In her latest post, September Fawkes continues exploring interiority, and specifically when writers should lean into this tool. Writers are often taught that we shouldn’t spend too much time in a character’s thoughts, because interiority is abstract, less immersive, and more likely to dip into telling the reader information, rather than showing it. However, like all rules, this one should be treated flexibly.
“In truth though, many of your character’s inner pieces are going to be abstract,” Fawkes notes. The challenge is to present interiority at a time and in a manner that moves the story forward. So, when should you focus on interiority and how much should you include?
Character-driven stories focus more on character, and therefore you’re likely to need more time on the page to show your protagonist’s thoughts and emotions. A thriller or detective novel may have much less interiority than the average book, while a romance or literary drama may have more. Whatever kind of story you write, Fawkes notes that it’s important to establish your baseline. “Is this a story where we are constantly getting a unique take on what is happening from a colorful viewpoint character? Or is this a story where we mainly get just enough interiority to provide context and validation for the audience?” she asks. “What you establish as a baseline will affect what you can get away with.”
Where might you find interiority? Your story’s internal plotline – the character arc – and internal conflict are obvious places for interiority. Your hero’s objective likely includes an abstract desire – to belong, to build a legacy, to find the truth. While those desires are reflected in a concrete, measurable goals, you will likely need some interiority to convey the inner longing.
The inner need can be shown through action and dialogue, but it’s also ok to lean into a bit of interiority, whether you use a brief memory, a personal mantra, or a pause for reflection. Because the interiority is relevant to the story, the passage shouldn’t feel irrelevant or distracting from the plot, but should contribute and move the story forward.
How much you use is a judgment call. “Audiences also don’t like a bunch of repetition, so you’ll have to dig deeper into that abstract want so you aren’t just repeating the same thing over and over,” Fawkes cautions. “You’ll likely want to get into why the character has that want and how they believe fulfilling it will make their life better (and perhaps what it’s like to live without that want fulfilled).” In some cases, characters aren’t aware they have this abstract desire. In such cases, the interiority will focus on concrete goals, which the protagonist believes will bring them some fulfillment.
Internal conflict also lends itself to interiority. “When a character runs into an antagonist, it creates conflict,” Fawkes says, even when the antagonist is the self. “If the rising action–the conflict–of a scene is largely internal, then yes, of course you can use more interiority,” she says. “Because the driving conflict is happening inside the character.”
Even so, it’s helpful to use this internal conflict to drive external action. An internal conflict could make it harder for your character to make decisions, or they may back away from a conflict or goal. They may undermine or embarrass themselves. Interiority combined with action that complicates the plot is the sweet spot. Even when interiority is not related to the internal plotline, this tool can help move the story along. A character may reflect on who might help them towards their goal or whether they can trust another person. “Even if it’s not strictly related to the internal journey (or character arc), you can still get away with more interiority when there is internal conflict about any relevant situation,” Fawkes writes.
Turning points – including the climax – are also good spots for interiority, but again, it should be matched with concrete action. “It’s not enough for me to read that Scrooge has changed, I need to see his change in concrete ways–I need to see him spend his money on others and visit Tiny Tim,” Fawkes explains.
At minor turning points, your character may reflect on new information or a change in their character. They may consider the ramifications of a choice or action (what’s happening now), or reflect on what is at risk (what might happen). Stakes are often conveyed through introspection, Fawkes notes. This kind of introspection generally occurs in the falling action after a peak moment. The bigger the moment, the more time you may allot for interiority. In some cases, you might need only a sentence or two, but sometimes, your character may have more time – and need – to reflect. “The bigger the consequences, the bigger the impact on the characters, which means the bigger the reaction,” Fawkes says. “The more important the reaction, the more important interiority can become.”
