Setting the Scene

Setting a Scene

Hello everyone! Today we’re going to go over what it means to set up a scene. As usual, we’ll start with our typical ‘What is a scene?’ rhetoric. A scene is a brief piece of a story that remains in the same setting in regards to time, location, and character’s involved. That’s a tad bit too technical, so I’ll see if I can explain it a bit more simply.

A scene is well… a scene. When you watch a movie, any sort of portion of it where something memorable happens is a scene. Often the scene changes when there is a cut from one location to the other, however that’s not what this blog post is going to be about. No, in this we’re going to talk about setting up the mood of a scene. Typically this involves dialogue, environment, and character interaction to a very fine degree to ensure that readers understand the overall tone of what you, as the writer, are trying to provide.

Now, if you read part 2 of Fighting and F*cking, the post about physical interaction in regards to those of a more *ahem* adult nature, you may have been a bit disturbed by one of the examples that I provided in the section, particularly the graphic scene taken from A Kat and Her Man. One of the worst parts about being a well-known fan fiction author is that people come to expect a certain tone from you and when you step out of that tone...well it can cause them some concern or anxiety.

Why do I bring this up? Well, when it comes to setting up a scene, if done improperly it can cause backlash from your readers (as mine did for me. Seriously, you don’t want to know the amount of angry fan mail I’ve had to explain myself to.)

‘‘As writers we can’t please everyone, so why else is setting a scene important?’’ Well, it’s important to also improve your ‘showing not telling’ skills.

A writer’s greatest skill is being able to invoke emotions with little more than the arrangement of words. But how does that work? Why is it that words, music, and images manage to stir up something deep within us? No clue. Seriously, science doesn’t know why. We assign meanings to noises and sounds and sights, we have no idea why it happens.

So let’s start with the first things we set forth: dialogue. Dialogue, unlike communication in real life, is all based on verbal communication. As realistic as we try to make it, it’s important to understand that when writing dialogue we are far from realistic. Human speech is far too difficult to emulate, when a variety of facial expressions, body tones, and even just a general ‘attitude’ of a person is a major factor. They say in real life communication is about 90% nonverbal and 10% spoken, not including tone of voice.

So what do we do then? It’d take hours just to write out every reflexive twitch of a muscle in a person’s face, or explaining the exact posture they’re taking, or going into the pitch and timbre of their tone. So we simplify. I mean, we simplify the absolute shit out of it. A majority of these things we toss out of the window like it was garbage on a hot day.

Dialogue, when we’re using it to set a scene, is all about word usage. Not just in what they say, but what we use in dialogue tags. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a dialogue tag is the small piece that we put after the quote, the most basic of which is, ‘he said’. But we’re writers. We don’t do basic. We paint pictures with words damn it, and ‘said’ paints nothing but the concept that people’s mouths are moving and sound is coming out.

Now don’t get me wrong. Like every word, ‘said’ has its place among our vocabulary just as any other word does. But if there’s a word that is criminally overused, it is certainly ‘said’. So advice, the first when writing dialogue: find the right word to describe speech.

Using the correct dialogue tag can easily mean the difference between people rolling their eyes and bawling them out. And there are THOUSANDS of them. I mean it. It’d take a really long time for me to list them all. What’s important is that when you’re finding these words you make sure they mean exactly what you want them to. Take for example that your character is angry. You can use howled, growled, hissed, shouted, bellowed, roared, screamed, seethed, and many many others.

Each one of those conveys a feeling of anger, but even still, they all mean something different. When someone is seething, their voice carries a tone of anger, but at the same time it is of a normal volume, and typically flat. It’s the show that a normally calm character may have reached the point where they’re about to boil over. Or that a character who normally is loud and boisterous has gone so far into rage that it’s become a calm before the very violent storm.

Growled can be through gritted teeth. Hissed can be under their breath. Howled can be caused by pain, bellowed can be an order, etc. Be careful to choose which one fits the best, and to use it in the proper context.

Advice part two: adverbs. Often using an adverb can convey further emphasis on how you want a tone to be described. There’s a difference between whispering affectionately, for example, and whispering solemnly.

Like all things, both dialogue tags and adverbs should be used in moderation. Too few and your speech comes off as bland. Too much and your readers get tired by the constant repetition of format.

This brings us to our third bit: structure. Most of dialogue we read is written in a ‘“This is dialogue!” he said’ format. While there’s nothing wrong with this format, it’s good to mix it up. Put your tag in the middle of the sentence sometimes, or if you’re feeling brave, even before it. Or, every now and then, don’t put one at all! Often an absence in dialogue tags is meant for conversations that are brief and very back and forth.

