The Lens of the Outsider

Point of View

I’ve been experimenting with a scene that felt “too close.” I was writing from the protagonist’s perspective, but I was struggling to convey the tension of the room. This afternoon, I decided to rewrite the entire beat from the perspective of the waiter standing by the door.

Suddenly, the scene opened up. By using the lens of an outsider, I could see the body language and hear the silences that the main characters were too preoccupied to notice. Perspective is not just a technical choice; it is a filter. Sometimes, the most honest way to tell a story is through the eyes of someone who is merely watching it happen.

The Monroe Minute
Take a current scene and write one paragraph from the perspective of a minor character or an observer. Notice what secrets they see.

Until the next page,
Sloane S. Monroe

Sloane Shay Monroe

I don’t write to idealize love, but to explore it honestly, with emotional precision and depth.