Scene Structure Part 1: How to Write the Goal

Scene structure is very important in creating a strong plot. In this video I discuss how to use goals in your proactive scenes to create a strong sense of momentum and to keep the reader interested.

This video is part of my Novel Boot Camp series. A new video will be posted every weekday in July.

The FULL SCHEDULE can be viewed here:

https://ellenbrockediting.com/2016/06...

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VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

There are two types of scenes: proactive scenes (built on action) and reactive scenes (built on emotion).

Proactive scenes must have a goal to give the scene a sense of direction and purpose.

A goal can be introduced immediately if the protagonist wants to achieve something, or an external obstacle can be introduced at the beginning of the scene to create a goal.

Questions to Ask About Your Novel

1. Look at a few scenes in your novel. Does the character have a clear goal?

If the character isn't trying to achieve anything in a proactive scene, the reader is likely to lose interest or grow bored. Adding a goal can help strengthen a scene, but often adding a goal is not as simple as a quick edit and scenes need to be rewritten or cut to create a better flow to the story and a better sense of momentum.

If you have any questions about scene goals, please post them in the comments.