After countless episodes complaining that writing advice books skimp on examples, we may have finally found one with too many.

Chapter 2 of Sandra Scofield's The Scene Book shows how to build a scene through action and how to make that action mean something. Scofield packs the chapter with examples but leaves most of the analysis to the reader. Luckily, Kim and Renee are up for the challenge. We untangle the difference between a scene's event and its occasion, hunt for what a scene actually means, and explain why dialogue alone can't carry a scene. Then we put ourselves to the test with the chapter's event and theme exercises.

Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Tuesday. Check us out.

There's something about a new craft book and all its promise. Renee is so happy that she's worried she won't do anything but gush over the first chapter of Sandra Scofield's The Scene Book. We'll find out in today's episode.

We start with what makes a scene powerful, both in general and in specifics — anyone out there into Outlander? Renee's a fan. From there, we move on to how Scofield defines a scene, with comparisons to how past books have approached the concept, and then tackle the four elements Scofield claims every scene contains. But honestly, the most useful part of this chapter is what we learned from the exercise we chose: writing a memory as a scene. Kim reached for her high school bike accident, while Renee reminisced about the time she and her grandfather traded lemons for donuts.

Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.

We're saying goodbye to The Artist's Way — and honestly, good riddance. We're recapping our favorite quotes, the insights that actually landed, and the many, many reasons this was the most frustrating craft book we've covered on this show.

Would we recommend it? Hard no. Curious about Morning Pages? Google it — someone's written a better explainer than this book ever managed.

Then we pivot hard: no more process, just craft. Enter The Scene Book by Sandra Scofield — composition-notebook cover included, so you know it means business. End-of-chapter exercises and everything. We're digging into the introduction and what we're hoping this one delivers that the last one didn't.

Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.