful. I used it to help make an outline for the third draft of a short story I'm writing. This story's been giving me problems lately, but I think I've figured out how to fix it now!
I don't really outline each scene beforehand, but I'll probably use it for editing again in the future. It's a great tool.
This is exactly what I needed this week! Thanks for all the great content!
I just wrote a scene, loved it and couldn’t figure out what I did right, and then I watched this video and discovered it was this! I used that exact structure. I’ll definitely be keeping that in mind and using it for everything
That is so cool! While I was developing this scene card I studied a bunch of my favorite scenes across different genres to see if it held up... it's always so cool to find examples in your own writing!
@@AbbieEmmons Yes!!!!! I’m so touched you replied to my comment❤️ you’ve been a huge inspiration to me
In addition to what you say here, which is awesome, I write every chapter in novels...using the 6 landmarks in episodic TV writing--- which BAM! totally gives each sequence or chapter a full-circle beginning, middle, and end. Something that could really be "gold" for your viewers...I can expand if you like? It will also keep the arc climbing: key thing---the character cannot go BACK to their former life. That is most important. If people do THAT, by default, your story drives onward!
This is why we love Abbie 🥰
ah I was looking for this! This appeared right on time thank you!
Oooh thank you, I think this is exactly what I needed!
I love that you had that shirt made!!
Been waiting for this one!
Between this and the three act page, you've set me up for success.
I think it’s important to end each chapter with a cliffhanger, as long as that cliffhanger helps to move the story forward, instead of being used to create fake suspense only to trick the reader. Cliffhangers are what urge me to read the next chapter of a story or watch the next episode of a TV show, so I consider them to be extremely important to include. I would really love it if you make a video on how to write cliffhangers 🥰
Thank you so much for motivating and pushing me to start writing my book, Abbie!!💕💕 I have seen many writing videos but none are as detailed and informative as yours! Thank you 💕💕💝
Thank you Abbie, this was great.
Can't wait to use this!!!
Abbie, thank you so much. I’ve recently been struggling to actually write the scenes out and at times they have felt empty/even I’m not sure where a scene is going. So this is so helpful. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and resources 💜
It's so interesting; I was researching scene cards about two or three weeks ago and trying and trying and struggling to figure them out
I was actually hoping you'd make a video on the topic, haha!
Sure enough, I'm not even halfway through this video and I understand them at last! Thank you so much for your amazing videos, you're more helpful than you know!
I MISS THE HEIST PLAYLIST-!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭
I'm gonna preptober a children's story. Yipes!!!! 😂😃 I've had this idea for years and finally gonna get to play.
After sweet Zoe is asleep.
Zoe is my new kitten. She's crazy in the morning and I can't get any thing done til around noon when she decided it's nappers.
I'm a huge fan of what you're doing here! You've changed how I'm writing my current screenplay and helped me to stay on track! Thank you! :)
Abbie! Thank you so much for this! I've been in a rough spot with my novel for a while and I've been thinking it's partly a plot/pacing problem, plus me needing to reconnect with the characters and the theme. This totally solves one of those problems! I can't wait to get started with this scene card!
THANK YOU ABBIEEEEE❤
Love the video. Just recently found you here on YT and working on my first novel using scrivener. Hopefully one day soon I can buy the scene card....sucks being in a nursing home lol
I needed this todayyyy
I love these Scene Cards. The only piece of feedback would be the video would benefit from a real-life example, as you did in your Chapter Outline video. Thanks for the great videos 🥰
This one was incredible!!!
Excellent... Excellent... Excellent!👏
Thanks, Abby! This one was particularly helpful.
YES! I was going to outline today! I always knew this was the way to outline as I have pieced it together myself but this is absolutely great affirmation.
Its funny how i watched this video the first time and it didnt resonate so much, i came back and watched it after mentally analysing a good show and boy are you spitting facts. As always❤
Thanks Abbie! This is extremely helpful. As always, you're the best!
I've been using the Story Genius method for a while that uses this idea exactly. It works really well.
I'm great fan of videos and you.
Your videos motivates me so much and I'm writing my own book and I write it everyday. Your tips are so powerful. Thanks love you ❤
I also started to focus more on splitting my story into small scenes.
