Stargazers | Watercolour by Lee Rawn
“Okay, I get it. Let’s move on.” Yes, I talk to myself. Sometimes this occurs at the grocery store, but most often when I’m reading a passage of description that spans pages.
Pacing is key to a good story. If the story is too fast, the reader can become lost. “Wait a minute. What just happened?” If the story is too slow, nodding off is soon to follow.
I become cranky when in a quest story, the trip from here to there gets crammed with detail. Once I get the gist, I’m ready to move on. And when the characters arrive, the characters I want to succeed, the scene must be complete and satisfying.
Pacing is rhythm. Short sentences with no wasted words, short paragraphs and dialogue, speed the story along. However after a sprint, we all need a breather.
Read your story aloud to listen to the rhythm of the piece. If there are long droning passages, edit. keep just what is necessary to move the story forward. Think of pacing like hills and valleys. It makes for an interesting journey.
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