Wednesday 3 April 2019

Scene and IWSG

A scene is a place where events (real or fictional) take place. It can also be a description of an event, or a continuous portion of a play, film or book  – those are usually what we mean be a scene in writing.

If you display strong emotions in public then you could be accused of making a scene. The view or landscape can also be considered a scene. Is the photo a tranquil woodland scene, or about to become the scene of the crime?

A scene can also be a way of life, subculture or interest.

Today, I'm one of the Insecure Writer's Support Group co-hosts along with J.H. Moncrieff Natalie Aguirre and Chemist Ken who're all supporting our Ninja Captain Alex.

This month's optional question is –  If you could use a wish to help you write just ONE scene/chapter of your book, which one would it be? (examples: fight scene / first kiss scene / death scene / chase scene / first chapter / middle chapter / end chapter, etc.)

I have several free to enter writing competitions for you today. Whether you enter this sci-fi/horror short story competition, these stage and radio play competitions, this one for prose up to 17,000 words or even the monologue competition, you'll probably need scenes in your work.

Is entering writing competitions your scene? (If it is, keep coming back – I add more free entry ones most weeks.)

50 comments:

Remarkable Cherry Hill Private Investigators said...

WoW! It's good to know about your new writings. We are excited to hear more from you

dolorah said...

I think I write a "series" of scenes that eventually for a chapter, then a novel. Or story; seems I've been writing only flash fiction and short stories for a few years.

Thanks for the competition links, and for co-hosting this month.

Nas said...

Sounds an interesting way to start writing.

Ann V Friend said...

Thanks for Co-hosting. Blessings✨

Nancy Gideon said...

I'm old enough to remember when "making the scene" was a good thing as opposed to "making a scene"! I write novels like screenplays, a scene at a time, the way I visualize them. Thanks for co-hosting this month, Patsy, and for the writing info!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Science fiction horror - now that has my interest.
Thanks for co-hosting today!

Cathrina Constantine said...

Thank you for co-hosting. Have a great week!!!

Natalie Aguirre said...

Thanks for co-hosting. And also for the info on the writing competitions. Not in my genres but they sound interesting.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

Thank you for co-hosting!

Michelle Wallace said...

Back in the day, if a child dared to make a scene in public, your mother wouldn't hesitate to take off her shoe for you...

Thank you for all the links and for co-hosting the IWSG this month!
Happy IWSG Day!

Lynn La Vita said...

Loved reading your screen description; nice and clear. Thank you for creating a very interest site, loaded with links to great sites. Thanks for co-hosting IWSG group this month.

Lynn La Vita blog: Writers Supporting Writers

J.H. Moncrieff said...

I've entered quite a few writing contests in the past few years, but now I'm pickier about the ones I choose. I tend to stay away from most of the ones with entry fees.

I do enjoy writing stories for anthology calls.

Thanks for co-hosting!

Christine Rains said...

Thanks for co-hosting and thanks for the links! I've entered contests before and have been a runner-up.

Toi Thomas said...

Thanks for co-hosting this month.
Thanks for sharing the competitions too.

CV Grehan said...

Great share, Patsy! Thanks for co-hosting this month. CV

Melissa said...

It's usually the opening scene for me.

Good to 'see' you. :)

Diane Burton said...

My first drafts tend to look like screenplays--dialogue and stage directions. Describing a scene comes later. Some people may find that weird, but it works for me. Thanks for co-hosting this month.

Tamara Narayan said...

I should enter more contests, especially free ones, but most days it is an accomplishment just to push the current manuscript forward a few pages.

Lisa said...

I like to enter contests, but found they distract me right now from finishing my current WIP, so, sadly, I am waiting to enter anymore for the time being. Like the definitions of "scenes". Nice reminder. Thanks for co-hosting this month!

Sadira Stone said...

I enter a few competitions each year. Today I'm busy writing Scene Cards (a la Lisa Cron's Story Genius) for my WIP. I wish you happy writing in April.

Susan A Eames said...

Great post, Patsy. I supposed I could say that entering writing competitions is sometimes my scene, but sometimes it isn't! :)

Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos

cleemckenzie said...

I might enter to submit a manuscript for an anthology, but otherwise, I don't enter writing contests.

Doreen Mcgettigan said...

