The Anatomy of an Unforgettable Scene
And one essential detail to remember ⏳
Hi writing friends,
One of the most common issues I encounter when editing a manuscript isn’t dialogue, character development, or point of view.
It’s scenes.
Not because the scenes themselves are poorly written. In fact, many are beautifully crafted, immersing me in the moment with vivid descriptions, believable conversations, and conflict that keeps me turning the pages.
The problem is that the scenes are treated like individual moments rather than interconnected pieces of a larger story. Imagine dumping a hundred Lego pieces onto a table. Each one might be colorful and interesting on its own, but until they’re snapped together, the figure isn’t revealed.
Scenes work the same way. Each one should build on the one before it and prepare the reader for the one that follows. When that doesn’t happen, a novel can begin to feel like a series of vignettes instead of a cohesive story.
Scenes don’t need car chases or dead bodies to be memorable, but they do need to have a clear purpose. An unforgettable scene isn’t memorable because something happens—it’s memorable because something changes. So let’s start there.
Give every scene a job.
When writers think about structure, they often think big: acts, plot beats, turning points, and climaxes. Those are important, but readers don’t experience a novel on that level.
They experience it one scene at a time.
Every scene should contribute something meaningful to the chapter it’s in, and ultimately, to the novel as a whole. That’s why I encourage writers to give every scene a job.
A scene isn’t just a section of your story where characters share information with the reader. It should reveal something essential, and without it, would weaken the story. A scene might:
Reveal something surprising about a character.
Introduce or deepen conflict.
Raise the stakes.
Force a difficult decision.
Shift a relationship.
Change what the reader believes is possible.
Many memorable scenes do several of these things at once. When every scene has a clear purpose, the story gains momentum, and you can more easily see how they are (or aren’t!) connected. One scene naturally leads to the next, creating the sense that every moment is building toward something larger. That’s when a story begins to feel cohesive instead of episodic.
Three Questions I Ask of Every Scene
Once you’ve identified the job of a scene, the next step is making sure it’s doing that job well.
When I’m reading a manuscript, I don’t evaluate scenes by asking whether they’re exciting enough or beautifully written. Those qualities certainly help, but they aren’t what makes a scene indispensable.
Instead, I ask three simple questions that reveal whether a scene is pulling its weight in the story. They’re the same questions I encourage writers to ask during revision because they quickly uncover scenes that have wandered off course.
As you read through your own manuscript, pause at the end of each scene and ask yourself:
What does the character want in this scene? You may be aware of your character’s overall story goal, but what about their goal in this scene? What does your character want in this moment or from this experience?
They may want reassurance, forgiveness, information, a promotion, a kiss, or simply to avoid an uncomfortable conversation. Without a clear objective, the scene can begin to drift because it’s not grounded.
What’s standing in the way? Conflict isn’t limited to arguments, villains, or high-speed chases. Sometimes the greatest obstacle is internal—a fear, a secret, a misunderstanding, or two equally compelling choices. Whatever form the conflict takes, resistance creates tension. It keeps readers wondering, Will this character get what they want?
What’s different when the scene ends? By the final paragraph in the scene, something should have shifted. Maybe your character learns something new about their situation. Maybe a relationship changes or a decision is made. Which leads us to the next scene.
The shift doesn’t have to be dramatic. It has to move the story somewhere it wasn’t before. When every scene ends with some form of change, readers feel the story moving forward, one step at a time.
Try this:
Choose one scene from your current manuscript and write a sentence answering this question:
“If this scene disappeared, what would the reader lose?”
If the answer isn’t immediately obvious, you’ve found an opportunity. Sometimes a small adjustment, like raising the stakes, sharpening a goal, or providing the reader with new information, is all it takes to transform an ordinary scene into one that adds another Lego to your story.
Every scene is an opportunity to deepen character, build tension, and move the story forward. When you think of scenes as purposeful building blocks rather than isolated moments, your novel becomes the kind of story readers can’t put down.
Comments are open to all. 👇 Please share any questions you have about writing dialogue below.
Until next time,
-Jackie
End Notes
📚 What I’m reading:
Since I’ll be leading a romance book club this summer (!) 👇 I’m rereading a few novels like Kate Clayborn’s The Paris Match about a woman attending the wedding of her ex-husband’s sister. If you want to escape to Paris this summer without the heat or the expense, join us!
🎥 What I’m watching:
Speaking of romance, has anyone watched the Netflix movie Voicemails for Isabelle? Let me know if you found it worth watching.
✏️What I’m into right now:
The protagonist of my WIP is a sketch artist so I’ve been leaning into some doodling. I draw a pencil sketch every morning for about five minutes before I write, and it makes me feel connected to my character. Have you ever tried an activity to better understand your characters?
Upcoming Classes
💕 The Happily Ever After Reading Group 💕
six weeks starting July 23 from 6-7:30pm Eastern
Surrender to the pull of passion in this online romance book club, where three unforgettable love stories await to sweep you completely off your feet. From slow burns to second chances, we’ll read unforgettable chemistry and all the swoony moments your heart can handle. Join fellow romance lovers for lively chats, flirty fun, and six weeks of pure bookish bliss!
Together, we’ll explore two big themes at the heart of every great love story: vulnerability and self-discovery. What does it truly mean to risk your heart—and how do love and loss shape who we become? Through thoughtful conversation, we’ll unpack how our characters grow, what wholehearted love looks like on the page, and why the best romances leave us changed long after the HEA.
READING LIST:
One & Only by Maurene Goo
The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn
All the Feels by Olivia Dade
Be Your Own Developmental Editor
Saturday, August 1 from 10am-1pm CENTRAL
This class will provide the tools and techniques to help you see your manuscript the way an editor or agent might see it. We’ll ask the tough questions to guide you in making your manuscript the best it can be. You’ll use these tools to assess your story’s strengths and weaknesses. Whether your goal is self-publication or securing an agent, you’ll learn what marks your manuscript as the work of a professional.
Together we’ll look at some big picture, story level aspects of your book, then we’ll review the sentence level for things like redundancies and filter words. I’ll give you ways to approach your manuscript, both systematic and strategic, so you can effectively edit. We’ll have in-class exercises and lessons to help you get off to a great start. This class would be a good fit for writers who have completed the first draft of a novel or memoir.
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