Value Shifts: The Quickest Way to Determine if a Scene Works
In today's episode, we're going to talk about value shifts. Specifically, how understanding the concept of value shifts can help you write an edit a story that works. Here's a preview:
[01:10] What are value shifts and why do I need to care about them?
[01:40] What does it mean to create a mini-arc of change in each scene?
[02:10] How value shifts can help you create a better story outline and write impactful scenes that work.
[03:50] Each genre has a core value at stake. For example, in a romance novel, the main value at stake is love. The protagonist stands to lose or gain love.
[04:50] What should you do once you know the main value at stake in your story?
[05:50] How to turn a low impact scene into a meaningful scene that works.
[06:40] You can also think of story values as mini-answers to your central story question. For example, will Katniss survive the Hunger Games or not?
[07:00] What to do if you can't figure out the exact value that will change in a scene.
[07:50] How value shifts can help you weed out unproductive scenes and/or turn them into scenes that impact your global story.
[08:30] Next level value shifts. How to weave internal changes with external changes to create a compelling story that keeps readers turning page after page.
[12:00] Key points and a quick recap of the episode.
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Links mentioned in this episode:
- Episode Freebie: How to Pressure Test Your Scenes with Value Shifts PDF
- Need help figuring out the genre of your story? Check out episode #2 of this podcast or read this article on the blog.
P.S. Did you know that I have a Facebook group just for fiction writers? In this private group, we talk about all things writing, editing, and publishing fiction. It's free to join and you can request access here. Hope to see you there!