In my writers.com classes, I often (read: almost always) ask the writer to come up with a chapter to chapter synopsis, to analyze the main action and main emotion of EACH and EVERY scene. What this helps me do: pinpoint the places where nothing is happening….and where the emotion is not evolving.
NOTE: before I began teaching, I was afraid to commit myself to a plan. But writing a synopsis SAVED my last novel. It gave me direction and a purpose. It gave the book a vector.
Now I’m working on a synopsis before I have written the book. I know the characters VERY well….and I’m having fun PLANNING…deciding on the INTENTION of each scene and each chapter.
It seems to be working! I have a PLAN to act upon. I have a direction and an ending to write toward.
Now for the doing–bring the plan to life.