Plot Monkeys

I can’t remember exactly when I met Nancy, but we go pretty way back. She lives in my neck of the woods, though not in my city, so we see each other once or twice a year, if we’re lucky. But from the moment I met her, I thought, “This is one classy lady,” and believe me, she’s never proved that initial impression wrong! She’s fun, funny, gracious, GORGEOUS and extremely talented, so I hope you’ll all give a warm Plotmonkey welcome to Nancy, who has not one but TWO books out this month! And she’s written a fabulous blog on a topic that I’m always fascinated by…pacing. Thank you, Nancy, so much for joining us here in the jungle!

TEN TIPS FOR PERFECT PACING
By Nancy Robards Thompson

Have you seen the Broadway play Stomp? It’s that percussion show where dancers and musicians bang on garbage cans, pots and pans and PVC pipes in a way that makes you say, “WOW! That’s cool!” While they’re making music with these seemingly ordinary household items, your foot’s tapping and your head’s bobbing and you’re dancing in your seat.

On the other hand, if you’ve ever had someone stand next to you with a retractable pen click, click, click, clicking away you probably wanted to smack the pen out of her hand to stop the monotonous noise.

I’m sure right about now you’re wondering what the heck this has to do with writing?

A lot.

Just like the artists in Stomp incorporate cadences and sounds into an arrangement that makes you tap your foot and snap your fingers, good novels have a cadence or rhythm, which we call pacing. Pacing is the arrangement of words into sentences and sentences into paragraphs and how they’re woven into scene and sequel to form the chapters in a book. It’s also the speed at which events within the novel unfold.

As author and teacher Vicki Hinze says, good pacing “…is using specific word choices and sentence structure to tap the emotions of the reader so that she feels what the writer wants the reader to feel at any given time during the story.”

Good pacing can mean the difference between an editor writing that ambiguous, maddening, “I just didn’t love it” rejection letter or calling you and uttering those anticipated golden words, “I couldn’t put it down. I want to buy that book.”

Pretty powerful stuff, huh? With pacing, it sort of sounds like we are the mistresses of our universes, doesn’t it? Well, we are. Let’s take a look at how you can use pacing to create a novel that keeps editors and readers turning the pages:

1. Get a solid grasp on scene and sequel. A scene is a unit of drama that contains action and dialogue and moves the story along at a good clip; a sequel is the aftermath that follows. It’s generally more meditative or thoughtful and slows the pace.

2. Back story, introspection, long blocks of narrative, long sentences, softer verbs, and descriptions with layered sensory detail slow the pacing and encourage reader’s minds to linger in the scene.

3. Dialogue and action quicken the pace; as do short, snappy sentences and punchy, active verbs.

4. Pacing that’s too slow runs the risk of putting the writer to sleep. But slower pacing used right can emphasize a point or expand the emotional impact. It shows the reader that this is something important and she should pay attention.

5. Use flashbacks sparingly. Flashbacks bring the story’s momentum to a screeching halt and, if they go on too long, you run the risk of making it difficult for a reader to reconnect with the story.

6. After an intense scene, slow the pace so that the reader can reflect on the action that’s just happened. Pacing that’s too fast leaves the reader exhausted and in turn encourages her put down the book. Give reader moments of intensity, but also allow her to catch her breath.

7. Every scene should have a purpose. In a romance, each scene should further the romance. Be very picky about what you put in your book. Remember, you are the mistress of your universe and can condense, compress, or expand time.

8. Use transitions to move past the mundane.

9. The French author Gustave Flaubert said to convince a reader that something is important, it must be mentioned three times. For important points, think in threes: Foreshadow the point; reinforce the point; have the character act on the point.

10. Familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of three-act structure (beginning, middle and end); pay special attention to turning points and hooks.

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Award winning author, Nancy Robards Thompson has reinvented herself numerous times. She’s worked myriad jobs including newspaper reporter, television show stand-in, production and extras casting for movies, and several mind-numbing jobs in the fashion industry and public relations. She earned a degree in journalism only to realize reporting “just the facts” bored her silly. Much more content to report to her muse, Nancy has found Nirvana doing what she loves most – writing contemporary and historical women’s fiction full-time. After hanging up her press pass, this two-time nominee for the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart won the award in July 2002. Since then, she’s gone on to sell thirteen books, which critics have deemed, “…funny, smart and observant.” Nancy’s historical women’s fiction novel, With Violets, which is written as Elizabeth Robards, (Avon A trade paperback) and her first Silhouette Special Edition, Accidental Princess (written as Nancy Robards Thompson) are available now. Harlequin will release Accidental Diva in 2009 and two more Special Editions in early 2010. For more, please visit her website at NancyRobardsThompson.com.

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 11th, 2008 at 6:00 am and is filed under Julie. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.