#11 Add WATER to every scene
And watch your story sprout: Examples and Writing Prompts
Use the ELEMENTS to craft your story.
In the last two posts, I introduced the Elemental Writing Techniques of AIR and FIRE as creative strategies for creating multidimensional characters and crafting passionate love stories.
Now, add WATER to each scene.
Watch your story ebb and flow and grow with dramatic action.
EVERY SCENE REQUIRES WATER.
In the art of storytelling, crafting scenes that make readers turn the page is paramount.
The key is to capture readers with dramatic action.
The WATER writing technique ensures dramatic action in each scene.
Let’s dive in.
In every scene, apply the WATER Elemental Technique to
Win or lose the fight, negotiation, or seduction
Advance the story
Take us deeper emotionally
Elevate the stakes
Reverse the expectations
The WATER storytelling technique is a powerful tool for crafting scenes in which something new happens or is revealed, the characters gain or lose, the characters surprise us, and the audience feels emotion, which keeps them engaged.
Water is a force of nature, constantly shaping and transforming the landscapes it touches. Use water to shape your scene and transform your characters.
Apply the WATER Element writing technique to ensure each scene flows dynamically, driving the narrative forward with dramatic action.
By integrating these principles, you can create compelling, multifaceted scenes that engage readers, evoke strong emotions, and elevate the overall impact of your story.
ADD WATER, and watch your story flow and grow.
W: Win or lose the fight, negotiation, or seduction.
Example:
In a heated boardroom meeting, Sarah negotiates a crucial deal with a stubborn client, Mark, with whom she’s been having a clandestine romantic affair. Despite her best efforts and persuasive arguments, she loses the deal when Mark blindsides her and decides to go with a competitor, creating tension between their personal and professional lives.
Writing Prompt:
Write a scene where your protagonist is amid an intense negotiation or conflict with someone with whom they have a romantic history. Describe their strategies and efforts, then determine whether they win or lose. How does this outcome affect their relationship and plans moving forward?
A: Advance the story.
Example:
After losing the deal, Sarah realizes she must invoke her competitive edge and rethink her approach. She sends an email for a team brainstorming session to develop a more innovative proposal to catch a bigger fish, setting the stage for a comeback. Meanwhile, the tension with Mark forces her to re-evaluate their affair and its impact on her career.
Writing Prompt:
Create a scene where a significant event propels the narrative forward. How does the protagonist's loss or victory lead to a new plan or direction? Show the steps they take to move the story to the next phase and weave in the complications of their romantic entanglement.
T: Take us deeper emotionally.
Example:
During the heated brainstorming session, Sarah haphazardly blurts to her team about her “complicated” relationship with Mark. Shocking her team, she breaks down and reveals her fears and frustrations about the lost deal and how she feels betrayed. Thinking she is now about to be kicked to the curb by her company, in a twist—her vulnerability strengthens their bond, inspiring them to work harder and showcasing their shared determination.
Writing Prompt:
Write a scene that delves into your protagonist's emotional core and shadow side. How do they express their inner turmoil, hopes, and fears? How does this emotional depth influence their relationships with other characters, especially with the added complexity of publicly revealing a secret affair?
E: Elevate the stakes.
Example:
As Sarah and her team work on the new proposal, they discover that their main competitor, WestCorp, led by Mark’s ex-girlfriend Laura, has insider information, putting their entire company at risk. The pressure mounts and failure could mean the end of their business. Additionally, Mark confesses to Sarah that Laura has threatened to expose their affair if he doesn’t pull his support from Sarah's company. This revelation jeopardizes the deal and places Sarah and Mark's personal and professional lives on a precarious edge.
Writing Prompt:
Create a scenario where the stakes are raised dramatically. What new challenges or threats emerge that make the protagonist’s goal more critical? How do they respond to this heightened pressure, especially with the added complications of blackmail, potentially career-ending scandal, and love lost?
R: Reverse the expectations.
Example:
Just when all hope is lost, WestCorp, led by Laura, makes a critical error by overplaying their hand in the negotiation. Seizing this opportunity, Sarah devises a brilliant counter-strategy that secures the deal and wins over several key stakeholders. Empowered by her professional triumph, Sarah decides to confront Mark. She ends their affair, asserting that her success is her own and will not allow personal relationships to compromise her career. Sarah's decisive action inspires her team and solidifies her position as a formidable leader. And now, she is ready for an honesty in a relationship, or it’s a deal breaker.
Writing Prompt:
Write a twist where your protagonist's situation takes an unexpected turn for the better because of a decision to overcome their weakness, possibly coupled with the ability to leverage someone else’s mistake. How do they capitalize on an opponent's mistake to achieve their goals? Show your protagonist taking a stand in their personal life, setting boundaries reinforcing their integrity and strength. How does this newfound empowerment affect their relationships and professional future?
The way of water
By incorporating these WATER techniques into every scene, you can ensure that your narrative remains dynamic, emotionally resonant, and full of suspense, keeping your readers engaged from start to finish. The intertwining of professional challenges and a clandestine affair adds complexity and intrigue to your storytelling.
Have a question about storytelling, structure, genre, or character development?
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I look forward to reading your stories and connecting in 2024!
Best wishes,
Kelly E. Keough