I was working on a scene last night. It’s a scene where the protagonist meets with his ex and the police about his daughter’s kidnapping. Following this, he kicks into action to get her back.
I was coming in late and leaving early, but it was still three or so pages long. Not massive, but not terribly short, either.
but it was still three or so pages long. Not massive, but not terribly short, either.
It’s an important scene. It establishes information about the kidnapping. It sets up some exposition. And it establishes characters and relationships.
I was happy with how the scene was taking shape, but then inspiration struck.
What if the protagonist left the scene while the police are still talking in order to follow up his daughter’s kidnap?
Leaving early like that interrupts the expected rhythm of the scene. It’s surprising, less predictable.
Leaving before he has all the information gives the protagonist work to do to discover the information he missed. Much better to have the protagonist discover information instead of sitting passively while other characters talk.
Yes, having a protagonist leave early makes the writer’s job of including the exposition harder. But if leaving early means longer, talkier scenes are cut short, that’s a good thing. Making the protagonist work to uncover exposition is a good thing.
As a writer, the challenge of finding creative ways of revealing exposition should be sought out. Especially if it gives the protagonist work to do.
“I wish the main character didn’t have to do so much to get the information.” Said no audience ever.
Having the protagonist leave early can help reveal character.
It says something about a character if they leap into action headfirst rather than think through the consequences.
Or perhaps they leave a scene early because they cannot bother with formalities or wasting their time with social pleasantries.
Either way, their behaviour and reason for interrupting a scene and leaving early can reveal character.
I haven’t finished the revised scene yet. But I do know that I like the idea of having the protagonist leave early.
I’ll look for opportunities in other scenes to interrupt the normal flow. It doesn’t have to be that the protagonist leaves early every time. And I don’t think every scene needs this.
But interrupting the flow of a scene in unexpected ways is something I’m going to be more intentional about going forward.