I already split it into scenes for some time, when I structure my story.
I knew what has to happen in a specific part of the story.
But for the most time, it was just part of a continuum. A scene didn't have a purpose on their own but to advance the plot. And after a scene, the next scene just began without a break.
Now I try to do it this way:
- almost every scene is a small story, which should be interesting on its own in some way. It could just be a small joke.
- a scene normally shouldn't have skips (there are exceptions, I'm not sure about yet)
- when it should be clear to the reader, how the scene ends, I just end the scene there, so the reader can interpret , what would happen next themselves
- the next scene might start after skipping some obvious stuff, normally when the next interesting thing starts to happen, maybe explaining what happened before in one sentence
Example:
- first scene is about someone going to the city to buy some stuff, and the scene just ends before he decides what to buy
- next scene begins after he uses the thing he bought
Story by numbers by Adam skelter and plot basics by Paul Tomlinson really nail 8 sequences for those that want more info
Abbieeeeeeeeee❤️❤️❤️ how should I express this now, I completed my outline with the help of ur template and was searching for the scene card one amd didn't find the video,I was a bit stressed for it and was not able to decide it even I was searching for any screenshots I took from the previous video all these early mornings and here u are with that new version of that video 🤧🤧 thank you so much ❤️❤️
And wow ur editing alwaysss rocks on.
Wts special here is u teach us the way to think,u make us think and see ourselves building ideas ❤️ such teachers are so rare, thank you so much Abbie for existing❤️u helped me a lot
Okay this is kind of unrelated but is anyone going to mention how Abbie is literally so pretty!? ^w^
Just started to want to get into writing and your videos are a great help!
Thank you, this is sooo helpful.
Hi Abbie, great video, thank you. Two questions: 1) You emphasize the question What Has Changed? to be the most important question to ask at the end of every chapter. Is this equally true for scenes, or more so for chapters? 2) Should scenes have a shift of emotion, no matter how subtle, where the scene begins with one emotional quality (say, two characters on a blind date feel anxious meeting each other) and ends with a different one (the two are relaxed and enjoying each other's company)? I believe I came across this scene-emotion arc concept in a podcast on the Save the Cat! website, but I cannot find it now.
Abbie you have inspired me so much to write my first book. I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year because of you!!
“You might have some fantastic ideas and some conflicted characters, and a great world for them to exist in, but when it comes to the actual writing part, you have no sense of direction.”
Me: *immediately starts frantically double, triple checking my pockets and tearing apart the walls of my room in search of the cameras.
I love your videos btw, they’re a gift from the heavens.
I love writing and always have, but sometimes I can’t think of ways to hold off on getting to the climax of the story. Do you have any recommendations for ways to pace your story appropriately and not jump into the climax too quickly? Love your channel!
3 act story structure
Gret video and this makes much more sense to my brain than using index cards!
Ooo 👀 right when i needed it!
This is very helpful! Thanks!
LOVED IT!
You never cease to amaze me with ideas I need to know. .. Thank you very much . Your follower from the United States of Iraq.. Sorry Republic of Iraq
Thank you Abbie!
So incredibly helpful! Thank you!
Yay! I needed this!!
This was so helpful, thanks!
Thank you 😊 💓
What about the old, time-tested definition of scene taught at the University of Oklahoma?
Specifically, that taught by Dwight V. Swain in his book _Techniques of the Selling Writer_ (1965), reiterated by his student Jack M. Bickham, who also taught at UO, in his book _Scene & Structure_ (1993), and continued in _The Fantasy Fiction Formula_ (2016), a book by Bickham’s successor at UO, Deborah Chester. A definition used by writers as successful as - oh, I don’t know - Jim Butcher, the author of the _Dresden Files_ urban fantasy series (Butcher was Chester’s student). If that definition has worked so well for so long, why ignore it?
