How And When To Write In Layers
Every writer faces that difficult scene.
You know the one I’m talking about. You know what needs to happen in that scene, how it should play out, but when it comes to getting it down on paper, you sit staring at the screen.
For me, this often happens during action scenes.
I always worry that I’m not going to give enough detail, or the sequence will be muddy and the reader won’t be able to follow along.
One of the tricks I have found when facing this situation is to write in layers.
Writing in layers
Every scene consists of three main components. Dialogue, action, and description.
Now, think about what your strengths and weaknesses are.
For me, dialogue comes easy. I am always at a loss as to what I should add in for description.
Start with your strength.
Write out the entire scene using what ever you are strong at. For example (a bad short example):
“Put the knife down, and step away from the body.”
“This isn’t what it looks like.”
“I’m not going to tell you again.”
I can hear the voices speak clearly in my head, and can see what is going on. Now, I…