objects that trigger thoughts.

[william b]

One thing that I've noticed in my writing is that it is useful for the hero to have a physical object to focus on in slow scenes. It can be an object that symbolizes the conflict or raises questions in their mind. I am writing a story in which the protagonist saves someone and is given a Japanese omamori (a charm) out of gratitude. The protagonists work is considered a holy occupation (she extracts parasitic energy creatures from people but they consider them demons and see her as an exorcist). The charm evokes conflicting emotions in her about her occupation. She likes helping people but is uneasy with the role of holy person that people assign to her.
This is a very small writing device that I've used once before, but I was surprised at how natural it made my characters "thinking" scenes work. It kept the scene from existing only the the protagonists mind.
I just thought I'd share this observation here.

 

[Nik]

That's a neat ploy !!

 

[william b]

That's a neat ploy !!

Thanks. It's something I stumbled onto once. And I suppose it can be used in various ways depending on the needs of the story.

 

[HareBrain]

Having a character hold or use an object is always useful to break up thoughts or dialogue in non-action scenes, even something like a cigarette or mug of tea. If the object is, as you say, pertinent to the discussion, so much the better -- as long as there's a good reason for him to have it. Having someone find an object (or see a sight) at just the right moment to induce a stream of thought that was due anyway would seem clumsy.