Many writers believe that writing about the action must be done with immediacy for pacing. Any scenes with action completed quickly, however, can sometimes appear too hurried. The writer has a poetic license to use a stop-time technique. This technique does not intend to throw in superfluous words or information, but rather help to increase tension for the scene and characters.

Example: A hitman bumps the rear of his target's car. When his target pulls over, the hitman alights from his vehicle as well. Pulling out a gun, he points it at his target who sits behind his steering wheel, staring at the barrel of the gun. In this scene, an open area provides a stop-time for description or information to heighten the tension. The writer can "freeze" time between the hitman pointing his gun and the target staring at the barrel of the weapon.

During stop-time, the writer can include information from the point of view of the hitman or the target. The writer may write about quick introspection, sensory description, or a combination. The writer can also write an overview of the episode.

Example (hitman POV) He pulled out his Beretta and pointed it at his target. You're going down, Santoro—you'll never hurt my sister again. No one hurts my family. He pulled the trigger thrice, the bullets breaking the windshield.

(Target POV) He stared at the barrel of the gun. He was paralyzed not with fear, but with indecision. Would I have enough time to reach for the pistol in the compartment? That bitch must have ratted me out to her brother. A burst of stinging pain found its way through his shoulder, then through his neck, and through his temple.

(Writer's overview) He pulled out his Beretta and pointed it at his target. This will teach everyone a lesson not to mess with his family. If they have a beef with any of his loved ones, they have a beef with him. Without hesitation, he squeezed three rounds into his sadistic brother-in-law.

Any fiction writer always finds opportunities to insert vital information to ensure the world or situation he builds is believable. The elements of character, plot, and conflict provide episodes that allow the writer to examine if it is screaming for additional information. The uniqueness of the information he inserts in his stop-time technique determines the degree of intensity or intimacy of the action. Placing stop-time in the wrong scene stalls action. It is in the writer's best judgment when to use it.

This is the beauty of literature. The writer finds different angles to present the existential woes of characters, and this is what makes characters relatable. Think of a man tied to a railway track. From a distance, he could feel the chugging wheels and the blaring horn of an oncoming locomotive. While the man screams and cries for his impending doom, the writer can use the moment to stop time and provide the reader with revelations about the character. The man bound in ropes could have a flashback of the deeds he had done in his lifetime, and at the last moment seeks refuge in prayer. All of this information becomes believable to the reader, and the writer succeeds in stopping time.