📚 6 Easy Questions to Edit Scenes like a Pro

Hey 👋 - Dave here.

Happy Saturday morning.

Welcome to the Saturday Storyteller (TSS).

Read time: 2 minutes

Write on. ✍️

Last November, over 400,000 people were estimated to have participated in National Novel Writing Month.

Among them, about 40,000 were crowned as “winners'“ by finishing a 50,000 word novel.

That’s a lot of first drafts!

However, while many people complete drafts every month, reviewing and revising them often proves to be the most challenging part.

Because some scenes will feel alive, while others will be dead on arrival.

So how do you perform a simple health check to assess the potential of each scene?

Fortunately, you don’t need to focus on everything during your first pass. Get started with your scene analysis by asking yourself these easy questions:

1) Does each scene have just one Point of View (PoV) Character?

Head hopping is not recommended inside a single scene.

The POV character should only change when a scene transitions to a new scene. (Keep in mind for fiction, one chapter might included multiple scenes. Usually a series of asterisks or extra spacing is applied to indicate scene breaks within the same chapter.)

2) Does each scene somehow connect to my core themes and protagonist’s overarching story goal?

Ensure every scene aligns with your story's core themes and contributes to the protagonist’s journey and transformation. If a scene feels out of place, consider revising it to enhance its relevance or cutting it to maintain a cohesive story.

3) Would my overarching story be hurt if I cut this scene?

You must eliminate your characters’ mundane, ordinary, and boring parts because audiences only want their most dramatic, extraordinary, and exciting moments.

4) Does each scene have a connection to my antagonistic force?

The primary conflict created by your antagonist should be felt throughout the story. Ensure the antagonistic force looms over or influences nearly every scene.

5) Does each scene excite or entertain me?

If a scene does not excite or entertain you, it likely won't engage your audience either. Consider how to make the scene more compelling or whether it should be revised or removed.

6) Do my key story milestones aka major turning points align with any of the guiding principles found in Master Plot Diagrams?

If not, it’s okay. They're principles, not rules.

Your plot milestones scenes do not have to land at the recommended locations of master plot structures.

However, there might be a benefit to honoring a basic three-act structure to help you build a cohesive story arc, pace scenes, deliver big payoffs, and satisfy audience expectations.

That’s it for this Saturday.

See ya next week!

- Dave