Pacing – Pain or Pleasure by A. M.Westerling

 

                                                  www.amwesterling.com 

I am a pacing moron.   

The first inkling I had of this was with my first manuscript. I was told the pacing was “irregular.” How could that be, I thought, you’ve also told me my writing is excellent and flows. I ignored it and moved on.  

As editor comments came back with disconcerting regularity that my pacing was too slow, felt off, etc. etc., I began to clue in that perhaps there was something to this pacing nonsense. Even the last rejection letter I received said my pacing was “slow and stately” - which promptly brought to mind a vision of my manuscript ambling down a red carpet cloaked in ermine trimmed velvet and carrying a scepter! When the editor went on to point out that today’s readers do not want “slow and stately”, I raised the white flag. However, I was still in denial – “What do you mean, the pacing is slow? What’s wrong with long sentences!?”  

But the more I delved into the matter, the more I realized I had no idea what pacing meant. Or worse, no idea how to fix it.  So I did my research - I took an online course, I found websites, I looked through books on writing, I posted to my RWA loop. And finally, the bits and pieces began to come together.  

First and foremost – what is it? The best definition I found is from Randy Ingermanson*: “Pacing is the amount of time you spend on each part of the story.” How simple is that – it’s how your story unfolds, how you move your characters, how you manipulate and organize the scenes for maximum emotional impact. Too slow, and you will lose your readers to boredom. Too fast and your readers will feel as if they’re on a speeding train.  

What you want is the right balance and the right rhythm. And therein lies the problem for me – I’m a left brain thinker. It’s all very fine and dandy to spout definitions but how do I actually do it? How do I control the pacing? As I discovered, there are a number of practical tips and techniques: 

1. Slow the pacing when you want to maximize the emotional effect ie: a love scene, or you want to emphasize something significant to the plot, or after a tense scene. Do this by writing longer sentences, longer paragraphs, longer dialogue, more description and more introspection.  

2. Increase the pacing when the tension is high. Use shorter sentences or sentence fragments, active verbs, fewer adjectives and adverbs and switch POV’s. Use sense details ie: taste the blood, smell the sweat. 

Other things to consider:  

• Shorten scenes towards the end to build tension. 

• Flashbacks and too much back story slow pacing – be judicious in their use. 

• Remove extraneous details to speed up the pace.  

• During an action scene, have your characters react, not think. ie: If someone’s drowning, they’re not going to be thinking about anything other than saving themselves. 

• Be careful with dialogue. Get to the point with the conversation, don’t start with “Hi, how are you, the weather’s nice, isn’t it.”  Once you’ve reached the objective, cut to the next scene. Avoid portraying one character as a good listener while the other one conveys information – it’s boring to read. 

• Ensure every scene contributes to the plot. ie: always make the romance the focal point or at the very least, show the barrier to the romance. 

• Even the choice of words can affect the pacing ie: perspiration reads slower than sweat. 

• When working with scene and sequel, remember that sequels slow pacing. 

 

The list I’ve compiled here is only the beginning. As I’ve discovered, there is no right or wrong method to pacing. However, the more you write, you better able you are to identify what you want the reader to feel and when you want them to feel it. Some writers have a natural sense for it; others find it a difficult concept to conquer. For me, it boils down to three things – practice, practice and more practice! 

 

After working as a professional engineer for a number of years, A.M. Westerling now writes historical romance. She is currently working on her tenth manuscript for BWL Publishing. Visit her at her website: www.amwesterling.com 

 

 

*www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com 

 

Other useful websites: 

www.fictionfactor.com  - “Pacing” by Dr. Vicki Hinze 

www.HollyLisle.com     - Pacing workshop 

www.ezinearticles.com  - “Proper Pacing Enhances a Fiction Writer’s Work” 

 

Creative Living

                                                      Find my books here

Merika is a Greek word meaning creative spark. We all have it. It's part of what makes us human. 

Creative people lead creative lives. Most of my author friends have other creative passions that sometimes fed their writing lives. 

My friend Jodi is a caller for traditional New England dances. 

In addition to her wonderful books, my friend Juilene is an Irish Storyteller in the oral tradition. 

Friend and BWL author Eileen O'Finlan keeps a beautiful garden in her Massachusetts home.

Our readers have wonderful sparks of creativity, too. Roseanne creates beautiful table settings for her large family at holidays. Jeanie is a creative baker. David and his uncle Bill delight children with beautiful model train villages for our local historical society displays.

What are your satisfying creative pursuits, dear reader? How do you make our world more beautiful?

My Jane's Walk Revisited by Susan Calder

 

For information on my latest novel go to Amazon

A Killer Whisky is Book #12 of the BWL Canadian Historical Mystery Series

Last year I enjoyed my Jane's Walk so much I've decided to do it again. On Saturday, May 2, I'll be leading two 1.5-hour strolls through Calgary's Balmoral neighbourhood, the main setting for my latest novel, A Killer Whisky. The novel takes place in 1918 and the focus of my walk will be the community's history. Balmoral developed during Calgary's real estate boom in the early 20th century. Many buildings of historical significance still stand and serve their original purpose, like Balmoral School, one of 19 sandstone schools build by the Calgary School Board during that time of rapid city growth.  

