Book Review: Scenes and Sequels by Mike Klaassen

As a writer, I know it’s important to continually improve my craft. So, when I was offered a review copy of Mike Klaassen’s Scenes and Sequels: How to Write Page-Turning Fiction, I jumped at the chance.  

Klaassen gives two definitions. He writes:

With that in mind, I define a scene as a passage of writing in which a character attempts to achieve a goal. 

[…] I define a sequel as a passage of fiction in which a character reflects on the resolution of a scene.

Once solid definitions of “scene” and “sequel” are given, then Klaassen goes on to describe how to write good fiction. 

Overall, Klaassen gives a good, albeit very formulaic, overview of how to write compelling fiction. He discusses the idea that every scene has a sequel, even if we skip it when writing. It’s a handy guide for thinking about the way plots are strung together. It’s also a good way to think about how a book has been structured – passages, scenes, and sequels – when going back to revise (In particular, I’m thinking about the stream-of-conscious style I used for my NaNoWriMo project). This book is great for writers of all levels for helping them to see their work’s structure in a different way.

Book Overview:

Scenes and Sequels: How to Write Page-Turning Fiction 

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