The Scene Book: A Primer for the Fiction Writer

I've always considered good writing an art, something that can't really be taught or learned. This book showed me how wrong that idea was. Talent is important to good writing, but so is form and technique. Scofield teaches how pulse, events, beats, point of view, scenarios, and several other tools add up to create a story that really works. She also gives some really good tips for revising your own writing. I would recommend this book to anyone who is seriously considering writing a novel.

I feel like the book could have been restructured in a way that it becomes a really good diagnostic tool, but most of the book was analysis and excerpts from books the author enjoys or has written.

However, there were some good nuggets in here, and I think a really good template/checklist at the end for trying to figure out why scenes you may have written feel 'muddy' or aren't working right. That's the stuff beginners like me really need

Very good way of looking at how to keep a story moving and create tension. Excellent examples drawn from many different eras and styles.

For a beginning writer who is just learning the basics of how to break down a story into manageable parts, this book would be helpful. There are plenty of examples, and exercises at the end of each chapter.

That said, many of the chapters were so basic, at the end I'd wonder whether I'd read anything at all. In a scene, things happen--here are some examples, see how things happen? And a scene has tension--here are some scenes with tension. See the tension here? And here?

So, if you want to be a writer and you find yourself accidentally writing pages and pages where nothing happens, or if you're taking a class and the teacher says "Not enough tension," read this book. If you're an experienced writer (I didn't think I was, actually. Hmmm.) show more looking for tips on improving the scenes in your work-in-progress, I'd suggest looking elsewhere. show less

The advice in this book will make an experienced writer roll his eyes, and could do serious damage to a novice writer, lacking in confidence.

To be fair, I don't think I've ever read a craft book I liked.

Ever get that writing book that you wish you would've had before you started the project you're currently working on? This is that book.

Clear, concise, and great examples.