Pacing

I’m working on a series on pacing.  You can see other posts in the series here. … Do you need a prologue?  Are you allowed to have one? Beginning writers are often advised to avoid prologues.  In fact, they’re often advised to avoid a lot of things that annoy editors and agents when handled badly. But

I’m working on a series on pacing.  You can see other posts in the series here. … Beginnings don’t have to start with summary; they can start with demonstration.  The demonstration should involve the setting more than it does anything else.  You might pull off extremely minor actions or dialogue, but try just using setting first.  It’s

I’m working on a series on pacing.  You can see other posts in the series here. … In the beginning of every story is a beginning. This seems obvious, but it’s one of the hallmarks of an early writer to leave it off entirely and to start in what the writer thinks is in media res, or “in

I’m working on a series on pacing.  You can see other posts in the series here. … Here are the stages of the Hero’s Journey:  Departure. Call to Adventure. Refusal of the Call. Supernatural Aid. Crossing the First Threshold. Belly of the Whale. Initiation. The Road of Trials. The Meeting with the Goddess. The Woman as

I’m working on a series on pacing.  You can see other posts in the series here. … Now that we’ve looked at words, sentences, dialogue, and paragraphs…let’s look at plot. Plot has pacing, just like everything else in writing.  The number and type of events in a plot add another layer to the pacing, beyond

I’m working on a series on pacing.  You can see other posts in the series here. … That damned cask of Amontillado.  Does it even exist?  Is it what Montressor toasted Fortunato with, at the very end of the story? No matter.  We only ask ourselves questions of pacing today.  All your questions shall be

I’m working on a series on pacing.  You can see other posts in the series here. … It’s a big jump, going from “The Quick Brown Fox” to Edgar Allen Poe, but I think we’re ready. Take a moment to look at the story, here.  Whatever you do, don’t stop to read it.  Bah!  Just skim

I’m working on a series on pacing.  You can see other posts in the series here. … We’ve just looked at words.  Now let’s look at phrases. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. Our phrases here are: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog or however you want to slice