Vernor’s Law of Writing

Posted on July 28, 2011 in Resources & Tutorials, Thoughts & Musings

All scenes need to accomplish at least two (and preferably all three) of the following:

  1. Providing background information for our readers
  2. Developing character
  3. Advancing plot

If the scene does not accomplish at least two tasks, change it or, preferable, cut it. Tighten the story, don’t meander, don’t dilute your writings.

Plot on its own is just a list of things that have been done. Background info alone might make a wikipedia entry, but not story. And few readers have patience for the kind of navelgazing that’s developing characters without any news on plot or background.

A scene that does too little dilutes all writing.

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3 Responses to Vernor’s Law of Writing

  1. The Fiendish Puppy August 2, 2011 at 9:42 pm #

    I wonder how I’d managed to get away without ever reading this rule before?

    A lot of my writing in past just meandered through trying to do a plot, but not exploring the characters; or I’d do backstory after backstory and get bored before I reach the plot.

    Actually, the longest story I wrote was a 100kb+ Ranma self-insert fanfic exploring how, with a few changes to events at the start, and taking out some of the conflicts, actually made it possible to flesh out the characters more.

    Hm. I need to think about that. Maybe that’s why I got frustrated with writing. :)

    • Carina August 2, 2011 at 10:03 pm #

      Don’t worry, we all have selfinsert fanfiction in the closet somewhere. Mine was Sonic the hedgehog.

      *shudder*

      • The Fiendish Puppy August 2, 2011 at 10:32 pm #

        All writers need skeletons in their closet, right? Otherwise how would they know how to write paranoia? :p