One of the first things I do in dreaming up a novel is think about how to write Big Scenes… those dramatic, sprawling scenes that put the lead characters through the wringer. I want the characters to be plunged into terrible situations when their backs are against the wall, and they must claw, shout, and scrape their way out of it. Making my characters suffer through such scenes makes the inevitable happy resolution that much sweeter because they have earned it.
Oftentimes, before I even know who the lead characters will be, I envision a couple of those huge, teeth-gnashing scenes, then draft a story that will lead to them:
• A heroine finds herself stranded in an isolated, snow-bound gothic mansion with a madman (Against the Tide)
• A hero watches his home burn to the ground, believing the woman he loves is responsible (The Lady of Bolton Hill)
• A courageous physician walks toward almost certain death, begging the woman he loves to wait for him, while she insists that he stay (my manuscript in progress…due next year!)
Here is a clip from The Last of the Mohicans that embodies the back-against-the wall, nothing-left-to-lose Big Scene. The hero and heroine have been cornered, and only the hero has a chance of survival….Cora pleads with Hawkeye to save himself. The good parts of this scene are at .30 through 1.30 seconds:
Comments 1
This is such a heart-wrenching scene from Last of the Mohicans. Hawkeye’s promise… *sigh!*
Such a beautiful film! It’s so neat to get a peek into how you build from those big scenes. I love thinking of those moments in a story. One of the most fun parts about brainstorming 🙂