“Are not!”

“Are too!”

“Are not!”

You get the idea.

Now that we have the basics of dialogue out of the way, let’s take a glance at environment. For those of you who are fans of the website TV Tropes, you may have heard of the trope called ‘Talking is a Free Action’. Basically, this denotes moments where a character often has a bit of dialogue far longer than the action they are actually performing. I.e. giving a speech while mid leap in the air.

This is how environment comes into play for a scene. Think of where the characters are and what they’re doing while they are in the scene. It’s perfectly okay for the good guy and bad guy to banter while on top of a speeding train. But perhaps the bad guy’s life story is better suited for conversation elsewhere.

Likewise, it’d be silly for two bitter rivals to discuss dinner plans with swords locked against one another in a duel to the death. Scene setting requires timing and awareness of location. Now does this mean you can’t break that timing or put them in an awkward conversation? Of course not! But at the very least acknowledge the awkwardness of the situation.

Using the speeding train scenario above, imagine the bad guy begins his monologue, and then the good guy interrupts with a snarky, “Are you sure this is a good time to be having this conversation?”

I’ve used the movie before, but a good example of scene setting is The Princess Bride. Think of the banter between Wesley and Inigo when they first duel on the cliffs. Their entire conversation takes place while fighting, and while it is indeed silly, their dialogue still seems natural and entertaining.

This example also serves as a wonderful rendition of our final concept: character interaction. This is one of the most important but toughest things to pull off with dialogue. When we talk, we don’t just stand there staring straight at one another. We move, we interact with our environments, we do things! Even two people sitting in a diner, the person’s going to be stirring their coffee or eating their food between lines.

When you’re setting a scene, be sure to take a good long look at all of the moving parts involved. Make sure that you detail them as you go through it. Very similar to the physical interaction tips we’ve learned, you use description in hefty amounts to explain what the characters are doing when.

We talked earlier about how communication is 90% nonverbal. Well that 90% is resting right here, so be sure to flush it out. A character awkwardly shifting from one foot to another while confessing her love to a boy is completely different from her just walking up to him, saying it, then turning around and leaving. Keep the movements natural and fluid, avoid the robotic.

Now, unlike fighting and f*cking, you need not describe every movement made by every body part. Focus on the ones that give clues as to how the people are feeling or the tone they’re trying to convey.

Take a look at this sample. Try to imagine where the characters are and what they’re doing the entire time you’re reading. Visualize their moods and feelings on the situation as they converse.

"Calyx?" A soft voice broke the atmosphere, my right hand slipping from the bar as the world suddenly started to right itself. As my hand fell from the bar, I found myself hurtling downward, my arm outstretched in a futile attempt to redeem myself. The metal flew further and further from my grasp with each second, just before I fell into the deep pit of safety foam below me. Emerging from the cushioned pool, I cursed slamming my fist on the hard edge where I'd grabbed to hoist myself out. My eyes moving upward I found them greeted by the color of beautiful amber. She had a concerned look on her face, and I already knew what she was going to say.

"What are you doing here Lyn?" I asked, trying to hide my frustration from the tone of my voice.

"Close, but no. I'm Bakulah." She reached down, offering me her hand, but I shrugged it away before hoisting myself out of the pool. "Look, Calyx…I get that you're frustrated, but it's been almost a week. When will this end?"

"When I'm able to actually beat Yang." I growled, rising to my feet before walking towards the stairs that led back up to the high bar. "I only got a draw because I was willing to go far enough to cripple her for life. And I only did that because I wasn't strong enough to beat her any other way." I scanned the woman curiously, my eyes sharpening to focus on her. "And why do you two insist on wearing the exact same pajamas anyway?"

Bakulah scoffed. "As if it mattered. You say you're down here to become better, but you used to be able to tell my sister and I apart just from the way we breathed. You're not improving Calyx, you're getting worse. When was the last time you slept anyway?"

"None of your business." I muttered, just before she grabbed my wrist pulling me away from the stairs. I turned back to give her a fierce glare, but mine was met with one of her own.

"Wrong. You're my teammate and that makes it my business. You may be leader, but that doesn't mean I'm going to sit idly by while you destroy yourself from the inside out." She took a deep breath. "When did you last sleep?" I frowned, turning away from her piercing gaze to mumble under my breath. "I'm sorry?"

"I said…two and a half days." My voice this time rose to the volume of a whisper. Bakulah sighed, cutting between me and the stairs. As she sat on the platform, she crossed one leg over the other in a stereotypical lady-like fashion.