I haven't entered a contest lately but I'm thinking I should, thank you for the submission info.
Thanks for cohosting too. Happy Spring.

Computer Tutor said...

I like your discussion of 'scene'. Spot on and I hadn't thought it through that well.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I do enter the occasional contest. I like the challenge of when publications have themes or funky word count limitations.

Thanks for co-hosting!

Loni Townsend said...

That's neat about the contests. Man, if only I had a noir theme to my one short story, then it'd fit that Sci-Fi/Fantasy one!

Mary Aalgaard said...

Writing advice that I've taken to heart, write like you're "making a scene." Thanks for co-hosting IWSG this month!

Mary at Play off the Page

Shah Wharton said...


More than any other, it is the first and last scenes which trouble me most.

Thanks for co-hosting today!

Jennifer Hawes said...

I always wish/hope the first chapter hooks the reader, agent, publisher! Thanks for co-hosting.

emaginette said...

And I thought a scene was a building block of a story. hehehe

Anna from elements of emaginette

S.E. White Books said...

Thanks for co-hosting this month!

F. Stone said...

I love writing scenes. First I run it like a movie in my head for days until it becomes a 3D technicolor film strip. Same with the dialogue, catching the voice tone, facial expressions and body language, using language that fits the character. It's so much fun. Thanks for co-hosting, Patsy. Blessings

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I write scene by scene. I try to complete at least one scene per day so the word count varies.

PJ Colando said...

Thanks for hosting. Thanks for the competition links... yet I don't require competitions to propel me to write. I shy away and benefit more from this group of insecure writers.

And, I find that - if I content my inner critic - I write well enough. That inner voice is a bad-ass sometimes. I strive to keep her mouth shut.

Juneta key said...

I'm not so much into a writing contest, but one day I may try one. I am into submitting to anthologies a new thing for me. Thanks for co-hosting. Happy IWSG!

Olga Godim said...

I don't usually participate in writing contests. I do send my stories to magazines and anthologies, but I'm doing it less and less often these days.

Arlee Bird said...

I've never entered many writing competitions. I probably should try it, but then again I probably should be writing more than I do.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Jennifer Lane said...

Thanks for co-hosting, Patsy! Nice work on all of the variants of scene. I have scene what you've done! ;-)

Anonymous said...

Interesting discussion about scenes. I've not entered any contests, but I am intrigued by a couple in your list. I'll check them out. Thanks for co-hosting today.

Fundy Blue said...

Thanks for co-hosting, Patsy! I hope that you've had a great time The illustration of the fly agaric mushroom drove all thoughts of a tranquil woodland scene out of my mind and turned it to thoughts of murder by poison. I've only entered one writing contest, because they're another distraction from the writing I need to do.

J Lenni Dorner said...

Thanks for co-hosting. Entering some competitions is my scene, actually. I have a goal to enter a few this year. So I'll be back!

Mark said...

I love a good scene, but I love one exquisitely described even better:)

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Scenes are interesting. They can make a person laugh or cry or ho-hum. Thanks for co-hosting today. Have a good weekend.

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Love your word challenges, Patsy, and thanks for the comp links - will check them out.

Victoria Marie Lees said...

Thanks, Patsy, for co-hosting the IWSG question for April. I love your descriptions of scene. They are all true in my book! Thanks for sharing the links for writing contests. All best to you!
http://victoriamarielees.blogspot.com

Liesbet said...

Scene is obviously one of those important story elements like characters and plot. Creating scenes craftily must be hard. I think it's extremely important in the prologue or first chapter. As I'm writing a memoir, I try to incorporate scene, but it plays a less important part in my story than the characters, the emotions, and the way of life (or maybe this is the "scene" in my book). I'd like to incorporate scene a bit more, but then my book would be even longer of a tome! :-)

Thanks for co-hosting this month, Patsy!

Patsy said...

Thanks, everyone for the replies!

Debra Renée Byrd said...

Thanks for co-hosting!

Lidy said...

Thanks for co-hosting this month!

Writing a good fight scene is something I'd love to be blessed with. I'd read a good fight scene, get pulled into it and I'm 'how do they do that?' and 'how can I do that?' I'm able to choreograph the scene in my head but when I get it down on paper, it goes from fireworks display to wet sparkler.

Jean Chen said...

A lot of start-up writers will be inspired by your works. Keep it up!

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