When You're Really, Really Stuck on a Scene...

Yesterday, I started a scene, but it just wasn't engaging me, in spite of its worthy characters, interesting setting, and heartrending situation. The writing itself was pretty smooth, too, but I really didn't care.

Hmm, I thought, before ten other things distracted me. When I came back to it, I still couldn't figure out what the problem might be.

Finally, I gave up and decided to sleep on it. First thing this morning, I pulled it out and took another look.

And that's when it hit me. The scene, which was meant to show the passage of time and introduce a new character and changing situation, had zero tension. There was no conflict between the characters, no one was distracted from the oh-so-sincere conversation by a pressing personal conundrum, and nothing particularly exciting happened.

Worse yet, in this romantic suspense, I was writing a scene with neither romance or suspense.

Big problem, but one that's easily fixed, now that I've put my finger on the issue. And better yet, it reminded me of an important truth. Characters can be sharpened. Description can be rewritten, and prose can always be "prettied up" into something serviceable or better. But when you really, really can't get into a scene, ask yourself these questions:

1. What's really at stake here?
2. Why should we care if the character gets it?
3. What daunting obstacle is standing in his/her way?
4. Is this scene an integral part of the whole, or is it a throwaway or a bridge to get your reader to "the good stuff?"

If so, make some changes. You can't afford any do-nothing scenes in your story. Because no reader (or agent or editor) is going to take the trouble to cross a boring bridge.