The Ghost of Scenes Past

You know the one.

In the rough draft it was a key scene: pivotal, climactic, pacey. Then you edited. And then you rewrote. You took out a marriage of convenience (which was, I blush to admit, completely pointless and highly INconvenient). You shifted Act III into a different country.

(Okay, that last one could just be me. Remind me to talk about my obsession with settings one of these days)

Suddenly your key scene needs major rewriting. And you’re... stuck. You’re so stuck you’re running scared, running on empty, running for President of Procrastinators.

“Work out why the scene needs to be there,” says Julie, “and maybe it'll be easier.”

Now why didn't I think of that?

Because I'm so deep in what that scene USED to do, and why it USED to be there. And also because I've committed that cardinal sin of viewing the scene constantly in isolation. So I need to read back, rediscover a few arcs, and put in what's missing not just change what's there.

Thanks Julie. :-)