One word at a time, that's how novels are written. I have worked a lot this week. I've thought some about pacing and what you can do with it. Some books are roller coaster rides with rapidly changing scenes, zinging one liners and crescendos of action. Other are slow like lazy rivers, meandering from one gorgeous setting to the next, the dialogue is spare even cryptic, and the writer seems very intent on capturing odd, angled details. I find pacing is important in terms of the mood and tone of a story.
Pacing is basically drawing the reader along with story. Your reader matches pace with your story. They feel the organic evolution of events and their disbelief stays willfully suspended. If your character is facing a challenge, your reader is there facing the challenge. The reader is not skimming words, flipping ahead a chapter or putting the book away. A well paced book keeps the reader in the energy of the book and the end brings the reader to a satisfying conclusion.
Join me and think about pacing as you work this week.
In other news, I have an appearances coming up in Georgetown, Texas and another in Bellevue, Washington to celebrate the release of Rembrandt and the Boy Who Drew Dogs. Come out if you are around.
Here is my doodle for the week. Chick out of control.
©Molly Blaisdell, all rights reserved. If you want to use my cool doodles, ask permission first. It is so wrong to take people's doodles without permisison!
My quote for the week. I've been doing some marketing stuff, so:
There is more similarity in the marketing challenge of selling a precious painting by Degas and a frosted mug of root beer than you ever thought possible.
A. Alfred Taubman
No comments:
Post a Comment