Writing Your First Novel: Writing a Scene & Concluding the Novel

Writing a Scene

The best way to start a novel, a chapter, or a scene is to just jump right into the action. This is the look and hook method. If you start a chapter with excitement, people will want to continue to read. If what you write makes you want to hear more, you're probably on the right track. One of my short stories, "Third Buoy," begins by describing a scene in three sentences, and then jumps to the action.

"Suzie stood watching the water from her perch; the top of the tallest rock. She could barely recognize her tiny reflection in the water. It was jagged revealing a thin half-naked girl with long blonde hair. The sun felt heavy on her bare shoulders. She could feel the lack of a breeze across her bare back and chest, and she longed to feel the cool water on her skin."

Another of my short stories, "Welcome Back, Mr. Flannery," begins with the words: "He hadn't been expecting a letter, but the proof of it really existed, resting firmly in his clenched hand. Sean had been a good father to his three children, and a faithful husband for nineteen years, but the letter instantly took him back to the days prior to meeting Mariah."

Both of these examples show the characters in the middle of a scene. Something has happened, or they are doing something, because of this the reader is able to feel like he is participating in the action. Don't let your characters preach to your readers. Give them the specific information they need for the story and then let the readers draw their own conclusions.

One of my favorite things I learned in school was the Alfred Hitchcock formula for writing a scene. It may not always be applicable to every situation, but it is a great guideline.

Alfred Hitchcock Scene Writing Formula

Two minutes of casual talk between characters.

Show a bomb and a ticking clock

Then more casual talk

Then an explosion

Concluding the Novel

Make sure that the ending is believable. Even in a science fiction piece the ending has to be believable. For a moment, think about James Cameron's "Avatar." You have the Na'vi of Pandora, a group similar to the Native Americans, and then you have the military. Jack Sully, a marine to the core, falls in love with Neytiri, one of the natives. He then finds himself in a predicament. He has been spying on her people.

A writer has two choices, he could just pretend the spying didn't happen, and write a happy forgetful ending that no one would believe, or he makes the character charge head first into the conflict and take the consequences. Of course, James Cameron chose the realistic ending. When Neytiri finds out about Jake's betrayal, she is hurt and wants nothing to do with him. It is only when he regains her trust that they can be together again. This is a great example of a realistic ending in a work of science fiction.

Prepare your reader for your ending, especially if it is a violent one. Preparation creates tension and makes the entire reading experience more enjoyable. A reader has a relationship with the writer and the characters. You owe it to them both to create a believable conclusion.

Golden Nuggets For Novelists: The Character Sketch

Golden Nuggets For Novelists: Writing Dialogue