Storytellersunplugged

Scenes must move.  For your main characters, each scene or chapter should be a sheer slope or a plunging ravine in their emotional rollercoaster.  Positive to negative for one scene, reverse the polarity in the next.

Let’s demonstrate with Sir Norman the Norman, bastard-sword-wielding knight of medieval Northern French persuasion.

Scene 1 – This is Norman’s first adventure, thus he is terrified (-) about storming the forbidding citadel and rescuing the beautiful princess, Sofia (who he has never met but has heard lots of wonderful things about).  He manages to slay the foul-fragranced-Flemish-foot soldiers at the back door and enter the fortress undetected.  Thus he feels quite bolstered by his success so far (+).

Scene 2 -  More confident now, Norman stalks, stealthy and determined ( + ), through the citadel, intent of finding and freeing Sofia.  But then he overhears two guards discussing the latest news from the war.  Norman’s home village has been decimated and all of his family and friends are dead.  Norman is left distraught at the news ( - ).

Scene 3 -  Rocked by the loss of everything he holds dear, Norman becomes disillusioned with his mission ( - ).  Princess Sofia will supposedly restore peace, but what if there is nothing to restore peace too?  Grieving and confused, he fails to notice the Flemish crossbowman before it’s too late.  Twang, thwack.  With a bolt sticking out of his side, things look bad for Norman ( - x2).

Note:  We can go from negative to negative, or positive to positive, as long as it’s a significant change.

Scene 4 – With the baddies closing in to finish the job, Norman is hurting, emotionally and physically ( - ), but he catches sight of Sofia on the balcony, and she is more beautiful than he could ever have imagined.  He knows, in that moment, that she can stop the war and save his nation from destruction.  Inspired ( + ), he wrenches the bolt from his side (it’s just a flesh wound after all), kills some more Flemish soldiers, and rushes to rescue his people’s saviour.

Scene 5 – Norman rescues his fair princess and they kiss ( + ).  It’s love at first sight for these crazy kids.  Norman’s passion drives him as he fight his way out of the castle.  He and Sofia ride off into the forest and make sweet sweet love in a romantically lit glade (+ x lots).  All is well until a passing deranged cleric points out that the fair princess is in fact Norman’s sister.  Norman never knew he was a prince…and…he’s just…(- x lots more)

Scene 6 – In true heroic fashion, Norman murders the cleric, who, it turns out, is the only person who knows that Norman is a prince.  Norman is much relieved ( + ).  He and his princess-sister get married and rule the kingdom, happily ever after ( + x infinity, if you like that sort of thing).

There we have it.  A protagonist’s emotional state should be up and down like the Assyrian Empire.  If you have a scene where your character feels exactly the same at the end of the scene as they did at the beginning, with no peak or trough in the middle, chances are it’s just exposition.  Change it or delete it.