I had an instructor once tell me: "Make sure your protagonist has a date night." That's a metaphor, obviously. What this instructor meant was: it's okay—even good—to give your protagonist some downtime on the page. Let us see them loving and being loved. Let us see them in their natural habitat, so to speak. Let us see them happy for a little bit. Let us see what “normal” looks like. One of the great reasons to include at least one scene like that is...

I had an instructor once tell me: "Make sure your protagonist has a date night." That's a metaphor, obviously. What this instructor meant was: it's okay—even good—to give your protagonist some downtime on the page. Let us see them loving and being loved. Let us see them in their natural habitat, so to speak. Let us see them happy for a little bit. Let us see what “normal” looks like. One of the great reasons to include at least one scene like that is...