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@freedomwriter76 @godlyfantasy12 @thearcaneaxiom @princesachronicle22 @sarafini @keilah-h @loopylin @felicity @elishavet-pidyon @gwyndalf-the-wise @mineralizedwritings @whalekeeper @lightoverdarkness6 @acancello @euodia-vision
Ok… So I’ve heard that you aren’t supposed to put in your book what you were bored writing.
I don’t think this is exactly true… For example, I just finished writing a “boring” chapter. I didn’t really enjoy writing most of it, but it needed to be there. What the characters learned in that chapter was necessary for them to determine their next step. I suppose, I could speed it up a little bit, but it was already moving pretty fast.
I’ve also written scenes/chapters that technically aren’t needed for the story to continue, but it creates a tighter reader-character bond by showing how these characters act/interact when they aren’t in imminent danger.
Do y’all get what I’m saying?
I know it depends on what actually happens in the scene/chapter, but I’d still like to discuss.
Is it okay to have those “boring” chapters or scenes in your book? Or should most of it be action?
What are your thoughts on this?
Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende
Like I often respond to questions like this, is that it depends on you and the kind of story you want to tell. I agree it’s false to objectify all boring parts of a book as unnecessary. A blatant example of this is informational writing, like biographies or textbooks, if you skip through the boring parts, you’ll likely be losing crucial information. I understand that we are not talking about informational writing, but still. When it comes to writing fiction, I still feel that boring chapters can be necessary depending on a few things. Are you writing something with a hard magic system (including sci-fi)? If so, exposition is a very big thing many writers have to deal with, and sometimes you do need to just info dump on your readers, so that later chapters can make sense and be more enjoyable. That being said, things like exposition more often than not should have a way to more subtly apply to your writing. I also think that if you have nothing but action pact chapters one after the other without a breather for your readers, your writing will feel lacking in structure, and it will come to be expected. If you do nothing but action, your reader will become desensitized to the action, and the whole book will become boring. This being said, there are almost always ways to keep your chapters intriguing, even if they are a “boring” chapter. Things like subtle conflict to the protagonist, instead of needing to fight a monster, they need to deal with being nice at a party even though they are socially awkward. There is still conflict, and thus intrigue to be found there, and you can maybe find a part of a character you can’t find seeing them fight a monster.
So my end point is that the boring chapters can be necessary, but there can also be ways to make them more fun through subtlety.
He is perfect in Justice, yet He is perfect in Mercy, even when we fail Him. For this, He is good.
Great question! I agree with Arcane that it will be different for every one.
I personally would say it is true for me. The parts I find boring to write are boring to read, and I simply do not write them. I keep a mental checklist on my head of things I have not included that must be added soon (Say a charater backstory that has to be put in before a event that hinges on it, a interaction between two characters that has to set the tone for a conflict between them later, or even a wayward thought that foreshadows a charcters way of thinking about the conflict) I use boring moments to include stuff like this, and then they become less boring. Not boring for me doesn’t mean action all the time. I recently wrote a scene where a large group of people were gathering for a vote, and although not action packed, it was one of my favorites to write and I would say it was some of my best writing. You get to see my character Keiryn interact with his mom for the first time, which was necessary to add at some point because the reader knows his parents are split. It isn’t action packed, but it’s something the reader has been waiting to see, so it keeps the pace. I agree that there are interactions that are not plot necessary that are good for fun. 🙂 I recently wrote a character of mine eating icing and imo it was unnecessary but very fun.
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
What do you mean by a ‘boring’ scene? Like one you didn’t enjoy writing, or where the characters are bored, or are you talking about a less action focused slower scene?
"...I did not say to the seed of Jacob, 'Seek Me in vain..."
(Part of) Isaiah 45:19- Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
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I think it’s OK to have “boring” scenes. My 1st book is full of what could be called “boring” scenes but it’s needed for slowing down my story and getting closer to the characters. Plus it helps it be more realistic. Life is not all go, go, go (even if we want it to be). A lot of times it’s boring. Lol. That’s my take though.
I see what you mean. That’s a really good point.
For my situation specifically, I may have to change the chapter a bit. It is in my second draft and never existed in the first draft. In the first draft, they learn this information over time, but it’s unnatural. In the second draft, they learn a little bit at once, but it seems a bit more natural for it to happen that way.
I think I need more humor in the chapter anyway. I know my characters really well at this point, but it’s only chapter 8 in the book, so the readers won’t. Lol. (Plus, I’m missing some important little reactions that set some stuff up for their future).
You’ve given me a few ideas. Thanks! 😀
Yeah. I see what you’re saying. It definitely depends on what happens.
I recently wrote a character of mine eating icing and imo it was unnecessary but very fun.
That is very important. *nods*
🤣🤣🤣
What do you mean by a ‘boring’ scene? Like one you didn’t enjoy writing, or where the characters are bored, or are you talking about a less action focused slower scene?
