What Scenes To Cut

What Scenes to Cut

If you’re finished with your first draft, you might be wondering how to cut down an overloaded novel. Chances are your novel isn’t exactly where you want it to be and you might need to trim the fat, so take the time to learn what should and should not be included in your story.

Here are a few ways to determine what should be cut from your novel:

First, let’s talk about filler. Filler is unnecessary information added to your novel that does nothing to tell us about your characters or advance the plot. In other words, your book shouldn’t have any filler. Your book’s momentum will be ruined if you add filler.

Does the scene explain your character in some way?

If a scene is necessary to character development, there’s usually no reason to cut it. However, if a scene doesn’t help build a character or doesn’t explain anything additional about your character, you should consider cutting it. There’s no need to repeat the same information over and over again. Consider combining scenes that spread the same message.

Does the scene move the plot forward?

Obviously your story needs to keep pushing forward. We need to see the plot advance and it needs to make logical sense. If the scene doesn’t move the plot forward, nor does it help reveal something about character, it should most likely be cut. Each scene should build on the one before it and should add something significant to your story.

Is your scene necessary for transition to the next scene?

Since you can’t just cut abruptly from one scene to another, you’ll need transitions in your novel. Even though they might not contribute to character development directly, it gets your characters from one place to another. If a scene bridges the gap between one important moment to another, you shouldn’t cut it.

Do all my characters play a part?

Sometimes certain minor characters can either be cut or combined with other minor characters. I’m not saying you shouldn’t have characters that play a small part, but they should at least play some part in your story. It can be hard to cut characters, but sometimes it’s necessary to make your story stronger. Anything that you feel will strengthen your novel and cut down the excess is something you should pay attention to.

Don’t be afraid to cut sub plots that aren’t working.

If there’s a part of your story that just doesn’t feel like it’s working out or doesn’t jive with your story, don’t be afraid to cut it. You can always replace it with something stronger, so don’t feel like anything you cut is a loss. You’ll be able to make your story more powerful.

-Kris Noel