"Orphan" Scenes

Sometimes when I'm writing a book, I'll write a scene that I quite like, but realize it's not appropriate to where I've put it. It doesn't "feel quite right" - which usually means it's altering the pace of the story, and not for the better. So I take it out and save it. Since I like it, I don't want to abandon it completely, and generally try to find a way to work it into the story.

I have a scene like that in the work-in-progress. I like certain elements of it a lot -- it's a sort of "domestic" scene between the hero and heroine, and it shows how the hero's starting to find her attractive/sexy, even though she's not a great beauty. I think this is important, so I also think that scene, or at least certain parts of it, should survive to appear somewhere in the book.

Ah, but where? And how much? Because it is a "quiet" scene, it's a bit slower paced, so that's a concern. Things are moving along plot-wise, and I don't want to put in the writerly equivalent of a speed bump. That's why I took it out in the first place.

However, I've got another part of a scene that I'm concerned is a bit too intense for where I've put it. It relays important plot information, ups the suspense and also demonstrates to the hero just how strained the relationship between the heroine and her steward has become.

So now I'm thinking, "What if I take out Important Plot Development bit from that scene, start a later one with Pleasant Domestic Moment, and then go to Important Plot Development from there?"

The suspense that comes from the Plot Development bit might work even better later, the pacing should be "smoother" and I can still use my little Domestic Moment.

I'm going to try that, and see if it works. If not, it's back to the original plan. Because sometimes, some scenes I like just don't fit into the book after all, and have to bite the dust.