Not quite where the characters are bored. More along the lines of either you didn’t enjoy writing/it took you an unnecessarily long time to write it or it contains little to no action.
@sarafini
That’s a great point! Life is definitely not always exciting. 😂
Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende
@esther-c If you’re bored writing a story, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad chapter. It might mean you’re getting tired of the project and need to work on another one for a little until you get new ideas! Or, if you think a scene is getting boring or useless for your charries/readers, insert some foreshadowing for what’ll come later.
Like let’s say your charrie is walking through the city while it’s raining. He takes shelter in a storehouse, and knocks a piece of paper to the floor by accident. He doesn’t think much of it at first, but later, you reveal it was a letter from someone he knew in the past and that died/betrayed him/is in hiding/whatever, or it’s the blueprints to the weapon he’s trying to stop.
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
Ohhh, that makes more sense. Thanks for the clarification! I don’t remember what others have said right now but I know that slower/less action-y scenes can still be very important to show characters in, you just gotta balance how many of them you do with how many action-y ones you do, you know?
For example,
although I haven’t written it yet, there’s a scene in my story where some of my characters have to come up with a plan before any of the action-y stuff can happen, but while they’re doing this I want to use the moment to show the reader how the characters interact and what they value.Does that make any sense?
"...I did not say to the seed of Jacob, 'Seek Me in vain..."
(Part of) Isaiah 45:19@esther-c I will say one thing tho I didn’t read all of the posts and such
For me I’m very character driven. My FAVORITE chapters are the ones of JUST characters interacting, things like that.
Honestly action chapters aren’t my favorites UNLESS a character gets injured (specifically one I like) BUT NOT KILLED XD or there is drama or funny banter or something
But the scenes where they’re just interacting, playing around, etc? *CHEF’S KISS* I ADORE THOSE SOOOO MUCH!!!
(probably a reason I love KOTLC so much)
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSebIf you’re bored writing a story, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad chapter. It might mean you’re getting tired of the project and need to work on another one for a little until you get new ideas! Or, if you think a scene is getting boring or useless for your charries/readers, insert some foreshadowing for what’ll come later.
That’s a good point! I know for this story in particular, I’m not bored with it, I’m just excited to get to what’s next. 😂
Like let’s say your charrie is walking through the city while it’s raining. He takes shelter in a storehouse, and knocks a piece of paper to the floor by accident. He doesn’t think much of it at first, but later, you reveal it was a letter from someone he knew in the past and that died/betrayed him/is in hiding/whatever, or it’s the blueprints to the weapon he’s trying to stop.
Ooooh! I like that idea! 😀
@gwyndlf-the-wise
I don’t remember what others have said right now but I know that slower/less action-y scenes can still be very important to show characters in, you just gotta balance how many of them you do with how many action-y ones you do, you know?
For example, although I haven’t written it yet, there’s a scene in my story where some of my characters have to come up with a plan before any of the action-y stuff can happen, but while they’re doing this I want to use the moment to show the reader how the characters interact and what they value.
Does that make any sense?
Exactly. I get what you’re saying. It’s definitely a delicate balance. (Just like everything else in writing 🙄😒🤣)
For me I’m very character driven. My FAVORITE chapters are the ones of JUST characters interacting, things like that.
Yeah. Just like Gwyndalf said, it’s a balance between what goes on in “boring” and “action-y” chapters. The definition of a “boring” scene/chapter is definitely based upon the reader’s preference.
But the scenes where they’re just interacting, playing around, etc? *CHEF’S KISS* I ADORE THOSE SOOOO MUCH!!!
Yes! I love writing those!! 😀
(probably a reason I love KOTLC so much)
Agh! Those are on my tbr list!! I have other friends who really like them and I should really try reading them at some point. 😅😂
Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende
@esther-c Thanks! That scene wasn’t intended to become part of the story or something, it was just an example, but you can totally use it!
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
I’m a little late to the party, but I do want to mention something that’s helped me: A lack of action doesn’t make a scene boring; a lack of tension does. You can have a scene without any action at all that still moves the story forward and feels interesting to read as long as there is tension of some kind that relates to the overall story, whether it’s tension in a conversation where someone wants information and the other person wants to withhold it or tension in exposition where the new information increases the stakes for the characters. Every strong scene has a component of tension through objective and conflict.
I do strongly recommend dropping exposition in naturally a bit at a time, but if it’s most natural for a character to directly find something out or tell it to another character, do what is most natural to the story.
Jayna Baas
Christian Author/Editor
www.booksbyjayna.comI’ll keep that in mind! Thanks for the piece of insight!
Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende
Oh wait, you tagged Keila. Did you mean to tag her or me? 😅
Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende
Oh, sorry. By the time I finished reading all the posts, I must have forgotten who started the thread. 🙂
Jayna Baas
Christian Author/Editor
www.booksbyjayna.com
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