"Yeah, that's the end of this. I'm deeming you unfit for work until you've at least had a decent night's rest. Come on, let's go." A low growl escaped my throat as I walked towards her, ready to push her out of my way but she just stayed put, her icy stare daring me to try to get past.

"What do you care anyway? You don't even like me."

"I never said that."

"Bullshit."

"I haven't. I never said I didn't like you."

My eyes glimmered defiantly. "Bakulah…get out of my way, I need to train more." She let out a sigh before rising to her feet and stepping aside. "Thank you." I huffed before strutting towards the stairs. Just as I got there, Baku's arm flew out quickly, catching me hard in the chest and knocking me off my feet and into the cushioned ground.

"Did you really think I was going to just let you past?" She asked, a smug grin on her face. "Honestly, you're always so dense."

"Shut up." I snapped, "Now is not the time to start with me." Curling my abdominal muscles, I threw myself back on to my feet, only to receive another harsh clothesline from Lyn's twin.

"Don't you get it moron. Your body isn't able to handle the strain you're putting on it. You're exhausted and it's messing with your head and making you weaker."

Growling at her, I quickly rolled over, kicking out at her shin to sweep her off her feet, but she just raised her leg, avoiding the attack easily. "Then I guess I'll just have to train harder."

"I swear do you even listen to yourself talk? You sometimes say some really stupid stuff. I tell you you're exhausted, your response is to push yourself even more? This is why I'm always telling you you're an idiot, idiot." She smugly managed to land a hook kick to the side of my head, tugging me off balance to slam me hard into the ground.

I reached to push myself off the ground, but I was interrupted by the sudden weight of her foot on my back, shoving back on to the mat. "Alright so I can't force my way past you…" I sighed. "But why do you honestly care so much? You wanted to be leader, well fine. You're obviously better than me, so why don't you just take it?"

"You wish it was that simple. Believe me, I would love to take the leader position. But sis, Traiko, even Ozpin all back you up 100% because they're cock sure that you've got some amazing leadership skills tucked away in that tiny little head of yours. But if you want my opinion, I don't think you have the balls to be a leader. Oh sure, you're all up for grabbing glory. But you lose one fight and it causes you to go on this little 'oh woe is me' path? Give me a break." My tail wrapped around her ankle as I turned quickly, pulling her to the mat next to me.

"Shut up!" I snapped. "You think you're so great? Ha! The only friend you have is your sister, and I'm pretty sure that relationship is only obligatory anyway. No one even likes you Bakulah, so don't try to lecture me on how I should act."

Flames erupted in her eyes as she grabbed my wrist, twisting it hard and forcing my tail to release from her foot. She bent it hard pressing against my shoulder to force me face first on to the mat, pinning me there as she leaned closer from behind me. "Now you listen to me you arrogant son of a bitch. I don't care what you think about me. I don't care if I have friends or not. I care about one person only and that's my sister. I came here to try to help you because I know it'd break her heart if she found out you were so hung up on this Yang chick. Right now, you're about two seconds from me storming out of here after leaving you with a black eye so you can go back to killing yourself. You need to get your head on straight and think about what's really important to you: Winning some stupid fight or keeping the only friends you've ever had around you. I may not have many friends, but you're lucky to even have me." Her voice was cold and soft, barely louder than a whisper but with the impact she may as well have been screaming it. I felt her hand come loose from mine as I rolled over to look up at her. Her brown eyes were watering, as though she were trying to hold back some tears that just refused to bend to her will. Blinking, she looked away from me and stood up to leave.

"Baku…wait." I called after her, making her pause and take a deep breath. I could see her clinching her fists tight, and so I decided I'd choose my words very carefully. "Baku…I need your help." If look could kill, I was certain that her gaze would have been as effective as a mortar shell to my face from point blank.

"Don't you dare…" she began, walking back towards me.

"I'm serious. Please." I whispered, before her hand reached down and snagged on to the undershirt I was wearing and pulling me to my feet.

"Listen good Cal, your little doe-eyed trick may work on my sister, but it will not work at me. You may think you can give me some cute smile and try to brush this whole argument off, but there isn't a snowball's chance in hell that I'm going to let you lie through your teeth to get off the hook."

Grammar problems aside (it was an old piece of work), did you find anything that helped glean clues or feelings that characters have towards the other? Even without the context, can you find the purpose and meaning within the conversation?

These are the things you have to focus on when you’re writing a scene.

Now for the exercise: write a mundane conversation between two characters. Maybe have a husband and wife discussing meal plans, or a brother telling his mother what he wants for his birthday. Try to focus on the subtleties that betray their inner thoughts and feelings on the subject, as well as what they’re doing to interact outside of the conversation itself.

Good luck! I wish you the best in life and literature,

-Kiba