The Place For My Writers Notes

 original posting 18 May 2008

Make a Scene by Jordan Rosenfeld

Chapter 4. Successful Scene Endings

So here we are. We've launched our scene, with characters, action, narrative, or setting. And we've filled in the middle, raising the ante with complications and conflicts. Withholding, a dash of danger, and unexpected revelations with all the trimmings. And now it's time to end the scene. Are you ready?

Jordan starts out by pointing out that while we sometimes remember beginnings, endings are often the more memorable and poignant parts. In any case, "the end of the scene is a space for the readers to take a breath and digest all that they've just finished reading." This is where things add up, giving the reader more knowledge and investment in the plot and characters, while still teasing them to find out what happens next.

Jordan suggests that endings fall into two major groups: zoom-in and zoom-out. Do we end up up close and personal or pulling back and looking at the wider picture?

Zoom-in endings include character summaries, revelations especially in dialogue, and the old-fashioned cliffhangers. Character summaries -- whether interior monologues or simple dialogues -- are summaries. They're very good for emotional reflection about the character and their responses. Use them for character development, revealing more about the character -- but be careful not to overdo them. Revelations are dramatic and add tension, whether overt or even somewhat quieter emotional hints. And cliffhangers really make readers keep going to find out what happens. A character on the edge, an action that hasn't finished, or simply some change in how the character sees the world -- the suspense of a cliffhanger doesn't have to be melodramatic, but it makes readers turn pages. Again, don't overdo it.

Zoom-out endings give the reader a little relief. A visual description -- showing the reader something through the senses -- can provide a rest against the action. Simple visual scenes. Philosophical musings, often wandering into similes and metaphors, also can be used. These are more character based, not so much the plot or action driven story.

Then there are conclusive endings. Finish it up and tie up the plot point. Jordan suggests that killing a character, for example, might be a good scene ending. It's momentous, and putting it at the end of a scene lets the reader invest their own feelings in it. You can also answer questions, unmask the bad guys, or otherwise really tie up some plot thread. These are a strong contrast to cliffhangers.

Okay? So that's the sandwich, the launch of the scene that gets the reader into it, the middle filling, and the ending that rounds out the scene. You might think we've covered the whole scene, what's left? In part two, Jordan covers core elements like setting, senses, character development, plot, subtext, dramatic tension, and scene intentions in relation to the scene. In part three, he goes over a number of different types of scenes. So don't fret, the 36 pages we've already looked at are not everything. We've still got many pages to go.

And what about an assignment? Well, take a scene from a book or something you're working on, and consider Jordan's types of endings. First identify which part is the ending of the scene. What does it do for the scene? Is it a zoom-in or zoom-out ending? Which one? Does it use some pieces of others? Suppose you changed that ending for one of the other kinds - replaced the internal monologue with a visual description, for example? Or perhaps instead of the well-rounded ending, what if you wanted to make it a cliffhanger?

Then the door swung open, revealing a shadowy figure that said, "Come."

Don't you want to find out what happened after that?

So, that's this week's report on scenes.

When we write, we help other people wrap up?