The scene is story’s basic building block. Every novelist, memoirist, screenwriter and playwright needs to understand it. Even nonfiction writers can use this fundamental knowledge to build a compelling narrative.

Sure, your story’s very first line matters. But have you thought about the first line of every new scene after that? Learn the three ways to launch a scene that will keep readers engaged and turning the pages.

Without a turning point complication, your scene won’t work. No matter how interesting your overall plot is, how beautifully crafted your line-by-line writing is, or how clever your story idea is, a turning point complication is necessary. 

Have you ever written a scene that just didn’t work with your overall story, and as much as you tried, you couldn’t figure out why? Do you wonder which scenes to cut and which scenes are missing in your story?