When I first heard the term Chekhov’s Gun used in a writing class, I’ll admit I thought it was a Russian firearm. Turns out I was way off base. Chekhov’s Gun is actually a double-edged sword (pun intended). Before I explain, let’s define this writing term.
What is Chekhov’s Gun?
Chekhov’s Gun is shorthand for a concept introduced by nineteenth-century author and playwright Anton Chekhov. It’s best summed up in his own words:
“One must never place a loaded rifle on the stage if it isn’t going to go off. It’s wrong to make promises you don’t mean to keep.”
And:
“Remove everything that has no relevance to the story. If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it’s not going to be fired, it shouldn’t be hanging there.”
Basically, what he’s saying is cut anything from your writing that isn’t going to have an impact later in the story, leaving only those elements that are important to the narrative and will pay off at some point. There are limits to this, of course, so use good judgement.
The Edges of the Sword
So why do I say Chekhov’s Gun is a double-edged writing sword? Because the concept works as both an editing tool and a plotting device. Let’s take a look.
The Editing Edge
Chekhov’s gun is a great lens to view our work through when it comes time to edit the first draft. We can use this handy tool to help determine what to keep and what to cut.
The first place to use the sword is scene description.
Look at each element described and ask yourself these questions:
- Does it move the story forward?
- Will it come into play later?
- Does it really add useful information to the scene or is it just window dressing?
- Is there a detail missing that will be important later?
I’m not saying cut everything to the bare bones. We still need to set the stage to create a sense of place, time, and mood, but often we (or at least I) tend to overshoot the target.
These same points also apply to character description.
When we list things off like eye and hair color, or specific articles of clothing, there should be a good reason we include those details.
The next place we need to use our blade is backstory.
This is usually where I end up making my biggest cuts. My stories are very character driven, so I like to get to know them on a deeper level. As a consequence, my first drafts are always packed with far more information about the character’s past than will ever come into play in the story. Here are some of the questions I ask when looking at backstory:
- Is the backstory detail there only for me (as the author) to get to know the character I’m writing better?
- Does the detail inform on how the character will react to a stimulus in the future?
- Does a future plot point rely on the detail?
- Is the detail something the reader can get from context or action rather than description?
Again, I’m not saying to cut everything that doesn’t relate to the plot. We still need to build characters readers can relate to or they won’t care what happens to them. Just be judicious with the information that’s not driving the plot.
The Plotting Edge
Plotting is where I believe Chekhov’s Gun really shines. It all comes down to the idea of planting an object or detail that will play an important part later in the story. Think of it as a way to plant seeds that will germinate later or foreshadow things to come.
Chekhov’s Gun vs The MacGuffin
In some ways, Chekhov’s Gun may sound similar to the MacGuffin, but the two function in very different ways. The MacGuffin’s purpose is to drive the plot forward throughout the story, whereas Chekhov’s Gun is a specific element that comes into play in a specific future situation.
Think of the MacGuffin as the car the characters are riding in. Chekhov’s Gun would be the squeaky brakes the protagonist was supposed to get fixed. The payoff happens ten miles down the road when a pedestrian steps off the curb in front of the car and the brakes fail.
Examples
One of my favorite uses of Chekhov’s Gun as a plotting tool comes from the movie The Fifth Element. Near the beginning of the movie, the main character pockets a box of matches with only one match left. We never see the box again until near the end of the movie, where everything they’ve been through comes down to that one match working.
I’ve used this tool in my own writing as well. In the third James McCarthy book, Cold Karma, James adopts a stray dog. For several chapters, it seems the dog doesn’t really serve any purpose (my critique partners told me to get rid of him), but in the end he plays a pivotal role in the capture of the antagonist.
Some Final Thoughts
No matter which way you use Chekhov’s Gun, it’s a handy tool to keep in your bag of tricks. But just like any other writing tool, we must be careful how we wield it. It’s possible to go overboard and cut too much detail when editing through this lens.
It’s also possible to plant too many seeds and crowd the garden when using it as a plotting device. The more elements you slip in, the more threads you’ll have to tie up in the end. If you’re like me, you may lose track of some of those threads and end up with some extra editing to deal with.
In the end, it’s all about finding a balance for your story.
Do you have a favorite use of Chekhov’s gun in books or movies? Have you used it in your own work? Let us know in the comments!
