Revision Checklist: Scenes

Okay, it's time to revise. Now what?

Revision is part of the writing process. Probably the most important part, actually. But writers are often stumped at how and where to begin. Here’s a handy (?) checklist to help you navigate revisions by scene.

• Have you summarized moments that are important turning points and would be better served through scenes? Have you created scenes that serve little purpose and would be better served in summary?

• Consider your scene structure. Does each scene end with a thread that the reader will want to pull to the next scene?

• Are your characters speaking and behaving in ways that are true to their character?

• In what ways does each scene contribute to the overall tone or theme of the novel?

• Do you have enough conflict and tension to carry the scene? If not, how can you turn up the dial? Have you considered the various agendas of the character(s) and how that might influence what happens in the scene; how interiority and exteriority are at odds with each other; decisions that are made (or not made)?

• What do readers learn from your scene that they don’t already know?

• Consider what your reader needs to know and when they need to know it. How are you managing information? Are you revealing information at times when it has the most impact? How are you revealing this information?