Tell Me You Didn't Just Read the End*

You know that part in your book where things slow down?  What should you do with those scenes?  Some editors would tell you to cut them, altogether.  Get rid of the tedious stuff because your readers will start skimming.  They will start thinking about reading the end of the book.  And we don't want that now, do we?

Is cutting the slow a good idea?

Pacing is very important, don’t get me wrong.  But this does not mean you eliminate every slow piece of writing.  There is the good slow.  There is bad fast.  There is no single "right" pace for a story.  In fact, there is no single pace for a story.  Next time you read your most favoritest book, observe.  It shifts gears constantly.  It is not about being fast.  Or being slow.

What is important is that the story and the readers are in sync.

How can a writer pull this off?  It is all about expectations.  You don’t simply adjust the velocity of the story.  You adjust the reader’s expectations.  You establish a rhythm to the story.  Not formulaic, per se, but rather by telegraphing intentions.  The reader is able to pick up on these patterns and adjust.  Every time the pacing is about to change, tweak the reader's expectations.  Let them know.  Communicate.

We've all heard of foreshadowing, right?  The word kind of explains itself.  Here's the gist: Clue the reader in about what’s coming.  It can be as subtle as you want it.  Or it can be like a slap to the head.  Foreshadowing is normally used for plot twists and details.  It can also be used for pacing.  The reader can enjoy your burnt-rubber car chase and neatly adjust to the following chapter of straight dialogue, if you set it up properly.  Truth is, you can have readers licking their chops for a seemingly inevitable piece of dialogue.

I love all kinds of action-y stuff but I also love great characters.  As we all know, bullets and explosions does not great characters make.  And most stories are dead on arrival without good characters.  You have to slow down the roller coaster.  You have to adjust the pacing.

Next time, we’ll tackle character development in: I Am the Hero of My Own Story, Right?

*  Tell me you didn't just read this without reading the whole post.  Ha, I totally foreshadowed that.  I am a cat and you are just my plaything.