Fluff and Filler

[NatAberdeen]

Can plot-based novels be partly slice-of-life? Can you include plotless scenes and characters whose main purposes are to build the world? Or should you stick rigidly to the story?

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I've been sitting on these questions a lot lately because I feel like my original draft has way too much filler early on. I always figured that as long as it stayed fun or interesting to read, it wasn't a total waste of story. But now as I start to revise and rewrite, I'm starting to think that's not entirely what I should be going for. What's the best way to mix story and filler? Should you, even?

[KillianRain]

Well, as for my opinion, there's no secret cake recipe.
There's no amount of things you should mix equally to make your story a perfect thing.

Some just forget about the story and put lots of action and readers find it amazing.
Some just love to drag romance with a couple that never kisses until the end, and that's the story.

Of course you can put some slice-of-life chapters here and there to make more character development as your readers will definitely find it attractive and relatable.

It's up to you. You're telling the story and you are the one who really should be satisfied with it.

Make your dreams come true and people will relate to it.

[NatAberdeen]

Wow, that made me so happy to read! That's the one thing I always worry about, and you just made it seem like it's nothing. Thank you so much, that actually really motivates me

[Crusoe]

I definetly agree. My goal is Always to have some kind of character development still happening in filler episodes or to world built. If you're considering streamlining your story, you can Always post the stuff you scrap as bonus material at the end, inbetween or in a different book for those who are interested

[KillianRain]

Oh, it's something that worries me as well, and I guess every novelist out there.

We want the best way to tell a story, but there isn't.

Your reader's base will always split up as they never like the same things. However, if you would worry about that and everything else... well... I guess we wouldn't write at all, right?

Just go straight to your instincts and put it all out.
You'll find yourself free of worries at the end.

[KillianRain]

As much as people usually tells you that they don't like fillers, come on.
Who wouldn't enjoy a calm chapter with their favorite characters?

I mean, we just all should act like robots and don't develop any emotions throughtout our stories?
Let your characters have some fun or else.
MAKE THEM REAL.

[Maps]

I did a pointless Halloween special once just to lighten the mood of my novel
Filler chapters can be really helpful in the construction of your plot. And passing characters can do just the same. As long as the fillers stay interesting and help out with your end goal, I don't see a problem with it.

[foxnflames]

I’m having the same issue how much “side story” to fit in because I need to steer back into the plot. I don’t think it’s bad to add in some mundane conversation for comedic effect or to add more personality to your characters. You want your reader to see themselves in your characters or at least identify and empathize with their motivations so those little tidbits can be beneficial

[Crusoe]

most definetly, that's what I mean. It'll give you a chance to develop your characters in a low stakes organic way and add fun details. Also, it can give your readers a breather after an intense scene in your story or be the slow built up to a new intense plotheavy scene.

[Grhe]

My advice is don't add "filler" if it doesn't move the plot forward or advance it. (︶▽︶)./ First drafts in writing always has wasteful filler. You'll have to cut most or all of it out, if you want to be a professional writer.

I wish you luck on your journey. （⌒▽⌒ゞ

[Aykay]

I think as long as it adds something or the experience is enjoyable then it's fine. I think it's extremely difficult for every single chapter to be plot relevant. My main issue with filler is that if you look at the story that's there. The filler is something that doesnt quite fit within the world, not to mention it detracts from the main story.

Filler will do things that based on limited information get contradicted or based on timeframe simply can't occur.

Now that's different if it's your story since you know what to look out for. That being said I've had chapters that are pure fluff with some bits of relevance and I had chapter where it comes off like filler but has more relevance than you think.

I think if it makes sense to you then go with it. No one knows your story better than you.

[kmlangleyauthor]

I fully agree with @KillianRain - there’s no secret recipe. As an avid reader, I enjoy such a wide variety of books and writing styles that I, personally, feel like it’s more important to stay true to your vision of your story than to any kind of “formula,” if you will. In some trad pubs, it can be almost painfully awkward to read certain scenes that you know the editor forced the author to write just to check off a few boxes. But, on this kind of platform, the beauty is the freedom to post whatever our hearts desire. And it really is a wonderful thing. If you have a clear vision of your story and it includes some fluff, then your readers are going to enjoy it. Because they’re already reading your story due to enjoyment. Plus, fluff is fun!

[RyzaCobalion]

having some splice of life elements is good take a little break after dealing with something big and it gives room for the characters to breath for a moment. x3 and maybe two character who interested in each other have moment together. Like for me i have 3 chapter where 2 of characters just hang out and have fun.

[thel3tterm]

Back when I spent more time writing (and even in my comics, I guess) I always thought of those calm or fun moments as time for both my characters and readers to breathe. Like the tension might still be there on the back burner, but after almost dying or maybe some terrible interpersonal drama happening, or a catastrophic failure, the characters have earned a little bit of 'fluff'.

And as a reader, I can say that I personally love those little moments in between things. It really gives me a sense of who the characters are outside of the extraordinary circumstances and helps everything feel a bit more real. Plus, sometimes I just want to see the characters be happy and have some fun. It can't be angst 24/7.

[Aykay]

Yeah. Rising action, climax and falling action. Without the calm fluff then the story would cycle through rising action and climax. I know there's readers out there who would say they prefer that but there's a reason story structure exists in the form it does.

Each builds off the other creating a firm foundation it also allows a writer the chance to paint with many brushes as it were.

[WisdomChimp]

If you're still unsure, ask someone to review your work.

[joannekwan]

If the 'filler' doesn't advance the plot, it should at least accomplish one or two of the following:

1. Advance your character's arc (or their development as many have mentioned) individually or entwined with another character.
   Like if you want to focus on a relationship between characters, either platonically or romantically, a slower arc can definitely facilitate that. It gives you a chance to show off their chemistry or lack thereof and gives the reader a better understanding of their developing dynamics.
2. Shed some light onto a character's motivation or backstory.
   Take the Tales from Ba Sing Se episode of ATLA, everyone LOVES the mini-story about Uncle Iroh as it revealed a bit about his past relationship with his son in a poignant and moving way.

[rajillustration]

Yeah, you can have a filler arc, you just have to make sure it expands on the world, like other people have said. Been catching up with My Hero Academia and there's a whole season that is just them having a school festival, and it's like...pretty necessary, although it's very much filler. You get some resolution to the arc that happened before, you get more depth into the world, you get the main character a new skill, you get a lot more character interactions while the previous arc was almost entirely plot interactions. Also the change of tone and the change of pace is sometimes needed so you can relax a bit as a story. Just gotta make sure the filler isn't boring--which I think is the biggest hurdle when it comes to filler arcs.

[sxxaint]

I'm the worst for wanting to write filler all the time because I love writing fluffy interactions with my characters, but I think while we, as the writer who knows our characters to the bone, love reading it, a more casual audience don't have the same connection. I agree with @joannekwan that it should at least really dig into development or motivation.

My compromise is to tie the 'filler' in as the characters reacting to other events in the story. Say they've just had a tough fight, write them patching themselves up and cooking by the fire while they discuss what to do next. That way you get plot advancement and character development. I have a scene that I love for the interactions of my two characters where one cleans the other's wounds while they discuss how to escape from imprisonment.

Fluff is fun, but for a casual audience that isn't necessarily as in love with your characters as you, fluff can be like eating a mountain of candy floss when you don't really like sweet things.