Setting the Pace
To move a scene more quickly, or to let it move slowly, that is the question.
Given any type of stories, some scenes need to move more quickly than others. You want your story to move along at a pace that will allow the reader to stay interested, but give them the information they need to visualize the scene. Sometimes this is a delicate balance.
In this newsletter, I would like to give you some tips to speed up your scenes, or to slow them down - whichever is needed.
Speeding Things Up
1. Keep your sentences short - people automatically read shorter sentences in a faster pace. So, shortening your sentences allows your readers to move through a scene more quickly.
2. Get up close and personal - let us see that sweat beading on their brows, feel the cut of the blade on the ribs, see the foot connect with the face in a kick, taste the blood running down from a wound in the forehead. The closer we get, the faster it'll seem. It also gets readers involved and lets them place themselves in the scene. Exciting!
3. Limit descriptions - except for the close and personal, limit extra information. This is not the time to describe the weather, or how the wind is rustling through the leaves of the tree nearby, or what people are wearing (unless the blade cuts a hole in their shirt)!
Slowing Things Down
1. Lengthen those sentences - now is the time you can add in those longer sentences. Put in more adverbs and adjectives to help lengthen things out.
2. Pull yourself back - now is when you can look at the setting and scene as a whole. We should be able to picture the sun, and the mountains in the distance, and the wind rustling the shirt or tugging at the hat of your character.
3. Gimme the detail! - this is the time to talk about one character's quirkiness because they are from an odd culture, or how another character always seems aloof, or even how another one is glancing in a suggestive manner at the hero or heroine, obviously smitten. This is also a great time to let the readers discover the world around them, and really see what the characters are seeing.
Fast paced scenes work well with fighting scenes, or chase scenes, or scenes where the characters are confused and maybe not taking in as much information as they would normally.
Slower paced scenes work well in romantic situations (don't want to rush those touching moments), or when you really want to develop what is going on around them. However, be sure not to slow a scene TOO much. Too slow, and your readers might lose interest.
Pick your pacing carefully. What is important to note is that the whole book doesn't have to go at the same pace. It can speed up, or slow down, as need be. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Noticing Newbies: December 18, 2019 Issue [#9924]
