No, this post it is not about Dr Who and his wonderful Tardis, but Pacing.
Pacing controls the speed in which the reader turns the pages. It varies depending on the type of story and the place in the story.
What does my story need to keep the reader turning the pages?
Conflict- this moves the story along at a cracking pace. many conflicts in quick succession can zip the reader along.
Moments of calm - for the reader to catch their breath and absorb what has been happening- maybe shift focus to a secondary character, or focus on the detail of something.
Scenes written in the moment - maybe a short moment but takes lots of words.
Flashbacks - generally a slower pace as they are showing not telling, use only when needed to give more background on the character or events.
Tension - cliff hangers at end of chapter, but not always.
Time bomb- date /time something has to be done by or...
Sentence length - make it long for description. Short for action.
Chapter length - shorter chapters can speed the story along.
Dialogue- rapid fire means the reader reads faster.
Suspense - by prolonging the solution or outcome of an event, using longer sentences and chapters.
Choose words carefully - short active verbs, words which convey senses and action together speed up the action. Long, descriptive words and passages slow the pace.
Emotional investment - the reader needs to care and experience the story. Extend and prolong important scenes even if in reality they take only minutes. Think about when time slows for you. Use this to pull the reader in deep.
Learn the rhythm of the story and be true to it.
Easier said then done. I still have so much to learn.
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