All stories need solid building blocks to be understandable. In fanfiction (and most other self-published material I’ve engaged with), often the same difficulty rises: I can’t tell what’s going on.

As writers, we fall into the trap of assumption—assuming readers know which character we’re following, assuming they know we’ve added a time skip, assuming they realize we meant a certain character to be older/younger, etc.

Now, this doesn’t mean we should lay out every single detail for readers (unless you’re one of the very few who can wax eloquent with descriptive prose and remain engaging). Wading through oceans of tedium is brain-numbing, and readers are pretty smart. They can usually work out a lot of detail for themselves, and we should let them. It’s a wonderful means of engaging readers.

However, this does mean we’re responsible to consistently provide the major elements of the story. Give readers a stable framework to stand on so they can reach up and pluck relevant details from the sky of their imagination.

Three elements crucial for reader understanding include:

1. Who?

   Point-of-view is essential for readers. Seldom does a story with an unclear point-of-view character ring clear for me. Even if I don’t know the person/thing’s true identity, I want to at least know their name, or a label others use to refer to them. This anchors me in the story world and gives me someone/something to care about, which motivates me to keep reading.

   This also applies to POV switching. Establishing which character readers see the world through changes the landscape of the scene tremendously, and neglecting to establish the point-of-view early in the scene often leads to confusion.

   How early is early enough? That depends, but often waiting too long to delineate POV after the first sentence of a character’s entrance can be disorienting for readers. As always, there are exceptions, but keeping readers focused is the goal, so act accordingly.

2. Where?

   Setting is vital for reader understanding. Yes, sometimes setting is nebulous, but establishing that ambiguity while keeping readers grounded will go a long way toward engaging them in your work.

   Where a scene takes place can be just as important as who’s present. It’s the difference between setting a birthday party at a well-kept local park with twenty guests and setting it under a bridge during the winter where the only attendee is the guest of honor.

3. When?

   Even if readers know nothing else about the setting, establishing time—whether it be day of the week, time of day, year, etc.—helps readers orient to the story world. This is especially important when transitioning from one period of time to another (i.e. skipping from a character’s childhood to adulthood; skipping the commute to a meeting; changing POV from a character in the past to one in the present).

   If writers fail to communicate a sense of time, readers are left in the void of the unknown. If disconnecting readers’ sense of time is the goal, at least give them stars and planets to look at while they’re stuck in the void. It’s akin to waiting in line at the store and browsing magazines or checkout counter knickknacks while you wait.

   Those who are occupied while waiting have far more patience than those who have nothing to do/look at.

While keeping readers in the dark might seem a stroke of genius, when doing so withholds foundational scene elements, it’s usually more frustrating than productive. Withhold wisely.