At our last meeting, we explored a foundational concept: the Anatomy of a Scene.
Every story is built one scene at a time. When scenes are weak, the story struggles. When they’re strong, the story moves compellingly forward.
So, what exactly is a scene?
A scene is a unit of dramatic action. It’s an event (or sequence of events) that functions as a meaningful piece of the story. It could be a few paragraphs or several pages, but it holds together as one complete movement.
And every scene, without exception, should serve a purpose.
What Does a Scene Do?
A well-developed scene accomplishes at least one of the following:
• Moves the story forward.
• Reveals character.
• Raises the stakes.
• Introduces new information.
• Forces a decision or consequence.
Often, a strong scene will do more than one of these at the same time.
But here’s where we get into trouble. We sometimes write scenes that exist, but don’t function. They take up space without doing the work they need to do.
Here are three questions to consider as you develop each scene.
1. What Is the Primary Function of This Scene?
This is not just about what happens in the scene. It’s about what the scene does to serve the story. Is it advancing the plot? Raising tension? Forcing a character’s hand?
If you can’t clearly identify a scene’s primary function, the reader won’t feel it either. A writer should be able to name each scene’s purpose in a single sentence. If you can’t, the scene needs to be sharpened. Or maybe even cut.
2. What Does This Scene Actually Accomplish?
It’s one thing to say, “This scene is intended to raise the stakes.”
It’s another thing to ask, “Because of this scene, are the stakes actually higher?”
A scene needs some form of resolution. Obviously, every tiny detail can’t be wrapped up in each and every scene, but the scene can give a sense that something has changed. The reader will recognize that…
• A question has been raised.
• A truth has been revealed.
• A relationship has redefined.
• A decision has been reached.
Even scenes which are primarily informational should leave the story in a different place than where they began. If nothing has changed, the scene is likely stalling the story rather than serving it.
3. Does This Ending Give the Reader a Reason to Turn the Page?
A strong scene creates forward momentum by introducing something that pulls the reader ahead. For example:
• It asks a new question: “What does this mean?”
• It presents a complication: “Things just got worse.”
• It opens an uncertainty: “What will happen next?”
• It redirects the action: “This changes everything.”
• It calls for a decision: “What will they do now?”
You don’t have to end every scene with a cliffhanger, but you should end it with movement.
This is where stories become addictive. You want there to be no good place to put the book down.
Final Thought
Every story is a series of scenes. Each one should do its job, making its mark on the outcome as it pulls the reader forward. These three questions ensure that your scenes do more take up space. They do the work they were made to do.
Note: Our March 23 meeting will be a scene-related read around. Here are the details.
- Anatomy of a Scene - March 20, 2026
- The Sound of Silence - August 16, 2025
- You Don’t Say - August 1, 2025