The Best Fiction Writing Book
Write better novels or stories from characterization to plot
Jan 25, 2007
A lot of books out there claim to be the be-all and end-all of writing books. Some of these books contain tired old advice that has been recycled through generations of writing books. When I was learning to write during my MFA at the Iowa Workshop, and while I was writing my forthcoming novel RABID, this book was the most important one that I read.
If you write a lot, you might like to read about where to get ideas for fiction.
Scene and Sequel
Swain’s theory of plotting relies on the interplay of two elements that he calls Scene and Sequel. Both of these are played out in what other people call scenes: meaning in real time on the page where something happens.
A Swain Scene is composed of a character’s Goal, Conflict, and Disaster.
A Swain Sequel is composed of a character’s Reaction (to the Disaster,) Dilemma, and Decision (which then becomes the next goal.)
The plot of a book is composed of a series of interlocking Scenes and Sequels: Scene- Sequel- Scene- Sequel- Scene- Sequel, and so on.
Isn't That a Formula?
This is not nearly as formulaic as it looks. Indeed, I don’t think it’s a formula at all. I think it’s a description of what successful plots do. A lot of literary writers sneer at this formula but use it without realizing it.
Think about it: A character wants something, something keeps him from getting it, something happens (and whether he gets what he wants or doesn’t, the result requires that the story continues.) After that, the character reacts to the recent events, and then his reaction creates a series of alternatives, and then he chooses what to do, which becomes his new goal.
Do Books Do That?
Action-packed thrillers are heavy on the Scene, with much Conflict after the Goal is enumerated, and the Disasters are often nearly mortal. The Sequel is lightly written, but it’s there. The character must form a new goal, even if it is to chase the bad guy who has now kidnapped the girl as well as the diamond-filled bird statue.
The serious literary novel or story, however, often reverses these priorities. The character has a need, and there may be a nebulous antagonistic force like society or the character’s previous relationships that create conflict, and the disaster may be a yet more morbid state of mind. The Sequel is prolonged and vividly described: the character’s desperate Reaction to the event, his agonizing angsty Dilemma, and his Decision (for even the decision not to decide is a decision,) then controls the next thing that the character does. Kurt Vonnegut, when he was teaching at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, stressed to students that the main character should want something tangible at the beginning of a story, even if it is only a glass of water.
Will That Help My Fiction?
One amateurish problem that I’ve seen in so many neophyte literary stories is that the main character doesn’t do anything or everything happens to the character. This plot organization of Scene and Sequel preempts this problem. If the character has a goal, even a glass or water, he must move toward it or be crushed by it.
Another problem often seen in beginner’s fiction is that the characters are not believable or that they do unbelievable things. These things are often unbelievable to the reader because the reader did not understand the motivation or decision process by which the character came to that decision. The careful use of the Sequel thought process will reduce or eliminate that problem.
The Scene-Sequel Unit is only one chapter in this remarkable book. Swain also has chapters on creating believable characters, working with conflict, writing emotions, novel structure, fiction theory, how to relate to your own fiction, and grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation. This book is a whole shelf of writing books in one. I cannot recommend it highly enough to you.
Read more about Creating Unforgettable Characters here.
Read more about other writing books in this blog essay.
