Meaning Scenes
Narrative Transportation
We’re in the midst of discussing a momentum / meaning rhythm in your scenes. You need to alternate between action (momentum) and meaning (reflection). You’ve undoubtedly run into this idea elsewhere. I’ve seen it under the tags scene and sequel. I prefer momentum and meaning just because it puts me in the mind frame of action followed by reflection on that action.
I’ll go into the types of meaning (reflection) that can help drive your book below, but before I got into those specifics, I wanted to be sure to hit you with this idea:
Meaning scenes do not have to go on for multiple pages. Meaning scenes can be no more than a paragraph. And they can take place within action-driven chapters.
I really want that one to sink in. When I first encountered the idea of alternating action and reflection (or scene and sequel), I immediately started trying to work with a giant action scene followed by a meaning scene. Or an action chapter followed by a reflection chapter.
It in no way has to be that kind of pattern. In fact, super long stretches of reflection can get snooze-worthy. Especially if all you’re doing is trying to fill out a scene, describing (as your character thinks) the intricacies of them making coffee or driving or…
Yeah. Don’t do that.
But absolutely do provide character reflections on what action has just taken place. Either in the midst of that action or immediately following. Again, it doesn’t have to be much more than a paragraph. But the reason I like the word meaning is because it provides just that. It provides emotional resonance to the fast-paced action that just took place.
How do you provide meaning? By getting in the main character’s heart and mind.
Types of meaning you can include:
Decision making. When your main character is faced with a choice (even which way to go while being chased), we need to witness them weighing the options and understand why they’ve decided to act the way they have.
Relationship shifts. When a friendship fractures, when romantic feelings bubble to the top, when alliances form or enemies make themselves known, your readers need to feel this. Remember, your readers feel when your main character feels. The emotions you assign to your main character will be experienced vicariously by the reader.
Realizations. These are incredibly important. Moments of realization can include, say, your detective understanding the case in a new way every single time they get a new clue. But it can also be moments of realization that chip away at your main character’s lie. And those small moments of chipping away are essential if you want the main character to finally abandon this lie in a believable way.
Dust Settling. After something big happens and as the dust is settling, let your main character reflect on what’s just taken place. It’s crucial to understand your main character’s thought process after big moments. It helps your readers understand why your character behaves they way they do following big moments.
Filter these reflections and interior moments throughout your action scenes. They will not slow the action down. Rather, they’ll make them more meaningful. They’ll provide context. They’ll deepen the action scenes.
Most importantly, immersion will never be broken because your readers will understand your main character. They will not simply be watching action scenes from the outside. They’ll be experiencing them right alongside your main character, because they’ll have full access to the main character’s thoughts and feelings.
Next time? We’ll look at how to handle scene endings.