🏮 Hang a Lantern on It: A Writer’s Secret Weapon
Happy Monday, friends!
I've been listening to Brandon Sanderson's 2025 lecture series and really enjoying it so far. You can find that here if you're interested in listening/watching yourself.
But in the episode I just watched, he mentioned a technique called "hanging a lantern on it" and I thought this is such a great topic to dive further into on Monday. So here we are.
Alright, Katrina, what the heck does that even mean? Well, my dear writer, don't worry. I'm about to tell you.
Ever read a book or watch a movie but something a little too convenient happens in the plot? Maybe the hero just happens to have the exact tool needed to escape a trap. Or a minor character suddenly drops crucial information at just the right moment. As a writer, you might worry: Will my readers buy this?
Enter stage left: "hanging a lantern on it."
This is a technique where a writer directly calls attention to a potential issue in the story—whether it’s a plot convenience, an inconsistency, or something that might feel too coincidental. By acknowledging it in the text, the audience is more likely to accept it rather than be pulled out of the story.
Neat, huh?
The Origin of the Phrase
The term "hanging a lantern on it" comes from theater and screenwriting. The idea is that if there’s a flaw or an unbelievable moment in a story, the best way to handle it is to metaphorically shine a light on it—just like hanging a lantern on a dark corner to make sure everyone sees it.
Why It Works
Hanging a lantern on something does two things:
It reassures the audience – Readers are willing to suspend disbelief, but they don’t want to feel tricked. When you hang a lantern, you're acknowledging the issue before the audience can question it, making it feel intentional rather than accidental.
It builds trust – Readers appreciate when a writer is self-aware. If a protagonist says, “Wow, what are the odds?” in response to a coincidence, the audience knows you’re in on it too.
Examples in Action
Star Wars: A New Hope: Han Solo flies into an asteroid field, and C-3PO warns, “The odds of successfully navigating an asteroid field are approximately 3,720 to 1.” Han’s response? “Never tell me the odds.” The film acknowledges the improbability while keeping the tension high.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: When Harry questions why he’s the only underage wizard in the Triwizard Tournament, the characters acknowledge how bizarre it is—but rather than dismiss it, they make it part of the mystery.
Using It in Your Own Writing
So how can you use this technique effectively in your own stories?
When something feels too convenient – If your protagonist finds the exact clue they need, have them acknowledge the stroke of luck. “Well, that was easy. Almost too easy...”
When breaking the fourth wall fits your tone – This works especially well in comedic or meta-fictional writing.
When exposition feels heavy – If a character has to deliver a long explanation, have another character call it out: “Okay, that was a lot. Can you break that down for the rest of us?”
A Word of Caution
While this technique is really handy, don’t overuse it. If every plot twist gets a wink and a nudge, it can often weaken the emotional stakes and make your story feel like it’s apologizing for itself. Use it sparingly, and only when it genuinely smooths over a potential bump in believability.
Final Thoughts
When you hang a lantern on an unlikely moment, you're not making excuses... ok, yeah, you kinda are, but it also makes your storytelling smoother and more engaging. When done well, you can keep your readers immersed, maintain their trust, and sometimes even add a layer of humor or self-awareness to your work.
So, next time you hit a tricky plot point, don’t be afraid to light the way—just hang a lantern on it.
Funny Lantern Moments in Cinema
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) – When Austin travels back in time, Basil Exposition explicitly tells him (and the audience) not to worry about the time travel logic: “I suggest you don’t worry about those things and just enjoy yourself.” Then Austin turns to the camera and says, “Yes!”
The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) – When Kronk talks to himself about whether or not he should betray Kuzco, he pulls out a literal map of the plot and says, “By all accounts, it doesn’t make sense.”
Tropic Thunder (2008) – When the group gets lost, Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black) asks, “Wait, this is the real world, right? Like, we’re not in a movie?”
The Lego Movie (2014) – When Emmet enters the Old West and suddenly has a new outfit, the movie literally hangs a lantern on it by having a character ask how he changed so fast. The response? “I don’t know! … I got super confused halfway through.”
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) – The entire movie is a masterclass in hanging lanterns on absurdity, but one standout is when King Arthur and his knights "ride" invisible horses while their servants make coconut-clopping noises (do you think that joke started because of the lack of horse budget?). When a guard questions how coconuts could have arrived in medieval England, Arthur just dismisses it and moves on (then there's the whole "African or European swallow" joke... and yes, I can quote 100% of that movie by heart).
Announcements
Tom will be our guest host for this month's webinar! Don't forget to register to attend if you haven't already. You can find more details below!
Don't forget that our 1st quarter book club meeting is on March 28th. We're reading Dracula by Bram Stoker, so I hope you've made some progress! I'm excited to chat about this one.
This is great!