Tips were presented by the authors of the Dragon*Con Writing Track 2008, in Atlanta, Georgia.

1) What is a scene?
A scene is a moment of conflict lived through by the character and the reader.

2) What should a scene include?
Scenes should, a) show progress towards goals, b) show an experience that strengthens or changes a character's motivations, c) introduce conflict, or bring characters into conflict with opposing forces. Those forces can be great or small, internal or external.

3) What should I keep in mind while brainstorming a scene?
Scenes should have at least 3 reasons to exist. Otherwise they may ramble, feel pointless, or become extraneous. Reasons for a scene to exist include the following: furthering plot or character development, setting a tone, revealing a new location, introducing sexual tension, building a relationship, etc. Figure these out BEFORE you start writing.

4) What if my scene just isn't working?
Either you don't have enough reasons for it to exist, OR it's being told in the wrong point of view. In general, the most interesting scenes are written in the point of view of whomever has the most at stake (the most to gain or lose) in a situation. That may not be your character!

5) I fear no one reads my scenes. Why might that be?
If you don't hook the reader into the purpose of the scene within a few paragraphs, you've probably lost them. Or they may just 'skim' it. Consider your introduction carefully. Find a narrative 'hook', something the character encounters or observes that will also interest the reader, and may give them a hint of what's to come.

6) Help! I'm losing momentum mid-scene!
Don't stop the scene to edit it or re-read what you've done. It's tempting, but just... don't. Keep going. You can go back and edit later!

7) Okay, I tried all that, but it still seems flat.
Aspire to give the reader a sense of worry and wonder. Contrast paranormal elements with very realistic, banal, everyday descriptions. Vary your wording... stay away from cliche and strive to say the same thing a different way, each time you write it. Find yourself falling into the same descriptions and word choices over and over again, leading to flat language? What you may need is to pick up a book and read for a while. Don't read to steal concepts... read to enrich your vocabulary.