Scene Pattern: statement of scene GOAL by the scene's MC > intro & development of CONFLICT > tactical DISASTER (which must be inevitable, yet a surprise to the reader). Yup, there's your three-act structure. With respect to the scene goal, the disaster can give one of four different answers: (1) yes (this should never happen, except at the end of the story, since the story would be over, or it is only permissible for the antagonist, since a success for that character is a threat to the protagonist), (2) no, (3) yes, but…, or (4) no, and furthermore… But the disaster should feel/be (1) inevitable, (2) logical, and (3) unexpected to the reader. And this leads to sequel…
Sequel Pattern: emotion > thought > decision > action. But the emotion, thought, and decision can be short and sweet, or lengthy, or maybe even a bit jumbled as the character struggles to recover from the scene disaster, but finally does decide and takes action. The pattern of thought within the sequel, when expanded upon, is review (of what just happened), analysis, and planning, which leads to the decision to take action. And that action leads us to the next scene. Sequels, Bickham points out, are what a writer uses to control a story's pace - when scene after scene after scene are followed by short sequel after short sequel after short sequel, the story just flies, but can leave the reader breathless. So, sometimes, especially if a disaster warrants it, it helps to have a lengthier sequel from time to time, giving the reader a break.
When it comes to cliffhangers, though, and how many of today's indie writers use them, it just makes me sick. Overused and cliché. Especially when they end a novel with a cliffhanger. Cliffhangers belong at the end of a scene, or the end of a chapter - but not every bloody chapter or scene, as you said - or, maybe, the end of the final episode of a TV show's season (especially if the show sucks and they want to use a cheap trick to try to keep you watching). But if a writer puts a cliffhanger at the end of their book, I'll toss that book in the trash and that writer will never see another ridiculously inflated red cent of my money. “And that's a promise, not a threat,” as my mum used to say.
exactly! if your story can only be read by cliffhangers, you aren’t doing a good job as a writer. as long as you keep the reader expecting something good/bad, you don’t need to overly rely on cliffhangers!
To clarify on the four possible answers I gave above, I should have said that they are the answers to the question formed in the reader’s mind when the MC states their scene goal. Namely, will they achieve that scene goal? (The same caveats and notes apply, as I said above.) Those answers can be (1) yes, the goal is achieved, (2) no, it is not achieved, (3) yes, it is achieved,… BUT…, and (4) no, it is not achieved, and furthermore… These four answers are how each scene disaster unfolds.
Some say #2 should never occur except at the end of a story. Their argument is that if that's the result of a scene disaster, then the story is over. Really? It seems to me that if the disaster at the end of a scene is simply a failure to achieve the _scene_ goal (which is not the overarching _story_ goal), and that means the story has just ended, then that protag can't be a very motivated character, can they? How many in life fail, only to let that failure motivate them to continue on, more motivated than ever? If that is true, then why can't it be true in fiction? So, no. I say that scene disaster #2 does not _necessarily_ result in the end of the story (but it can - as seen in the third possible way a story can end, as noted below).
Think of any movie you've seen and you'll see scene disasters 2, 3, and 4 all throughout the story, for protag and antag alike. In fact, #4 always stands out, since you see the antagonist really giving it to the protag and enjoying it. You'll also see #1 in the middle of a movie, but that only happens for the antag; #1 only happens for the protag at the end, if it is a happy ending.
But, technically, there are, generally speaking, only four possible endings to any story: (1) protag achieves their goal, and it is a good thing (happy ending); (2) protag achieves their goal, but it is a bad thing (rather bitter sweet); (3) protag does not achieve their goal, and it is a bad thing (your classic tragedy); and (4) protag does not achieve their goal and it is a good thing (also bitter sweet, but in the other direction). The trick is to make whichever one happens feel inevitable, logical, and unexpected.
Sure, some stories can be ambiguous with their endings, but they’re usually and frequently too “literary” for most readers/movie-goers to care. That’s not what they want in a story. But inserting the notion of ambiguity about who is good or evil, as in Game of Thrones, simply throws more exquisite unpredictability into a story, without it actually being ambiguous. And we know how readers/viewers reacted to that.
The principles are simple, but executing them well is _HARD!_ Just as Abbie notes at the beginning of this vid.
Abbie could you please tell me in sequence where do I have to start like which thing should I learn or focus at first and then carry on in writing
Like the video !!!! Thank you for the tips !!