#9: Value Shifts: The Quickest Way to Determine if a Scene Works

In today's episode, we're going to talk about value shifts. Specifically, how understanding the concept of value shifts can help you write an edit a story that works. Here's a preview:

[01:10] What are value shifts and why do I need to care about them?
[01:40] What does it mean to create a mini-arc of change in each scene?
[02:10] How value shifts can help you create a better story outline and write impactful scenes that work.
[03:50] Each genre has a core value at stake. For example, in a romance novel, the main value at stake is love. The protagonist stands to lose or gain love.
[04:50] What should you do once you know the main value at stake in your story?
[05:50] How to turn a low impact scene into a meaningful scene that works.
[06:40] You can also think of story values as mini-answers to your central story question. For example, will Katniss survive the Hunger Games or not?
[07:00] What to do if you can't figure out the exact value that will change in a scene.
[07:50] How value shifts can help you weed out unproductive scenes and/or turn them into scenes that impact your global story.
[08:30] Next level value shifts. How to weave internal changes with external changes to create a compelling story that keeps readers turning page after page.
[12:00] Key points and a quick recap of the episode.

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Links mentioned in this episode:

• Episode Freebie: How to Pressure Test Your Scenes with Value Shifts PDF
• Need help figuring out the genre of your story? Check out episode #2 of this podcast or read this article on the blog.

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