Every story begins with a single word—let the adventure unfold!
As I get older, I find I have less and less of a sense of urgency. The dishes can wait until tomorrow. The laundry can wait until I’ve run out of socks. Getting out of bed also doesn’t need to be rushed. Unless I drink too much water before going to bed. Then I wake up feeling a sense of urgency again.
Strategy:
Picture this: you're reading a story, and suddenly, you find yourself yawning and checking your phone. The advice? Keep your readers on the edge of their seats with urgency. But you also need to give readers (and your characters) a chance to catch their breath. Fear not, aspiring writers! In this exercise, we'll master the art of creating engaging and dynamic scenes by exploring different levels of urgency. By practicing the modulation of urgency, you'll learn to craft stories that keep your readers hooked from beginning to end.
Instructions:
Choose a Character: Select a character from your current work-in-progress or create a new one. Take a minute to consider their personality, goals, and fears.
No Urgency: Write a short passage where your character is performing a mundane task or engaging in an activity that doesn't require any sense of urgency. Focus on describing their actions and surroundings in detail.
Missed Opportunity: Write another passage where your character is faced with a situation that could lead to a missed opportunity if they don't act quickly. Show how their actions and thoughts change when a sense of urgency is introduced.
Threatening Situation: Create a passage where your character is faced with a threat or danger. Demonstrate how their actions and decision-making process are affected by the need to avoid the threat.
Irrevocable Outcome: Write a final passage where your character is confronted with a situation that could lead to an irrevocable outcome if they don't act decisively. Highlight the intensity of their actions and emotions as they navigate this high-stakes scenario.
Review and Reflect (optional): Read through the passages you've written and analyze how the character's actions, thoughts, and emotions changed as the level of urgency increased. Consider how you can apply this understanding to create more engaging and dynamic passages in your writing.
Tags: character development, urgency, action, pacing, tension, stakes
Category: Drafting a Manuscript > Introduce Change >> Actions
Example:
Choose a Character: Sarah, a 32-year-old lawyer who is dedicated to her career but struggles with work-life balance.
No Urgency:
It was late in the evening, and the rest of the office was quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioner. Sarah took a sip from her steaming cup of tea, its warmth comforting her as she delved into the task at hand.
With each page she read, Sarah made notes in the margins, her pen moving swiftly and confidently across the paper. She had always prided herself on her attention to detail, and tonight was no exception. These documents were important, and she wanted to ensure that no stone was left unturned.
Missed Opportunity:
Sarah arrived at the conference room just in time, her heart racing. As she walked in, she could feel all eyes on her—her colleagues, the opposing lawyers, and most importantly, the client.
Trying to compose herself, Sarah quickly set up her laptop and spread out her notes on the table. She took a deep breath and began her presentation, going through each document with precision and confidence. The client seemed impressed by her thoroughness and attention to detail.
Threatening Situation:
As she reached her car, Sarah noticed a figure out of the corner of her eye. She paused, trying to get a better look without turning her head. The person seemed to be walking in the same direction as her, keeping a steady pace.
Feeling uneasy, Sarah quickly got out her keys and fumbled with them as she tried to unlock her car door. Her hands were shaking and she dropped the keys on the ground.
Panic started to set in as Sarah heard footsteps getting closer behind her. She bent down to pick up her keys, trying to avoid looking directly at the figure behind her.
Irrevocable Outcome:
Sarah's phone rang loudly on her desk, startling her out of her thoughts. She quickly picked it up, seeing that it was her sister Elena calling.
"Hey, what's up?" Sarah answered with a smile, happy to hear from her sister whom she hadn't spoken to in a few days. The line was silent for a few seconds and Sarah glanced again at the caller ID.
"Sarah," her sister said with a shaky voice, "there's been an accident. Mom was hit by a car while…." Elena’s voice cut off before she could finish.
Sarah felt her heart drop as she listened to the news. She could barely register anything else that was happening around her.
"I'm at the hospital now," her sister continued. "The doctors say it's serious. Come…."
“I’m on my way.” Sarah hung up and grabbed her purse, racing out of the office and towards the parking lot.
Review and Reflect (optional): As the scenes became more urgent, the focus shifted away from the experience to an objective. The character had less time to think, and their viewpoint became more constrained.