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Bill, I have a very hard time starting new scenes/chapters. I'll usually mope around endlessly trying to figure out how to write something, which is depressing and makes things worse. What works best for me is just to start writing notes in my Word document of the parts I think will be in the scene, then turn those into sentences, and eventually paragraphs. When my notes/sentences/paragraphs get too long to keep onscreen and in my head, I print them for easy reference. Scrolling up and down in Word doesn't work for me during the sausage-making period. I also move stuff around and delete garbage. What remains eventually turns into a scene. For my WIP, I got burned by not taking enough time to write chapter outlines, which is really just organized notes & sentences in a separate file. I've almost finished a detailed outline for my next scene, which I'll then use as the basis for the process I described above. It's a good thing my father was a sausage maker.

Pick a point in the story you want to write (any point) and start making notes or writing sentences & paragraphs. If you get stuck, go to another part of the story and do it again. I once wrote half a memoir's worth of material just by the seat of my pants before trying to organize it (because I had no clue what I was doing). However, it gave me enough material to do an actual outline of a story, which I turned into a sometimes funny but irreverent space opera. I decided it needs a major rewrite to rip out the irreverent parts, but it's salvageable. It's collecting dust while I try to write a Catholic-friendly story based on my Connor short story that you read some time ago. I just entered the latter in a Writer's Digest contest (my first). I thank you and others here for encouraging me to turn it into book form.

All hail the bratwurst!
Dirk

At the risk of starting a feeding frenzy, I agree with Mariana. Head-hopping done well is often more concise. The following is from a scene in the POV of Father Romano, listening to Alessandro talk to a third person.

Without head-hopping:

With head-hopping:

When it's obvious to the POV character from context (omitted above for brevity), why spoon feed the reader "seemed to have"?

Naturally, I follow the herd, but it doesn't mean I always like it.

A slightly better ending for 1.4, IMO.

I checked my Kindle library. WGF Revision & Self-Editing was among them. It's a really good book, so I'm spending the day rereading it instead of getting on with my poorly progressing book.

Thank you, Temple. I'll look into those. I'm on a limited budget, so I have to restrict myself to one or two.

Thank you, Jack.

Thank ye, kindly.

Thank you, both.

I've been stuck for hours, avoiding problems with my outline. I need a scene to fill in a gap, but the only obvious one is a funeral for Cardinal Vitale, but those usually (always?) take place at St. Peter's Basilica for cardinals. Even the disgraced Cardinal Law got a sendoff from Pope Francis there. However, I already have a scene planned for there as a special outing for the kids to go to Mass. I also have a funeral coming up involving Romano, so I don't want two of those either. I think I'll just go to bed and read. Maybe see how much I lost in the stock market today.

You mean I'm not the only one that keeps happening to?

I surrender. The short version it is. Vern, it's uncanny how you knew the way I drive.

Thanks to all for your feedback.