tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post2609149777678677698..comments2024-03-17T06:03:00.362-04:00Comments on Fiction University: Pace Yourself! Some Thoughts, Various and Sundry, on Pacing Your Novel Janice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-39053237616330665572013-12-21T07:40:28.885-05:002013-12-21T07:40:28.885-05:00Hang ten, dudes.Hang ten, dudes.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-20424212462270262242013-12-20T15:34:45.496-05:002013-12-20T15:34:45.496-05:00like, totally rad... :)like, totally rad... :)Michael Cairnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05180863661655365561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-8029058732305025492013-12-20T13:04:52.752-05:002013-12-20T13:04:52.752-05:00Whoa, did Janice say Wave size! I can totally sh...Whoa, did Janice say Wave size! I can totally shred on that gnarly advice shoot the curl to turn pages!Harry Sarkisianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02734703704447800714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-2341796843248709552013-12-20T07:45:35.484-05:002013-12-20T07:45:35.484-05:00Then maybe 1000 words is your natural wave size. C...Then maybe 1000 words is your natural wave size. Could be interesting to see if that translates to your novel projects as well or if it's just the right size for the blog stories.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-83724899842554307972013-12-19T23:05:25.140-05:002013-12-19T23:05:25.140-05:00Thanks for writing about this. I clicked on the l...Thanks for writing about this. I clicked on the link via Twitter, curious how anyone could really sum up how to properly pace a novel in a blog post. And, I am really impressed. I think you provided some great information for writers that's easily applicable and really valuable (I'm a dialogue hoarder myself). Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01544292600414849271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-68708048644240212072013-12-19T15:59:40.494-05:002013-12-19T15:59:40.494-05:00Hi Tiffany
Thanks for the post, lots of food for t...Hi Tiffany<br />Thanks for the post, lots of food for thought. <br />I particularly liked your thoughts on dialogue. The temptation can be to keep people talking. It's great for getting stuff across to the reader (for want of a better phrase) in an interesting way, and it's fun to write! But as you say, it can really drag if you do it too much. <br />I think I need to work on the later things you talked about, regarding the questions that get answered much later. I've managed it with some books, but less so with others, and it's definitely something i'd like to get better at.<br />cheers<br />MikeMichael Cairnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05180863661655365561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-59442056452050691232013-12-19T15:55:33.320-05:002013-12-19T15:55:33.320-05:00Hi Janice
Really interesting to hear that. In writ...Hi Janice<br />Really interesting to hear that. In writing my short stories for my blog, I try and stick to a word count of around 1000 words per blog, that has to feature a complete scene, or one of the waves you mentioned. Having said that, I also try to end on a cliffhanger, of one sort of another. <br />It's a great challenge, and like you, I'm beginning to find that if the blog comes in at 1500, or 2000 words, there's always plenty I can trim. <br />cheersMichael Cairnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05180863661655365561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-21230750689018532262013-12-19T07:59:46.877-05:002013-12-19T07:59:46.877-05:00Harry, Tiffany is right about that, but I've f...Harry, Tiffany is right about that, but I've found (me being the crazy one who studies this stuff as I write) that I have a common "wave size" to a scene. DISCLAIMER: I'm in no way saying this is a rule or guide or something anyone should even do, just something I've noticed and use myself. Pacing doesn't have word counts like that. However...<br /><br />This is what I've noticed about my own work: I'll have a scene with setup--problem--build up--release that form "waves" (like Tiffany talked about, the highs and lows, back and forth) and those often run around 500-800 words for a first or rough draft. I string those waves together for a chapter. The waves all build off each other to keep the pacing (and plot) moving.<br /><br />When I get a wave that runs long or short, that's often an indication that something is off. Not always, but it's happened enough that I've noticed it. The wave sizes vary of course (as they should) and different books will have different wave sizes sometimes, but I use it as a very basic guide during a first draft. After that I trust my own judgement and the eyes of my beta readers. <br /><br />This works for me, so I have no idea if it would work for you or not. But if you're like me and you enjoy guides to keep you on track when you write, it might be worth checking to see if you have a certain rhythm to your writing that breaks down in a similar way or not. If the chapters you love and feel are strongly paced all fall within a certain size or combination of waves, that might indicate your natural rhythm and you can use that as a rough guide. <br /><br />Again, this is not a rule :) Please don't try to force a scene or chapter to fit a certain word count. But you did ask, and I think I know what you meant by it since I kind of do that myself in a weird way. I think it's more of a structure issue than pacing to be honest, but it works the same way.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-32017127469209386842013-12-19T04:08:14.655-05:002013-12-19T04:08:14.655-05:00Good answer Tiffany.Good answer Tiffany.Harry Sarkisianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02734703704447800714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-91929563976776453562013-12-18T15:14:53.606-05:002013-12-18T15:14:53.606-05:00I'm not sure, Harry. Pacing is such an amorpho...I'm not sure, Harry. Pacing is such an amorphous concept that there's really no concrete word count, space, etc. This is why it's good to have multiple beta readers who will be honest with you and tell you where they skimmed in your book. That's usually a pacing issue--a scene that's gone on too long, a gratuitous action scene in a book full of actions scenes, etc. <br /><br />And yes, first commenter, a well-paced novel will be a more enjoyable read than a poorly-paced novel. It'll be a page-turner instead of a sleep-inducer.<br /><br />Happy Writing!<br />Tiffany! Tiffanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01436730910930017525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-65911428258125098002013-12-18T14:56:39.775-05:002013-12-18T14:56:39.775-05:00This article does a good job of explaining pacing....This article does a good job of explaining pacing. <br /><br />Q: Is there an amount of word space or solid time frame in which pacing should occur/ concur or is it something that you can just look it back over and decide for yourself if you have moribund the reader into a dead end?<br /><br />Thank you Tiffany Reisz for the article and your reply when you have the chance.Harry Sarkisianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02734703704447800714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-58881058652012825802013-12-18T13:25:00.604-05:002013-12-18T13:25:00.604-05:00The better the pacing, the harder it becomes to pu...The better the pacing, the harder it becomes to put the book down, yes?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com