I have a finished draft (Cinderellis - posted under Novels), but I want to add additional scenes, for plot development and for further character development for those underdeveloped characters and relationships, but I don't know where to begin. I don't seem to quite know how to write a scene that doesn't directly move the plot forward... every scene is significant to the plot. I need the filler scenes... any suggestions?
there shouldn't be any 'filler scenes'... every scene should be relevant to the plot and take the story forward [or backward, as the case may be] in some way... that's probably why you're having trouble cramming some irrelevant stuff in... instead of trying to add unnecessary scenes, try just expanding the ones you have... and/or add scenes that are relevant and will not be merely 'fillers'... love and hugs, maia
The question I have is, what are you trying to accomplish with what you are calling "filler scenes"? If there is a legitimate purpose for the additional scenes, they aren't filler. For example, you might be developing a setting so the reader has a clearer perception of where the plot is unfolding. If you can articulate why you want to add a scene, and how it will augment characracter or plot, that should also help you decide what needs to me included in the scene, as well as what to leave out.
Ok, let me clarify what I meant by a "filler scene." By saying this, I didn't mean that it's irrelevant to the plot. It just seems that every scene I have is highly significant and moves the plot in another direction. What I meant was the scenes that show sort of the day to day life of the character, so I guess more character development scenes and huge monumental events. Does that make sense?
whatever moves your story along and/or lets the readers into the heads/hearts/lives of the characters or pulls them into the scenes makes sense... adding anything that doesn't do any of those things doesn't...
Definitely. I think I just asked my question in the most idiotic way possible. I'm fully aware that every scene should have a purpose... I should probably have phrase it more along the lines of: Well, now that I have a completed draft how I do go back and develop what needs developing? I have a draft which narrates the entirety of the plot while some characters remain underdeveloped/inconsistent.
wildbluefaerie I've read your story in the Novels forum. I think its pretty good, but just so that you know, getting a 'twist' on an old fairy tale will be very very hard, simply because lots of people have already tried it. Just wanted to give you a heads up.
That's actually one of my biggest worries about this story at the moment. The story of Cinderella in particular is one that has been worked and reworked a million times. We have Disney's Cinderella, of course, then Ever After, and A Cinderella Story. And that's just in movies. Books, you've got Ella Enchanted, Just Ella, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister... I got the original story idea, that is, to switch the genders, oh, probably 5 or 6 years ago, starting writing it, gave it up, then found it 3 years ago and rewrote it for a creative writing class, finished it about 2 years ago, started editing it just recently when I realized the writing wasn't half bad. The problem is that I didn't really start to realize how used an idea it was until after the draft was finished, and I still feel there's good writing in the story, so I don't want to throw it out. But while some of my writing may be good, I don't have any consolation that any of my ideas are even remotely original.... and so I'm at an impasse. Do I try to rewrite parts of the story and make it a bit more original? Or do I start over with one of the other ideas rolling around in my head, keeping this one as a momento? *sigh* This is the dilemma that I've been arguing back and forth in my head for quite a while now...
unless you have something really new and fresh to bring to this overtold story, i'd suggest shelving it and working on something more original... btw, since you researched movies for previous versions, did you know that jerry lewis did a pretty lame one on the gender switch, called 'cinderfella'?
Ha! No, I didn't know that. That's pretty funny. Well, what I think I'm going to do is continue working on this story... one person who critiqued the entirety of it said she felt like I was trying to hold to the plot of Cinderella, but it was kind of a back plot, so if I rewrite it a bit taking out some of that "back plot" and make it into my own story, I think I can salvage it, for my own sake if not for a publisher.
Because that would be a whole different story and would involved completely starting over. And if I'm going to completely start over with a new story, I have other ideas that are just begging to be written.
