How many scenes do you need? What's the strategy? My advice, don't worry about the numbers. Know that 60 is a reasonable number for a book. This is just a super-broad generalization. If the "typical" story has 3 main characters, each character needs an introduction, stakes, backstory, growth, resolution. There's 15 scenes in-and-of itself (3 x 5). The WORLD is a character ... so now
- We have other buckets to fill.
- Introduction.
- Inciting event.
- Clash 1
- Clash 2
- Clash 3
- Climax
- Resolution
- Denouement Now, we are at
- There's going to be "stuff" between these anchor points in the story. This is all the world building, character development, stakes establishment, and all the other bones and organs of the story. For the hard core planners who want to see it laid out... This is 19 scenes from Reality's Plaything in story-boarding form. Now, mind you this book is 180k words... there's 72 chapters ... so obviously there's more than 60 scenes in this work. The main thing is to know is what each chapter is about, what functions and buckets it fills. For the hard core plotters, I have two names for each chapter (you'll see the 'memorable quotes' names I give the sections, below you can see the actual titles of the chapters.) These help to remind and scope what's in the chapter. In the story board above I only lay out in very broad terms ideas and events that take place. Don't be too detailed in your outline... one, it takes too long, two, it depletes your energy. Save your creative mana for WRITING THE SCENES! Reality's Plaything Chapters
- One Hanging Too Many
- Dream Escape
- Pursuit of the Truth
- Ghost of a Chance
- Demon-stration of Power
- Rejoining
- Elemental of Surprise
- The Boiling Refuge
- Hot Spring
- Hair Apparent
- Hair Today Gone Tomorrow
- The Best Kind of Demon...
- Visitor
- Arminwen Revealed
- Elf Encounter
- Downstream
- Dac and Laramis
- Seen It in a Dream
- Cornered
- In His Elemental
- Spiritual Juxtaposition
- Bent Gender
- Mirror Mirror
- Losing Control
- Abstract Reality
- A Dose of Unreality
- Shore of a Far Away Consciousness
- Enter Hethanon
- Exit Kergatha
- Element of Peril
- A Rocky Relationship
- Life and Death
- Macrocosmic Introspection
- Adjusting Perspective
- Ramifications
- Intermingling of Blood
- Alternate Interpretations
- Doorway
- Harbinger of War
- Noose of Demons
- Stalking the Stalker
- Bear-ly Alive
- Shadowy Consciousness
- Proposal
- Kalindinai
- The Queen's Regard
- Audience
- Indictment
- A New Plan
- The Queen's Prerogative
- Journey Preparations
- Succorund
- The Agonizing Result
- Details
- Unexpected Teleportation
- In the Flux
- Shadow of the Rift
- Silvanshire's Tragedy
- In Hardship Rejoined
- Temporary Refuge
- Doppelganger
- Sacrifice
- Valkyur
- Counter Strike
- Against The Horde
- Euriel's Plan
- Challenge of Blood
- Enter Hecate
- Deceit of the Moon Goddess
- Wing and a Prayer
- Paradox of Adoration
- Crushing Choice
- Epilogue