For one scene, I had eight distinct characters, all needing a different goal, voice, and role. In addition, I wrote two distinct outlines, unsure of the direction the scene would take. This scene served as one of my protagonist’s big agency moments, so I had to get it right.

For me, I needed a visual of all the pages, like a roadmap, to see how all the pieces would fit and decide which outline best served the intention of the scene. Then, I could cut what didn’t fit with the rest.

In the end, I had one concise outline with all the characters playing a significant role in the scene.

The next step is a major rewrite, which I’ll do on paper first before committing to any changes in the Word document.