scene structure simplified
A two-day, LIVE workshop to unlock the page-turning power of scenes.
WOO! I'M INScenes sound simple.
They’re about a chapter in length and occur in one place. They have a beginning, middle, and end. They move the story forward...
Except, when you sit down to the page to actually write a scene you're never sure where to start or end one, let alone what should actually happen in the middle. Does the whole thing have to happen in one place? Do they really comprise a whole chapter? Can you have a couple in one chapter?
As a lover of stories you know, in your gut, what a ‘scene’ feels like. You’ve experienced them again and again in your favorite books, movies, and TV shows. At some point you’ve likely said to a friend something along the lines of: "Gosh, I loved that scene in [popular TV show] last night, can you believe what happened?!"
If you can recognize a scene, why can’t you write one!?
Why does it feel like every time you sit down to write, it’s not working like you know it should?
Knowing what a scene feels like and knowing how a scene works are not the same thing.
It's like opening up the hood of your car and saying: "I can feel that my car isn't running right and it has something to do with the engine in here." Cool, but do you know what the pieces of the engine do? Do you know how to fix or build the pieces of the engine? Unless you're a mechanic, most likely not. The difference between you and the mechanic is that the mechanic knows HOW the engine makes the car run.
In this two-day, LIVE workshop we'll show you how the 'feeling' of a scene works and exactly how you can break that feeling into 8 replicable beats.
With a mixture of presentation, guided visualization, live practice, and QA you'll unlock the power of scenes, shatter the foggy glasses of confusion, and infuse yourself with a confidence that will fuel you every time you show up to the page.
Become a scene mechanic.
Build your story like a pro.
Scene Structure Simplified workshop, March 22-23
DAY ONE
unlock scene structure
Saturday, March 22nd
12-3 PM Eastern Time
During this presentation & QA workshop we’ll dissect how readers expect to feel while they read and how that feeling translates to the 8 beats of scene structure.
We’ll look at how scenes tie into character arcs to build cohesive, page-turning stories readers can’t put down. Then we’ll answer ALL your questions.
DAY TWO
live workshopping
Sunday, March 23rd
12-2 PM Eastern Time
During this live workshopping session, we’re putting your new craft theory into practice. Through guided visualization, we’ll practice developing a scene outline for your work in progress. Then, we’ll identify, analyze, and discuss the 8 beats of scene structure in excerpts from published works.
Yes, there will be recordings.
You can keep them forever! BUT the workshops will be highly interactive, so we suggest you commit to coming live if you can.
Scene Structure is the KEY to story structure.
Scenes are the links in the chain of your story. They’re the key to page-flipping pacing and tension. They’re the place where plot and character arcs meet. They’re the root of almost every other craft skill.
LET'S GET NERDYyour workshop instructors
Emily & Rachel from Golden May
Hey hey! I'm Emily.
I’m your resident excitable, dirtbag, cat-lady coach. I’m a type-A perfectionist who played the hustle game for years, could never finish a draft, and burned out because of it. In my journey climbing out of that ditch, I tuned out the noise of what I should do, learned to love myself, and built a writing life that works for ME. As a result, my debut fantasy romance novel was published in 2024. Now I’m devoted to helping tenacious writers like you ditch the ‘shoulds’ and build a sustainable writing life that works for you, that brings you joy, and that fulfills you all the way to your bones. When I’m not writing, you can usually find me exploring the mountains of southwest Colorado with my husband and daughter, and sometimes our cats. You can find me on Instagram @ebgoldenbooks.
Hey there! I’m Rachel.
I’m your mac n' cheese loving, neurodivergent, book fairy godmother. As a coach and writer with ADHD, I understand how downright confusing craft can be and how much those "rules" can feel limiting. I understand what it’s like to struggle with your process and get hung up with mental hurdles. Throughout my journey, I've learned how to break past creative blocks and merge craft theory with my unique brain and body–and that’s exactly what I’ll help you do, too. Because of this eye-opening work, I published the first two books of The Shadows Syndicate series in 2024 and I’m looking toward the future with huge heart-eyes. I live in Colorado with my husband and daughter, dream of the perfect slice of pizza, and love staying up way too late to read. You can find me on Instagram @bookcoachrachel and @author.remay.
