I think one of the most important things a novelist learns over time is to try to get each scene to work on a number of levels. I was reminded of this reading an excellent blog post: “The Art of Revising: Micro Revision.”
I quote:
Ideally, each scene should perform a variety of functions. Shoot for three:
move plot forward
develop characters
reveal backstory (in tiny bits and pieces)
foreshadow upcoming events
raise dramatic questions
This is an excellent list to keep on hand during revision.
Not that I will be revising for some time. I’m devoting all my time now to rereading the Josephine B. Trilogy in preparation for a documentary interview in France. I leave in ten days. Intense!
By way of this and that, I found this silent film adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Three Weddings and a Fringe made by a class in Toronto charming:
It’s a contestant for the 90-second Newbery Film Festival. (Here’s hoping!)
Now: back to Josephine …
