Okay, so I've dodged this problem up till now, but I need opinions at this point. And I do understand that maybe I'm overthinking it, but I'm not sure. My book is YA fiction, and many scenes take place at the MC's school. My problem is that I feel like these scenes are going to get stagnant after about two uses. For example, There's always the lunchroom scene, and then there's scenes in a few of the MC's classes. For the most part, everything that is happening in these places is just dialogue and internal monologue, and I'm afraid it's going to be boring and repetitive to the reader. Also, the scenes that are happening at the school have to stay there for plot reasons. (Trust me, if it doesn't have to be at the school I wouldn't make it there) Do you guys think these scenes will get stagnant? How can I prevent that from happening?
You misunderstanding what a 'scene' actually is. Go watch 12 Angry Men. 90% of the movie takes place in one setting, but it is one of the most engaging films you'll ever watch. - Now back to my point, a scene is a unit of conflict. It is not the setting that gets boring, it is when the same goal and conflict repeat itself over and over again.
I actually think the opposite of you. You are writing YA, and at least parts of it are set in a school. Almost all of us have gone to school at some point, a lot of us have been in cafeterias. You are already starting to resonate with your potential readers: people that spend time in school and can relate on that level. It is all about how you set the scene in the setting. Take the cafeteria, will it be a different experience each time? evolve over time? have certain things repeat each time (Darren Aronofsky movies)? not really need any descriptors (we know what it is like)? something different?
I would say to make sure that each scene moves the story forward and doesn't just repeat dialogue and/or inner thoughts over and over, and it won't matter that the setting hasn't changed. In fact, a single setting might work in your favour. (Yesterday, all was calm in this classroom, but today there is an undercurrent of hatred, because of what so and so said to me on the way into school this morning, etc.) You have a variety of classes and teachers to work with, as well as other settings (gym, lunchroom, lockers, bathroom, science lab, etc) to work with as well. Ask yourself at the start of every scene: what is this scene supposed to accomplish? Make sure it accomplishes that goal, whatever it is. And also make sure it's not accomplishing the same thing the previous scene did. You don't need umpteen samey scenes to show that a character is being bullied, or umpteen scenes to show that a particular teacher doesn't like your MC, or umpteen scenes to show that the MC fancies a girl in his algebra class. Once you've established these kinds of things in one scene, you can move the story forward by making things happen because of what you've established.
You might be more worried about the settings getting boring, it seems like? If it is scenes, I'd rec time skips. Don't repeat "and then they go to lunch, and then they have chem class ..." etc - skip'em if they're not needed and get to the next important thing. But since I think you mean settings, honestly my advice is don't sweat it. I don't think readers are going to get bored of 'looking' at the same place (I doubt film audiences do either!) - we're going to be paying more attention to what's happening there.
I'm not easily seeing why having the same setting would make anything stagnant. Is it possible that you're allowing the repeated setting to drive a repeating scene structure? For example, are you repeatedly starting the scene with the start of class? And in the lunchroom are you always walking in, buying lunch or sitting down and opening the lunch bag, etc.? I could go on about this, but if it isn't the issue there's not much point. So I'll just ask.
You could set conversational scenes in bathrooms, in the gym, locker rooms, and on the track, don't forget to include sports into school because it is a major part of a student's grades and social life growing up. There are also games to take into account that go on after school that the mc can be part of as a crowd member or in the action itself. Don't limit yourself to the lunchroom and the hallways or classroom. Don't forget school socials, dances, and fundraisers.
If you haven't watched Groundhog Day in a while (or ever), you give it another watch. One: because Bill Murray, and two: because the entire movie takes place in a single town repeating the same scenes over and over again. The film doesn't really get boring because even though the setting and even actions keep repeating, the motivations and character reactions and growth from scene to scene keeps you invested. Likewise, even if your characters have to keep going into the same classroom setting day after day, it doesn't have to get boring as long as the characters give us something to get invested in. It can even get to a point where the sameness of the setting can be used to your advantage in giving the readers hints of foreshadowing. For instance, if a character walks into class and offhandedly comments that the poster that always used to hang behind the teachers desk is missing, something that no one really notices and doesn't seem to mean anything, it can sow a small seed of unease that can be used to build tension depending on what your story is all about.
The dialogue and internal monologue are the scene, the rest is setting. Your characters can interact with the setting: "Anyone want to guess what today's mystery meat is?" "Don't you ever eat anything but pizza?" "Don't look now but drama is unfolding at table six." "OMG, the nerd table just stood up to Billy Bully." In the classroom: "'Oh, I only got an A-', I swear if I hear her say that one more time I'm going to kick her in the shin." "I am not cutting up a dead pig fetus!" "Shush or we're going to get detention again."
The infamous library scenes in ya movies. Guy bumps into a girl in the library on purpose knocking her books to the ground. "OMG!" "OMG I'm sorry! here let me help you with those." Dialogue. "So the dance is tonight do you have a date?" Becuase libraries baby!!!
Add some interesting bus and bus stop scenes. The only bus/bus stop scenes that I've read are the stereotypical scenes involving either a bully or a love interest.
I agree. Could I add to this suggestion as well? Where she's pointed out doing a bus stop scene but going against the type I would also suggest that some of your students may also be walking home, or using their parent's cars, maybe have a job and have their own cars as well if they're a lucky student. If you feel like you need a small change of setting you can even show the places some of these students hang out at and work. Your main setting being the school and having a sub setting being a students job or hang out. It'll keep your story from being stale in the scene but keep the focus on school life like you want it.
I think perhaps you should try and think a little outside the box. I understand things must happen in a school, but that doesn't mean it has to be a lunch or classroom scene. Think like High School Musical, the hugely successful Disney film franchise - the whole thing revolves around school - but it isn't dull. Or look into "slice of life" anime/manga - again usually with that genre, the whole thing revolves around a student's life and school, exams and friendship groups. But certainly things still happen outside the school! Look for books whose plot revolve around school and see how they structure things - esp books you particularly love. Learn from them. Where do things take place and why? You need to look at your classroom and lunchroom scenes and ask yourself: Can this happen in a different way? I don't just mean outside the classroom - I mean convey the whole plot point differently. Have something else, less predictable happen - your story will be better for it. For whatever it is to happen in the classroom might be the most logical and therefore easiest way to write your story, but that's also what will make your book a little dull. You're right that if you have repeated classroom scenes, the reader will be bored. You need to look at them and ask yourself if they're really needed. One or two such scenes, sure, but if there are five - do you really need five? Can some of these plot points, expressed over 5 classroom scenes, not be condensed and told more concisely over just 2 classroom scenes? The truth is, if you're asking yourself whether it will be boring - yeah, it probably is. You're the author - if you think it might be boring and you're the book's biggest fan - don't ignore that gut feeling. Change up the way you do things. You know your book best. If you think it's dull, it very probably is!
Maybe you're getting bored of yourself? Seventeen times you sit down, your characters sit down and 'here we go again,' you think, as you type: 'In the cafeteria the jocks threw a football among themselves, the emos cried on an apple, again. in the cafeteria. In the cafeteria Harry...' But I think this is draftitis. It all glues together in the end. These eight terrible/amateur/meaningless 'scenes' you have written once or twice - will eventually come to a life of their own. As your confidence grows, 'hey, this looks real,' the picture takes shape, so too will the reader enjoy the re-assurance of returning to the familiar place, watching events turn along - all the while mindful that 'Mr Grisly' or 'Biff' might enter scene like he did last time. You are building your house and then painting the walls, it takes... ... ...it takes 'me' between a day and a year, or more :/ ... I think I said it, not sure
