Writing Tip #207

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”

— Benjamin Franklin 

“Everything was screaming: the sea, the wind, my heart.”

— Yann Martel

“You were unsure which pain is worse: the shock of what happened or the ache for what never will.”

— Simon Van Booy

"I often will write a scene from three different POVs to find out which has the most tension." - Dan Brown #writetip #amwriting

“I often will write a scene from three different POVs to find out which has the most tension.” – Dan Brown #writetip #amwriting

“I often will write a scene from three different POVs to find out which has the most tension.” – Dan Brown #writetip #amwriting — PSLiterary http://twitter.com/PSLiterary/status/1357679116128907269

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Writing Tip #190

Your characters should always have an agenda in every scene. Their agenda can range from something simple like wanting to get to work on time to something larger like wanting to save their mother from the underworld. Make sure you know what each character’s agenda is in every scene. Set two characters agenda’s in opposition to prompt action, move the plot forward, and set up some great opportunities for dialogue.

“Before you ask why someone hates you, ask yourself why you even care.”

— Tiffany Alvord 

The Structure of Story now available! Check it out on Amazon, via the link in our bio, or at https://kiingo.co/book

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A scene agitator is something that makes a task more difficult, distracting, uncomfortable, or interesting. Agitators make scenes more intriguing as we see a character struggle. Let's review a few types of agitators.

Agitators include:

• Loud noises that distract characters (and the audience) including a car alarm, an air raid siren, a passing subway, etc.

• The introduction of anything inherently dangerous such as a tiger in the room, a character juggling a knife, etc.

• Dangerous settings such as a tight rope, a fight over a river of lava, a discussion on a cliff's ledge, etc.

• Any agitation of the senses such as free-floating dust, popping grease from cooking bacon, etc.

• An stream of disruptions or interruptions to a conversation.

• A physical constraint such as the tightening of a corset during a conversation.

• Anything that violates social norms such as a violation of personal space, a violation of personal hygiene, etc.

• Inclement weather such as hail, lightning, thunder, etc.

• Anything vying for the character's attention.

• Anything that inhibits or blocks clear and unfiltered communication such as a fuzzy phone connection, a physical barrier between a conversation, etc.

• Pungent smells such a skunk, manure, the sewers, etc.

• Bugs

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Add an Agitator to Your Scene

A scene agitator is something that makes a task more difficult, distracting, uncomfortable, or interesting. Agitators make scenes more intri

“Sometimes the smallest things take the most room in your heart.”

— Winnie the Pooh