Walk participants will learn a few oddities about the school's rooftop clock 

My walks will essentially be the same as last years' with added details I've learned since then. Last May, during my introductory spiel in Balmoral Circus Park, a long time resident recalled that a home on the square used to be a Scouts Canada meeting hall. I've since confirmed this and will add the tidbit to my talk. 

Former scout hall in the background

Another resident thought a former mayor of Calgary had lived in a home adjacent to the square. After the walk, she rang the doorbell and chatted with the current owners, who were aware of their home's illustrious former resident. These kinds of group participation make Jane's walks engaging and relaxed. This mayor was a colourful character, and I've researched him for the walk.  

Balmoral Circus Park, the walks' beginning and end points, was recently redeveloped as a community meeting place with tables and chairs--heavy and solid so they aren't easy to steal. This year my walk description ends with an invitation to bring a lunch to eat at the tables after the morning walk or before the afternoon walk if the weather's fine. Calgary weather in early May can potentially be cold, snowy, hot, rainy, or perfect for a picnic outside. The walks will go ahead unless there's a blizzard or deluge.

Last year's group setting out on the walk from Balmoral Circus Park

Jane's Walks happen annually the first weekend of May in cities around the world. The walks are free, but you have to register. Many walks fill quickly. I originally scheduled one Balmoral Heritage Walk in the morning but, after it filled, I added a repeat walk in the afternoon. You can register here.  

For more information and to see if your home city will participate, check out the general Jane's Walk website.

If you're in Calgary, have a look at this year's Calgary offerings.  The organizers will be adding walks until April 26th, so keep checking until then. Last year, they ended up with over 80 events that included bike rides and a two-minute walk to a historic building to make sketches. The majority of the Jane's Walks range from easy strolls like mine to vigourous city hikes. 

Something for everyone!           

Me talking about the Kelly Block (formerly Hicks Block) commercial building
The Calgary organizers supply voice amplifiers - a real benefit for groups up to 40 people 

Clutter, Crocus Blooms and Spring Cleaning – Barbara Wackerle Baker

 

 

https://www.amazon.ca/stores/author/B0BMTM18PW

I have a huge collection of knick-knacks scattered throughout the house. And I’ve kept some possessions well past their usefulness date. The clincher was when I found three pairs of jeans from my youth tucked away below a pile of towels in the linen closet. Dammit. When I put them there, I knew one day I would fit into them again. Or maybe my daughter would wear them. Neither happened. I needed a strategy to reduce, reuse (by someone else) or discard these items.

While hunkered down during yet another Alberta cold snap (accompanied by a spring snow squall) I decided we needed a new rule in our house. Being proactive I established it. This is how it goes - every time a delivery box arrives, whoever ordered it must refill it and take it for a ride to a thrift store, recycle bin, used bookstore or the dump within 48 hours. No exceptions allowed.

The first couple of boxes were easy to fill. Who knew there were so many empty picture frames in my office closet? And the stash of baby toys under the stairwell. I know the grandkids will never miss them. Off they went to their appropriate destination. I will admit that I rifled through my husband’s boxes prior to them leaving the house just in case he included treasures I wasn’t ready to part with. And when a long skinny box arrived, (a new rod for his window washing squeegee) it hardly seemed fair, but he grinned and played along with the rule.

 

When the weather cleared and there were no more boxes to fill, I went to the sun-warmed south facing hillsides for a stroll. The familiar purple hue of crocus blooms sprinkled the slope, their heads bobbing in the breeze. It had to be spring now. Within hours of finding 36 blooming croci, another squall blew in. This time six inches of heavy wet snow fell. I worried about those little darlings freezing their petals off.

  

Days later the sun melted the snow. The croci held their heads high like drops of paint on the damp and pungent soil. I decided when I grow up, I want to be as strong and resilient as a crocus.

 

Now that I no longer had to worry about the well-being of the hillside's flora, and there were no more boxes to fill, I decided to get into the spring-cleaning groove. For encouragement, I did a bit of research (my new word for procrastination) to ensure I didn’t miss any tricks or tips. Here’s what I learned and my thoughts on the ideas:

• slip a sock over the beater of a hand mixer to create a mini, vibrating pet hair remover for furniture. First I have to get a pet. And then, do I use ‘said’ mixer on my next batch of mashed potatoes? 

• clean tarnished copper pots and accessories by massaging them with ketchup and a pinch of salt – now I need to get a pet and a copper pot. 

• use vodka to spray and remove bathroom mold and mildew – off to the liquor store I go. 

• get down on hands and knees to see where dust accumulates. It apparently will give me a new perspective of how dirty my floor is. Do I really need a new perspective? 

• leave one cobweb in a corner of the room. Polish folklore suggests spiders bring good luck – I can totally get behind this one. 

 

I opened all the windows and kept an eye on the sky. Mother Nature was still throwing hissy fits throughout the day.

My house is clean. It smells great. I changed from flannel to cotton sheets which probably just jinxed tomorrow’s weather forecast but … oh well. The best part about my decluttering strategy – I now think twice before ordering online and at our current rate, we’ll be clutter free in … many years. If a crocus can weather change, so can I.

Have you got a spring-cleaning tip you’d like to share? 

Baker, Barbara - BWL Publishing Inc. (bookswelove.net)

Barbara Baker Author Page Facebook 

 

Summer of Lies by Barbara Baker — BWL Publishing

What About Me? by Barbara Baker — BWL Publishing

Jillian of Banff XO — BWL Publishing