Delete Delete Delete!
If you’re editing your draft right now, then the delete key is your friend … especially when it comes to storytelling fillers. But what are these? Well, fillers are those moments in your story that seem like action, but serve no real storytelling purpose.
When it comes to storytelling, actions and behaviour are king (or queen … or monarch!). Simply put, every little thing that happens in your story has to do two things …
- i) reveal character (WHO are they? WHAT is their role here? WHY are we investing in their journey?)
- ii) Push the story forward (WHAT is happening? HOW does this add to the conflict or build tension? WHY is this part of The Story Chain?)
Unfortunately, many authors and screenwriters clutter up their stories with incidental, boring and dull fillers instead. Here’s some of the ones I see most often … Ready? Let’s go!
1) Sipping drinks
This has to be one of my ultimate pet peeves. Coffee and tea are the most ubiquitous, but hot chocolates, frappuccinos, iced drinks, cokes, and cans also make an appearance. All. The. Time.
Another thing that annoys me is when the character spends a ridiculously long amount of time MAKING drinks. Or appreciating their drink and how delicious it is. Seriously??? It adds zilch to the story in terms of revealing character or pushing the story forward.
Look, I’m NOT saying your characters can *never* drink anything; that would be absurd. What I am talking about is how many times sipping drinks turns up in your story. If the answer is ‘constantly’, then you need to get rid.
Also, don’t have your character drink ‘scalding’ drinks, FFS. Totally ridiculous and another big fat YAWN!
2) Getting Dressed / Picking Out Clothes
Most wardrobe choices are not story-worthy, FACT. This means skipping most scenes or chapters in which characters get dressed. Again, most of us do this daily.
There are some exceptions, sure … Superheroes designing their costumes could be one. Or maybe a character who is having to put on armour while having a panic attack. But do you see the difference? Reveal character, push the story forward.
3) Waking Up / Morning Routines
If your story begins with someone waking up (add an alarm clock for double-cheese points), then you need to delete. Same goes for morning routines generally. Rewrite as a matter of urgency.
Sometimes writers tell me they want to play around with massive clichés like this. I have sympathy for this idea, but always counsel them with these three counterpoints:
- Readers and viewers want to join the story at the latest possible moment. This is called ‘hitting the ground running’.
- Because that’s what target audiences want, hitting the ground running is what industry pros prioritise too.
- Also, how are we meant to know you are ‘playing around with clichés’? So many unpublished novels and unproduced scripts start this way FOR REAL.
Think on it. If you still decide to go for it, understand it is a considered risk.
4) Looking in the Mirror
If I see or read one more character checking themselves out in a mirror, I am gonna go POSTAL. I’m not even talking to the male writers here, female writers do this too. Seriously, stop!!
Also, stop having characters crying and looking in a mirror as ‘evidence’ of their inner torment. Again, bonus cheese points if they splash their faces with water first. YARGH!
Want a meaningful mirror scene? Check out Divergent‘s, HERE.
5) Driving / Walking Without Purpose
Driving or walking is not dramatic. While not all of us can do either of these things, it does not reveal character or push the story forward. It’s just an everyday action.
Want a walking scene that DOES have purpose? Check out Saturday Night Fever‘s, HERE.
6) Texting Or Scrolling on Phones or Watching TV/ Cinema
There’s been an absolute explosion of spec screenplays in my pile lately with characters texting or scrolling on phones. While phones *can* be useful and relevant in storytelling, showing them needs careful consideration. Unless it helps the plot in a VERY strong way, delete these moments.
It’s exceptionally rare that characters watching TV or movies in the cinema adds much at all. Usually writers are trying to ‘date’ their stories with a chosen show or film from popular culture … ie. The characters are watching Jurassic Park to tell us it’s the year 1993.
But movies and TV shows are copyrighted material. Not worth the extreme cost (in books as well as screenplays, incidentally). Tell the story instead by revealing character and pushing the story forward via character behaviour!
7) Making Or Eating A Meal
Look, meals can be great settings for tension or emotion. A deeply dysfunctional family sitting down to Christmas dinner and trying not to say the one thing that needs saying? Great!
But if nothing important is happening, you’re just writing a cooking show. Don’t spend too long on chopping, ingredients, stirring etc. Unless the chef is going to poison somebody with it, who cares??
Oh and quit with the endless eating just for the sake of it, it’s such an obvious filler. ‘She took a bite of her toast’ – delete!!
Again, this doesn’t mean your characters can never eat anything … just make those choices on purpose. Boom.
8) Saying Goodbye / Greeting People
Sometimes writers tell me they don’t understand why no one ever says ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye’ in movies, TV shows or novels, especially on the phone. Here’s why: it’s DULL and takes up space!
Never include small talk unless it pushes the story forward, eg:
- Your protagonist is trying to get away from a boring guest at an event to see someone else urgently
- The dysfunctional family from #7 on this list trying not to say something important at dinner
- Your autistic character is becoming stressed because they don’t know the ‘rules’ of small talk
It’s also important to note here that small talk NEVER ‘reveals character’ … unless your character is meant to be a dullard.
9) Visiting The Toilet Or Taking A Shower Or Bath
Bathrooms can be great settings to push the story forward somehow. We’re frequently naked in such spaces. That’s why we see a lot of bathrooms in horror movies (and occasionally, thrillers).
Sometimes toilets can be useful in other genres like drama or romantic comedy. That said, if I never see another female character vomiting (‘she’s pregnant!’), it will be a moment too soon.
But if the only thing happening nature calling or lather-rinse-repeat, we don’t need to see or read it.
10) Moving Body Parts
This usually happens when writers realise they need more movement in their scenes and chapters. They end up writing a series of moving body parts. Every other line is …
- shrugging
- eyebrows raising
- hands on hips
- sitting down
- getting up
- pointing
I call this ‘false movement’. When writers do this, scenes and chapters feel static and overly prescriptive … and yes, a big fat YAWN again! Moving body parts do not reveal character or push the story forward.
Final Points
Scenes and chapters that include these top 10 fillers feel like action, but are dead space. Rather than put them in unthinkingly, ask yourself: Does this move the story forward? Reveal character? Raise stakes? If not, cut it.
Great writing is lean, purposeful, and rich with intent. As a little challenge for yourself, open your novel, short story or screenplay. Identify the above in your own writing, highlighting every line where ‘nothing happens.’
