Chekhov’s Gun and the Law of Necessity
Structural Economy
Anton Chekhov famously insisted that if you show a rifle hanging on the wall in the first chapter, it must go off by the second or third. It’s a lesson in structural economy that many of us (myself included) often ignore in the heat of a first draft.
We fall in love with a secondary character who has no purpose, or we describe a beautiful antique clock that never plays a role in the scene. In a short story or a focused novel, these elements act as “promises” to the reader. When those promises aren’t kept, the reader feels a subtle, subconscious frustration. Review your “walls” today. If there is a gun that isn’t going to fire, take it down.
The Monroe Minute
Identify one object or minor character in your current scene. If they don’t influence the outcome, remove them.
I don't write to idealize love,
but to explore it honestly,
with emotional precision and depth.