Structure scenes and control pacing using scene-sequel rhythm. Use when individual scenes work but don't accumulate, when pacing feels off (too rushed or too slow), when transitions feel mechanical, or when readers can follow but aren't compelled forward. Based on Dwight Swain's Goal-Conflict-Disaster and Reaction-Dilemma-Decision structure.
You help writers structure scenes and control narrative pacing using the scene-sequel rhythm.
The fundamental unit of pacing is not the scene alone, but the scene-sequel pair. Scenes create tension; sequels process it. The alternation creates peaks and valleys that make stories readable.
What does the POV character want in this scene?
Opposition to the goal that escalates within the scene.
Static conflict is boring. Each beat should make the goal harder.
Scene ends with one of these outcomes (in order of narrative power):
Emotional response to disaster. Lets reader:
Can be brief (a sentence) or extended (pages).
Character faces choice with no good options. Previous disaster has:
Dilemma must feel genuinely difficult.
Character commits to action, which becomes the goal of the next scene.
The ratio of scene to sequel controls tempo:
| More Scene | More Sequel |
|---|---|
| Fast-paced | Slow-paced |
| Action-heavy | Reflective |
| Thriller feel | Literary feel |
| Reader breathless | Reader contemplative |
Key technique: Compress or expand sequels to control tempo. Scenes run at natural length; sequels are your pacing lever.
"What does the character want here?"
"Does the opposition escalate?"
"Is the outcome too clean?"
"Did we process the previous scene?"
"Are we wallowing in reaction?"
| Mode | Best For | Common In |
|---|---|---|
| Action | Scene conflict | Scenes |
| Dialogue | Character interaction | Scenes |
| Description | Setting, slowing pace | Scene openings, Sequels |
| Introspection | Processing events | Sequels |
| Summarization | Time compression | Between scenes |
Mode should match function. Action in sequels feels rushed. Introspection in action kills momentum.
Writer: "The middle of my story feels exhausting but also slow somehow."
Your approach:
Pattern: Pure action with no processing time—scene after scene of conflict without sequel beats. Why it fails: Reader becomes numb. Without processing time, emotional stakes flatten. Each new disaster hits with diminishing impact. The reader can't catch up. Fix: Insert sequel beats even in fast-paced stories. Even a paragraph of reaction helps. Compression is fine; elimination exhausts.
Pattern: Pages of introspection without decision—extended internal monologue going in circles. Why it fails: Reader loses patience. Sequels exist to process and decide, not to wallow. Without forward motion toward decision, introspection becomes self-indulgence. Fix: Dilemma must lead to decision; decision to action. Time-box sequels. If the character isn't moving toward a choice, compress or cut.
Pattern: Scene outcome disconnected from scene events—disaster that appears from nowhere to create drama. Why it fails: Readers sense manipulation. Disaster should be logical consequence of the conflict, not authorial intervention. Unmotivated disaster breaks trust. Fix: Trace the chain backward. How did scene conflict logically produce this disaster? If you can't answer, the disaster is arbitrary. Rework the conflict to set up the disaster.
Pattern: Character achieves goal without complications—scenes ending with simple "yes." Why it fails: Clean victories drain tension. Each unqualified success makes the next challenge feel less dangerous. Readers stop worrying. Fix: Add a "but" or "and furthermore." Goal achieved but new problem created. Victory came but cost more than expected. Simple success is rare; complications are normal.
Pattern: Scene begins without clear character goal—things happen but there's no drive. Why it fails: Without goal, there's no conflict (nothing to oppose). Without conflict, there's no disaster (nothing to fail). The scene becomes description, not story. Fix: Establish goal in first paragraph. What does the POV character want in this scene specifically? If you can't answer clearly, the scene lacks direction.
Analyzes scene text for structure elements. Use when you need quick diagnostic on a specific scene.
# Analyze a scene file
deno run --allow-read scripts/analyze-scene.ts scene.txt
# Analyze text directly
deno run --allow-read scripts/analyze-scene.ts --text "She needed to find the key..."
# Get JSON output for further processing
deno run --allow-read scripts/analyze-scene.ts scene.txt --json
What it detects:
Output includes:
When to use:
This skill writes primary output to files so work persists across sessions.
Before doing any other work:
context/output-config.md in the projectexplorations/pacing/ or a sensible location for this projectcontext/output-config.md if context network exists.scene-sequencing-output.md at project root otherwiseFor this skill, persist:
| Goes to File | Stays in Conversation |
|---|---|
| Scene-by-scene breakdown | Discussion of specific scenes |
| Pacing diagnosis | Clarifying questions |
| Recommended interventions | Writer's structural decisions |
| Scene/sequel ratio assessment | Real-time feedback |
Pattern: {story}-pacing-{date}.md
Example: novel-chapter5-pacing-2025-01-15.md
| Skill | What it provides |
|---|---|
| story-sense | Diagnosis that pacing is the problem area |
| key-moments | Emotional beats that need scene structure |
| outline-collaborator | Scene-level structure to analyze for pacing |
| Skill | What this provides |
|---|---|
| drafting | Properly paced scenes ready for prose generation |
| story-collaborator | Scene structures to generate prose within |
| revision | Pacing diagnosis for revision passes |
| Skill | Relationship |
|---|---|
| key-moments | Key-moments identifies what emotional beats matter; scene-sequencing structures how to deliver them |
| dialogue | Scene-sequencing handles scene-level structure; dialogue operates within scenes at the exchange level |