I’ve been thinking maybe I’ve been too lax with my writing. I’m not one to analyze and decipher every scene and chapter. If it feels like the characters are growing and the plot progressing, I leave things alone. But one of my CP’s is very dilligent about making sure every scene counts, so I thought I’d try it myself. After all, this is the WIP I had to write a Synopsis for after the 2nd chapter. May as well keep a good thing going.
So far, so good on Return To Paradise. First of all, in looking at each scene individually, I’ve tried to make sure each one has either a Goal, Motivation, or Conflict function and that it was at does at least two other things. I must confess I haven’t really been too focused on whether each scene rachets up the tension or whether I have rising action, but a quick review in my head says yes.
I was just curious if anyone else does this sort of thing as they’re writing, or do you wait until the revision process – or not at all?
CAROL BURNSIDE / ANNIE RAYBURN 
>I’m going to say I think it’s instinctual – at least for me. I never consciously write a scene having two or more goals, yet they generally turn out that way. If they don’t, they get cut. The “meeting the parents” scene in WFM originally was cut because it didn’t accomplish two goals. I added a new one, and it flows much better now that there are two points to it (meeting her parents and torturing Ryan. LOL – actually, it softens him since it’s in his POV).I generally evaluate everything in the revision stage. But I tend to go back over things several times, unlike said CP who makes sure it’s all pretty much perfect the first time through (hence, why you and CP haven’t read the WIP, yet).Everyone’s different. One way isn’t better than another.Way to go on your progress.
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