Welcome back to The Pencil’s Edge.
Why Every Scene Must Pull Its Weight
In fiction, there’s no room for fluff. Readers are sharp. They expect every scene to mean something—and when one doesn’t, they feel it. That’s why Fictionary’s “Purpose” story element is so essential.
If a scene doesn’t drive the plot or develop characters, it’s not just a missed opportunity—it might be a story-stopper.
🎯 What Is the “Purpose” of a Scene?
The Purpose refers to the reason a scene exists. It answers this question:
Why is this scene in the story at all?
A well-structured novel has a clear purpose behind every scene, whether it’s introducing a new character, building tension, establishing a setting, or dropping a vital clue. A purposeless scene might wander or feel disconnected. Worse—it might bore the reader.
That’s why we ask:
Does this scene earn its place?
🛠 How Fictionary Helps You Identify Scene Purpose
In StoryCoach, you can assign a purpose to each scene via a dropdown menu on the Evaluate page. Choose from common options like:
- Develop Character
- Move the Plot Forward
- Build Suspense
- Establish Mood or Setting
- Introduce or Develop Conflict
- Reveal a Clue or Red Herring
Can’t figure out the purpose? Choose “Don’t Know Yet.” This doesn’t mean you’ve failed—it means you’ve identified a potential problem. And that’s progress.
On the Story Map, you can sort by Scene Name and Purpose to visualize whether your scenes are balanced and purposeful—or whether some need attention.
⚠️ When to Revisit a Scene’s Purpose
Here are red flags that a scene needs reworking:
- You can’t name it in three words or fewer.
- You don’t know its purpose after reading.
- It contains multiple competing purposes.
- It doesn’t advance the plot, character arc, or theme.
- It feels like filler—even if the writing is good.
Sometimes, the solution is to split a bloated scene into two. Other times, you might combine two weaker scenes into one with a clearer, stronger purpose. And occasionally, yes—cutting the scene is the best move.
Pro tip: Don’t delete it forever. Save it in a “deleted scenes” file. You may use it in another novel or repurpose it later.
✍️ Writer’s Takeaway
When you revise your manuscript, ask yourself:
- Can I name this scene in three words or fewer?
- What job is this scene doing for my story?
- Is every element—from setting to dialogue—working toward that goal?
If the answer isn’t clear, take a closer look. Strong scenes have a focused, intentional purpose—and when you link that purpose to other story elements like Tension, Conflict, and POV Goal, you create a story that feels tight, immersive, and hard to put down.
🔍 Editor’s Insight
As editors, we flag any scene with unclear purpose using “Don’t Know Yet” in StoryCoach. When three or more scenes lack purpose, that’s a structural issue we’ll address in the summary letter. When it’s just one or two, we’ll leave notes directly on the scene for guidance.
Purpose isn’t just one element among many—it’s the glue that holds the rest of the scene together.
The Pencil Driven Life 