Writing & Publishing What is the toughest type of scene to write?

  • Thread starter Thread starter LinkPen
  • Start date Start date
  • Watchers Watchers 0
Status
Not open for further replies.
L

LinkPen

Guest
Hey, everyone.

I've come again with another question.

What is the type of scene(s) that you find hardest to write?

For me, the hardest scenes to write are battle scenes (because there is so much going on at once and the pace is quick) and scenes of a character's death (which can go hand-in-hand with the other type of scene I mentioned). Sometimes it is very hard to let a character go.

 
Good question...I find it difficult to write scenes that are supposed to convey a lot of background information, explain why something happened, for example, or delve into a character’s past. 

Also scenes with lots of emotion. I am not personally an emotional or dramatic person, but a lot of my characters are.

 
I find it hard to write emotional scenes (I'm like Zee here), especially when it's an extremely sad part of the story. That and scenes with anger can be hard. Trying to make sure I've captured both when needed is difficult at times.

 
I read somewhere that the dinner party scene in Dune was extremely complicated and difficult to write for Frank Herbert. I can see why. It seems like it would be hard to write a scene where you have to keep all the locations of all the guests in the reader’s mind while there is a back-and-forth among the characters that advances the plot. 

 
Inexperienced POV follows.

So far, the one I finished yesterday. That scene moved four times before it settled--almost 10 chapters later. At least I hadn't started it before then. I know there will be more to come though. It seems to be when I'm trying to show something without saying something. But I am very much a newb at this point.

I agree 110% with the emotional scenes.

 
The climax. I can write emotional scenes just fine, thank you very much xD

 
kiwigummy said:
The climax. I can write emotional scenes just fine, thank you very much xD
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Oh my goodness, I just wrote past the climax scene of my latest (longest) project. It was an emotional one too.

I just feel terrible for my MC right now because one of the people he loved so much was killed off.😢

I knew that character for 4 years.... But it had to be.

 
Madyson Rylee said:
Oh my goodness, I just wrote past the climax scene of my latest (longest) project. It was an emotional one too.

I just feel terrible for my MC right now because one of the people he loved so much was killed off.😢

I knew that character for 4 years.... But it had to be.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...


I learned to kill my heart after watching Game of Thrones season 1.

 
kiwigummy said:
I learned to kill my heart after watching Game of Thrones season 1.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I hear that there's a lot of death in that show. But, I suppose with warfare it is inevitable.

This is the second primary character that I dispatched.... I never take it lightly. Again, with warfare, death is inevitable.

And, whether I'm reading or watching a show I seem to always lose my favorite characters. Happens all the time. I don't understand it sometimes LOL.

I'm glad I usually have 2 to 3 faves, otherwise... well....

 
Definitely the poignant and emotional scenes.  Which there are a lot of, in the story I'm trying to write.  The hardest scene I've ever attempted was a scene in which my MC's father has to admit to her that he is dying, and won't be around much longer.  It's a very autobiographical story on the whole, and this scene particularly took it out of me.  That said, it still needs a lot of reworking to make it good and have it fit in to its proper place in the story.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Madyson Rylee said:
For me, the hardest scenes to write are battle scenes (because there is so much going on at once and the pace is quick) and scenes of a character's death (which can go hand-in-hand with the other type of scene I mentioned). Sometimes it is very hard to let a character go.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Battle scenes aren't easy that's for sure! I like to read comic books and watch movies to get a feel for it (in movies, for instance, I'll watch a fight scene and narrate it in my head, analyzing eery aspect) 

Death scenes are actually easy for me--not because I like death (I don't) or because I don't mind losing my characters (not true--my characters are my best friends, and losing them kills me every time) or because I've had experience with death. I've lost people, yes, but not my death, by them leaving. 

So I guess I could say that I agree with suspensewriter. I don't struggle to write any scenes. Now, to other people, they might be trash. But to me, they're good, and it doesn't take to long to write them. Sad music, friends for motivation, and peace is all I need to write 'em.

But if I had to say one, I would say school scenes. Since I'm homeschooled, I'm not sure what public school is like. It doesn't exactly help that I have so many homeschooled friends 😂 I mean, I've taken like...one class (band) so I do know some...? But pretty much zero, so I try to avoid those scenes when I can. 

 
  • Like
Reactions: Zee
So far, the toughest scene I've ever written was a sum total of 273 words. It wasn't a death scene, battle scene, or overly emotional scene. It was a post-death scene, and the MC felt nothing at all. That scene took a heck of a lot out of me as a writer, just trying to convey the emptiness she felt in those moments. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Plotting is my biggest challenge.  That and remembering to put in descriptions about the environment when writing scenes. At the moment I am trying to write the plotline for a new book and wondering when to introduce the subplot. 

 
I tend to see my writing as a movie scene that I’m wanting to describe in detail. Sounds, smells, temperature, textures, the loft of the trees above or blue skies or anything else can be described in detail.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Recent Discussions

Back
Top