Tuesday's Writer's Tip Pacing #MFRWAuthor #BWLAuthor #Writing #Pacing

 Pacing in a story is important. Stories are made up of scened but a string of scenes don't make a story. Each scene must be aware of what went before and what is to come in the future. Not blatently but with subtle effects. These scenes also show further development of your characters and also of the plot. The consequences a past scenes needs to show as well as a building toward the next crisis. Pacing is the rhythm the writer developes as the scenes of the story unfold.

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Tuesday's Writer's Tip - Revision - Pacing #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Revision #Pacing

 There are a number of elements in pacing. One is the pacing for the entire book and the other is pacing within a scene. Pacing for the book depends on the genre you're writing. Most mysteries especially those with suspense in the mix are much faster paced than other story. The pacing of a story in romance can be leisurely or fast, depending on what's happening in the story. The object of pacing is to pull the reader from scene to scene.

The pacing in scenes depends on what type of scene you're writing. The pace of an action scene is usually fast while the pacing on scenes that are mainly descriptive can move at a slower pace. Also the pacing in a scene can depend on the characters. Some characters call for moving slow, others for fast rapid scenes. Scenes with a majority of dialogue tend to be faster paced. So make sure your pacing is on target for a scene.

I belong to a critique group where there are some writers who write beautifully but they tend to bog down the reader in details so the pacing drags. The others like me are so eager to get the story down, they dash ahead and must be told to remember important things.

So when you're doing that final revision, look at the following things. The opening takes forever and is bogged down by putting in things that could be included later in dialogue, either external or internal. Those vital action scenes are either too slow or too fast. Usually the latter seems to be the problem. Look at your balance between showing and telling. Sometimes telling can put a few facts in like bullets where showing could take pages and pages.

So read your stories that final time and make sure the pacing fits what is happening in the scene and the entire book.

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Tuesday's Writer's Tip A Last Look at Pacing #MFRWAuthor #BWLPublishing #Pacing #Writing

Your book is finished and you're ready to do the edits and perhaps revisions. Here are some pacing things to remember.

Check the overall pattern of your book. Which one have you chosen and did you go astray or stay on target?
Did you start with the steady progression and suddenly jump tracks to one of the other patterns? If so find where you changed and decide if the changed pattern really works.

Check your scenes.
Do they serve their purpose? There are three. To show character development, to advance the plot or to give needed information. Do they sag? Check to make sure none of them become boring or use too many words to convey what you want the reader to see.

Pay special attention to the beginning and make sure the first few pages draws a reader to want more. Look at the middle and strengthen the weak places or even eliminate a scene that's a near repeat of another scene. Look at the ending. Does it satisfy the reader and yourself as the writer.

Finally, make sure the pacing in every scene fits the genre of your choice.


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Tuesday's Writer's Tip Points to Remember about Pacing #MFRWauthor #Writing #Pacing

When you're looking at the pacing of your story, you should remember the genre you've chosen. The kind of story will dictate the pacing. You can use both dialogue and narrative to manipulate the pacing. The following points should be in your head when you're planning the pacing of your book.

Short sentences increase the pace. Long flowing ones slow the pace.

Long passages of dialogue with little narration will increase the pace.

Narrative passages with descriptions and little dialogue will slow the pace.

Time limits can increase or slow the pace. Knowing the characters have minutes to solve a problem makes the pace speed while giving them time will slow the story down.

Staying in one character's head can increase the pace. Changing the viewpoint character will slow the pace as the reader gets into that character's head.


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Tuesday's Writer's Tip - Patterns in Books #MFRWAuthor #BWLPublishing LTD #Patterns #Books

There are many patterns fictional works fall into but I'll talk about four of the most common ones. Knowing the pattern you've chosen for your book can help as you plan the fictional journey for your characters.

The steady progression. In this version, the story gradually unfolds. Beginning with the introduction of the characters, setting and time. At the start the real meat of the story isn't shown but is gradually introduced. Background is woven in along with hints about what the characters will face and discover.

