Are Your Scenes Less Than Effective?

Coming soon (slated for the end of October) - Short Sheet For Writers (will be #7, I believe). See www.shortsheetsforwriters.com

Scenes are the divisions of developments and dialogue that make a book. They are full of action. Not necessarily like an Arnold Schwarzenneger film, but the happenings of your story need to play out on stage, where the reader can follow along.

 The first example below is of "telling" the reader (summary). The second example is of "showing" (allowing the reader to live the story with the characters.)

 1) Sarah slapped Tony, telling him she'd never again fall for his lies. He grabbed her neck and said he could arrange for her to fall elsewhere - maybe from the roof of her favorite Vegas casino.

OR

2) Her anger fueling her actions, Sarah slapped Tony's left cheek. "I'll never again fall for your lies!" He grabbed her neck with one quick movement, the whole time staring into her blue eyes. "I can see to it that you fall somewhere else. Like from the Bellagio."

So, didn't you enjoy the second snippet more than the first? Didn't it lure you into their room, as though you watched from an opening in a nearby closet?

(More on scenes in the corresponding Short Sheet For Writers  Coming at the end of October.)

And good luck with writing some great scenes!