Strategies for writing terrible/difficult scenes?

I can write scenes that would disturb me because my characters would have to pull themselves through them in order to meet their goals. Their motivation is my motivation.

Past that... suck it up, I guess. You already have the scene envisioned, right? So what's the problem with writing it down?
You could tone it down--depending on your story and style, as not everyone does heavy grit in their stories.

I actually like writing those types of scenes and can't wait to get to them, so I may be of no help to you. I wrote an impaling scene in my historical fantasy that a beta thought was quite well written and she felt for the MC who had to witness it. I'm still quite proud of that one.

I know where you're coming from. I include action scenes in that category too. Scenes like you mentioned require holding a lot of emotion through out. Perhaps fading for a moment and growing in another. No matter how well I write them, when I get to editing one I almost always need to punch them up. The editing is actually as slow as writing them. Powerful scenes, powerful descriptions, powerful words. Maybe some folks have those on the tips of their fingers. I need to bear down and think hard on each sentence to keep the feelings strong.

Something you might try -- don't try to write the entire scene all at once. Set it aside and continue on with your story after the scene, assuming of course you know what happens in the scene. You can dabble the words in and fit the section in when you're done. That gives your mind a chance to picture exactly what you want so you can capture it with words. Nothing says you have to write the story front to back.

There aren't many scenes that give me trouble, but some few do. I sketch such a scene out on the first pass, omit the graphic element. I then make it a little darker, a little more graphic on each pass. I don't know whether this will work for you, but it does for me.

You might try simply writing through the scene, not worrying about how horrible it might sound. Then go back and edit it, piece by piece, to get it where you want.

You could play with the idea of describing everything in great detail, then scaling back as needed, or only hinting at information (since the scariest things are often what's left to the imagination).

Another thing you could try is finding scenes in current books that are similar or relevant, reading through those, and analyzing what made them work.

Try various techniques, then do whatever works best for you.

Scenes like that, I treat as if I were writing a screenplay. I block out the physical action and write an outline that divides the scene into sections. I find it easier to write it as several mini scenes.
YMMV, of course. Good luck!

Fizgig said:

Thanks for the ideas! I'm about to just go sit down and write through it, get whatever I can down but plow onward past it then edit it in chunks later.

See...here I go...right now....after I read a few more threads here on AW....

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That works for me. I sometimes have scenes that I think about for days. Then I just blast something down on (electronic) paper and when I look back at it, the wall seems so much easier to climb. Tweak something here, change a few words there and suddenly it all starts to come clear and I think 'why did I have a problem with that?'

Good, good, good! I like it!

Don't tone it down, you have to go where it hurts. If even you yourself are afraid of what's gonna happen - that's the right headspace to be coming from.

Now you just have to get it all out on paper without breaking the dishes during transportation...

This thread made me realize I am procrastinating. I have one of those scenes to deal with. Promised myself I was going to get to it today. Here I am. Haven't even opened the word processor.

Welcome the inevitable tears...while alone and in front of your computer screen. When you're done writing the entire terrible thing, reward yourself with chocolate, ice cream, or kalamata olives.

If I had to add a scene like that to one of my stories, I'd first make sure the emotions and mental images imprinted on the reader are used as a set up for a vindication later on (MC encounters the slaughter of innocent people, the MC should later on defeat the perpetrator and provide closure to that disturbing scene.)

I try to avoid unnecessary darkness, unless it's a tool for enhancing the roller-coaster ride.

My main character's mother dies of cancer (It's a MG in first person past tense.). I've written the scene and revised it a dozen times. I still get teary. I still hate when I know I'm getting near it in the pass. I cry at scenes earlier in the story because I know what is coming. I just keep going and get through it. The story is lost without this. It has to be.

I set a timer for 15 minutes and tell myself I have to stay there. It usually works for me.

Something I learned from reading Lois McMaster Bujold, specifically Mirror Dance, which gets damn nasty in spots:

If you want to do something nasty to a character, just DO it. Don't beat around the bush. Don't weasel. Just write the nastiness in all its putrid glory. You can always tone it down later, if need be. It's much tougher to write it soft then ramp it up.

I think the truth is not so much that we stall out on writing nasty stuff, as that we're embarrassed in advance at the thought of having some stranger read our nasty stuff.

SunshineonMe said:

I set a timer for 15 minutes and tell myself I have to stay there. It usually works for me.

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I do this and bullet points.

I set the timer with the intention of just jotting down bullet points.

This happens.
Then, this.
Also, over here, that's happening.
She hurts.
He's sick.
The dog saves her by pushing over the bookcase on the bad guy.
She collapses.
Sirens.
Her parents rush in to find her.

Little bit by little bit, I build back on that, fleshing out each sentence. It makes me feel like I'm sneaking up on the hard parts, poking it in the back and racing off again. It gets done, though.

bearilou said:

I do this and bullet points.

I set the timer with the intention of just jotting down bullet points.

This happens.
Then, this.
Also, over here, that's happening.
She hurts.
He's sick.
The dog saves her by pushing over the bookcase on the bad guy.
She collapses.
Sirens.
Her parents rush in to find her.

Little bit by little bit, I build back on that, fleshing out each sentence. It makes me feel like I'm sneaking up on the hard parts, poking it in the back and racing off again. It gets done, though.

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This sounds like a plan. I'm going to try this one.

I'm not entirely sure how to work the dog and the bookcase into the scene yet but I'm sure it'll come to me.

I've had this problem many times. Certain scenes are hard to write, especially if you're an empathic person and feel what others feel. I'm very sensitive to the moods of those around me, and I become my characters while I'm writing a scene--I'm immersed in their minds and feelings. If the scene is going to break their heart, it breaks mine, too. I've actually spiraled into depression while writing certain scenes. It can last a few days, until I finish the scene in question and move on to the next. And I'll get highly emotional when I have to go back and edit those scenes later on, too.

The only advice I have is to get it over with. Rip that bandaid off! The longer you procrastinate, the worse the anticipation gets. Dive in and be done with it, and before you know it, you'll be crawling out of the water on the other side.

I agree Orianna2000,but I do feel that you have to write it and then edit, edit, edit.After writing it so many times you'll become a little bit more numb to the emotions of it. At least that's happened with me. But isn't that one of the most powerful scenes in your WIP that you can't wait to get down on paper Fizgig? Take your time and roll with it,emotions aren't so bad.

I guess the best way is to just sit and do it, and if it's not good enough you can always go back to it later. You just don't want it to stop your progress for the rest of the book.

Kuranes said:

If I had to add a scene like that to one of my stories, I'd first make sure the emotions and mental images imprinted on the reader are used as a set up for a vindication later on (MC encounters the slaughter of innocent people, the MC should later on defeat the perpetrator and provide closure to that disturbing scene.)

I try to avoid unnecessary darkness, unless it's a tool for enhancing the roller-coaster ride.

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Sometimes this simply isn't possible, unless yu completely avoid many kinds of scenes. Sometimes there is no perpetrator, no one to blame, and absolutely nothing anyone can do about what happens.