The spiking pattern. In this version the story rises to a high pean and then descends into a deep valley. The spikes show the main characters facing some kind of conflict. This can be physical or mental or a problem the character or characters must face. The valley shows the characters coming to grips with the decisions made. Each peak is higher than the last and the valley may be deeper or shallower. until the characters reach the end. Often this means a final dramatic scene, ending with a satisfactory ending to the story.

The roller coaster pattern. Here the tension begins with the first scene and continues until the story reaches a high peak. Then the story moves rapidly down to the ending giving the reader little time to do more but keep turning the  pages.

The circular pattern is one that's hard to accomplish. The final scene must echo the opening scene. Maybe not being completely the same scene but one that reflects like a mirror showing the same feelings and emotions as the opening scene. There may or may not be a happy ending but the ending must be satisfactory.

Tuesday's Writer's Tip - Pacing at the End #MFRWAuthor #BWLPublishing #Pacing #End of Book

The end is in sight. There are two problems with the pacing that can occur. One is to finish in a rush and the second it to keep ending and ending.

The rush job. Going from the Black Moment to the Resolution to the end is done as quickly as the writer can manage. This may leave the reader breathless but also unsatisfied. The black moment should be played out to the end when the character fears all is lost. Then comes the resolution when they decide what they must do to grasp the satisfactory ending. Then the end can come.

The not wanting to say good bye. Here the writer has become so enamored of the characters, they don't want to let go. Sometimes they might write several endings telling the reader what happens next beyond the solving of the problems. Some times In romances, I've seen endings that are a chapter or more in length. The reader might close the book and thing, glad it's over.

So finding the right way to end a book leaves the reader reaching for the writer's next book.

Tuesday's Writer's Tip Pacing in the Middle #MFRWauthor #BWLPublishing #Pacing #Middle

The middle of the book is the longest part and the one where pacing is important. Going too slow will cause the reader to lose interest. Going too fast will confuse the reader. In both cases, the reader could be lost.

I read a lot of books for contests and one thing I've found is the writer is off to a good start and them bogs down in the middle. I find myself skip reading trying to find something interesting. I've also read books where there is so much action in the middle I feel breathless.

Pacing is the answer. I sortof look at the middle as being that part on a rollercoaster where the car goes up to a peak and then down and up again with each peak higher and each downward plunge varying in depth. This way the reader is pulled along and as the stakes are higher knows the end is in sight.

Always consider how much is happening without a break for the reader to take some breaths and also to gain curiosity as to what is coming next.

Make sure you're showing the advancing action rather than telling. There's nothing more boring to a reader than long passages of tell. Sure they're being informed about what's happening but they're being told, not shown and not being drawn into the action.

Another problem with pacing in the middle is repetitive scenes that go over and over with the same material. The reader may cry enough and toss the book aside. Each scene should advance the plot, show characterization or give information by showing not telling and not repeating what's already been said.

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Tuesday's Writer's Tip - Hints About Pacing #MFRWauthor #BWLPublishing #Pacing #Hints

One of the writer's jobs is to control the pace of their story. Writing always in quick staccato prose can leave a reader breathless and move the story to an abrupt ending. Writing in long flowing sentences fullof phrases and clauses can make the reader feel like they're mired in mud. The choice is for the writer to decide.

An action scene is usually told in shorter sentences to drive the action along. But sometimes both the characters and the reader need a break. Though in an action scene, if the sentences are long and the action is broken by long descriptive passages, the reader wants to shout "Get on with it." So pacing is important to any story.

A book is made up of scenes and the writer must decide if a scene is to be fast, slow or inbetween. This can be hard to decide but of curse in writing, there are general rules. Also remember in writing, rules can be broken. The book has a beginning, a middle and an end. All these parts have their own pacing and learning just how to pace the story is important. So in the next few weeks, we'll look at each segment of a book.