| The best key for locking story elements together | | | | about his limp, but indicate it in a short sentence |
| is the right pacing. If a writer wants to offer his | | | | with an action verb that pinpoints the idea. This |
| readers a perfectly constructed story after he | | | | could be something like: He rushed around the |
| has set up the conflict, theme, characters, and | | | | corner, then hobbled into an alley... |
| plot, he needs to concentrate on pacing. Pacing | | | | On the other hand, when an entire section of a |
| has to do with a writer's manipulation of the time | | | | plot is too fast-paced, the readers will feel dizzy |
| in the story as he tells the story. | | | | as if they are in a speeding car. After an exciting, |
| When something is happening slowly, lyrical prose, | | | | active scene with dramatic impact, the reader |
| long sentences, and more narration can be used. | | | | should be allowed to rest a bit. Here the writer |
| When something happens fast, then short, | | | | needs to slow the pace down. If all your scenes |
| choppy sentences and excited dialogue are in | | | | have the intensity of a fast pace, the reader will |
| order. Consequently, when these fast and slow | | | | eventually tire out, and his mind will feel numb to |
| sections alternate in a plot, rhythm is created. | | | | the power of the writer's words. |
| Rhythm is one of the elements that cause the | | | | If a story has a time frame in it where nothing |
| readers to get emotionally involved with the | | | | involving the central conflict happens and the |
| story. Rhythm not only happens with the entire | | | | characters are living ordinary lives, the writer |
| story, but also within its parts; chapters, scenes, | | | | should not linger in that time frame. In other |
| paragraphs, and even sentences. In most | | | | words, a short transition needs to be written to |
| dramatic and exciting stories, the faster paced | | | | move through that time frame quickly by saying |
| scenes concentrate at or toward the end. This | | | | something like: Ten days passed without any |
| does not mean that a writer should heap all the | | | | incident or any call from the man with the gun. |
| exciting parts together. Even at the end of a | | | | Proper pacing keeps the reader's attention on the |
| story, these action-filled scenes should have slow | | | | story by keeping the tension up while still giving |
| pacing sections in between them. | | | | the reader a breather in between fast actions. |
| If too many slow sections follow one another in a | | | | Whether the work is a short story or a novel, a |
| plot, the writing gains a monotone effect and lulls | | | | balance between slow and active scenes is |
| the readers to sleep just like the lullabies do with | | | | needed the success of the work. When writing a |
| sounds, but slowing the pacing has its uses, too. | | | | novel, pacing the events in such a way that an |
| When a point has to be emphasized, slowing the | | | | important incident takes place in each chapter is |
| pacing helps. | | | | the way to go. |
| As such, narratives slow the pacing. If the main | | | | Pacing usually comes to a writer after a lot of |
| character has a limp and the writer wants to slow | | | | experience. Once in a while, pacing happens to |
| the pace, he can show it by describing his | | | | some writers intuitively. Others have to take |
| character's shoes, legs, how he actually steps on | | | | extra care during the process of writing and |
| cobblestones, how his body twists as he steps | | | | especially when revisions are made. This way, in |
| etc. If the same character is running away from a | | | | time, proper pacing will start happening naturally. |
| man with a gun and the writer wants this section | | | | As in everything, practice makes perfect. |
| to be fast paced, then he should not go into detail | | | | |