Tellpunten

Tellpunten (literally “telling points” in Dutch) is a concept in narrative theory and Dutch-language literary criticism describing discrete moments in a narrative when essential information is disclosed to the audience. These points are used to manage pacing, reveal character, or shift plot direction. Tellpunten can be planned in advance during outlining or identified in revision as part of structural analysis.

Origins and usage: The term is typically used in Dutch-language scholarship and classroom contexts to discuss how information is distributed across scenes. It is related to, but distinct from, devices such as cliffhangers or red herrings; tellpunten emphasize the act of telling itself rather than solely the emotional impact.

Types: Expository tellpunten reveal background or world-building details; plot-twist tellpunten disclose a new fact that changes interpretation; clue tellpunten misdirect or guide the audience to a solution. They can be explicit or implicit and can occur at every narrative layer, including dialogue, narration, and visual media.

Applications and critique: Writers and teachers use tellpunten to analyze pacing, suspense, and information flow. Critics warn that an overreliance on tellpunten can encourage formulaic plotting, while proponents argue that they provide a helpful framework for studying narrative balance and reader engagement.

See also: narrative beat, cliffhanger, exposition, pacing. Digital media and interactive fiction also use tellpunten to mark moments of user revelation or debugging points.