Do you want to create more illustrative scenes?

Challenge the character in some way (eg. their assumptions, their skills, their compassion, their bravery etc. - it’s hard to gauge someone’s strengths and weaknesses until you see how they handle challenges). Show the character making a conscious or instinctive decision about how to behave. Show the character in another environment (compared to previous scenes) - we act differently round our buddies than we do at work, and we act different when we are in charge than when we are the subordinate (show us a new aspect of the character). Lastly, show the character in a similar scene to previously but making a different choice to last time - if it’s apparent why there’s a change this either shows complexity of character or character growth.

Do you want to create less illustrative scenes?

Tell us about the character rather than showing us (a little telling here and there is inevitable but it does not substitute for stronger scenes showing us character). Involve the character as a mere spectator, or simply following the guidance/orders of others. Tell us about the character having similar reactions in a similar environment to what we’ve already seen (tells us what we already know).

The Exercise: Select a scene from one of your works in progress and determine as to whether or not you can answer all of the prompts below. If you can’t, use the information you gain by answering the prompts to attempt to create more illustrative scenes.

Interior/Exterior:
Location:
Day/Time:
What is happening?
What is the main source of conflict?
What are the characters’ agenda?
What is the emotional arc of the scene?
Where does the emotion start?
Where does the emotion finish?
Are you showing the reader what’s going on or are you telling the reader what’s going on?