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Category: Scenes

Judging when to use or not to use exposition

March 22, 2011February 11, 2019 Victoria

First draft work on character-driven story: 1) how to know when you’ve explained & exposed enough to complete a scene—can some parts be summarized to sort of give a gist of what’s happening? I’m familiar with the purpose of a scene, but fleshing it out is something else again—leaving some… Read more“Judging when to use or not to use exposition”

Advice Column, Exposition, Scenes

Starting a chapter with dialog

June 18, 2010February 11, 2019 Victoria

Is it true that a writer should not begin a chapter with dialogue?—Talkative in Toledo You know, this is another of those rules that get trotted out periodically to (supposedly) offer aspiring writers a short-cut to stardom. “Never use adverbs!” “Never use dialog tags other than ‘said’!” “Never use passive… Read more“Starting a chapter with dialog”

Advice Column, Scenes

Setting an unfamiliar scene

June 16, 2010February 11, 2019 Victoria

My novel is historical fiction. Its setting is almost unrecognizable nowadays. From the animals that once lived there to what the people wore, it almost seems like a fantasy. I feel like I have to over compensate with details to explain that it was once real. How do I establish… Read more“Setting an unfamiliar scene”

Advice Column, Prose, Scenes

Striking a good balance

May 1, 2010February 11, 2019 Victoria

How can I strike a good balance between dialogue, summary, and exposition (used sparingly, I know), and how do you know when is the right time to use each of these in a scene?—Lyn South Here’s your balance: 90% scenes, which contain dialog, action, and description; 10% exposition, which is… Read more“Striking a good balance”

Advice Column, Exposition, Scenes

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