Where have I been?

we are several weeks into the novel class.  tossed my novel aside and wrote 2 short stories, also sepending a lot of time going over past writing journals, since i am still computer-shy when it comes to composing a story.  i get lost when i'm in 'word' but thoughts seem to flow better in my notebooks. bummer, they all look alike, so sometimes there is a lot of digging for what i'm looking for.

BUT - class last week at story studio chicago was once again eye opening.  scenes.  what makes up a scene?  is your character transformed in the scene? no? then why is it there?  had to get up out of bed last night at midnight because i thought of a reason for a scene i have been struggling with  - a scene from the novel i am working on. can your scene do more than one thing - reveal character and move the story along? does something happen in the scene? where is your scene taking place? can it do double duty by taking place somewhere else?  ok, now i am listing questions so i can remember them! off to work on the scene. scene by scene, bird by bird by anne lamott. little by little it will get done. that is my hope.