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Top Tips On How To Control The Pacing Of Your Story

By Mackenzie Harrison

The pacing of your story is everything. Regardless of the genre of book you’re writing, controlling the pace of your story is important. You don’t want to move the story along too quickly, as your readers will feel like you’re rushing it. You also don’t want to move too slowly, as it’ll feel like you’re dragging the story on, and your readers might become bored. Pacing is how quickly a story moves. It’s not just the rhythm of the story but also refers to how quickly characters develop, character arcs, plots, etc. Controlling the pace will keep your audience locked in on your story and build tension. Below, we’ll discuss top tips that’ll help you control the pacing of your story. 

Focus On Details Of Your Story

When writing, you’ll want to include details throughout. You’ll want to add details about the setting, characters, and situations they are going through. You won’t want to go into detail overload, but adding in-depth details will help connect the reader to the book and make it feel more thought out. It also won’t make it feel so rushed. 

Allow Enough Time For Character Development

Character development is incredibly important in a story. Readers become invested in a character. They want to see them go through a tough situation but cheer them on as they overcome it and grow. Readers love to see what motivates the characters and see the person they become in the end. When writing, you should give plenty of time to introduce the character, let the reader see how they interact with other characters, learn their flaws and goals, and how they develop throughout the entire story. Character development allows the reader to connect and makes the story feel more realistic. Rushing character development could make the story feel too sped up, and the reader won’t have a chance to fall in love with the character. 

Control The Pace Of Your Sentences

It’s important to learn the balance of long and short sentences. If you use too many long sentences, it can feel like the story is dragging on and could confuse the reader. More than likely, they’ll have to keep rereading long sentences due to missed information. If the sentences are constantly too short, it can feel unnatural. You should use short sentences to express urgency. 

Take Inventory Of How You Think The Pacing Is

If you feel like the story is moving along too quickly, more than likely it is. If you believe the story seems rushed, your readers probably will, too. Don’t be afraid to ask a peer or a loved one to read your story. They can gauge the pacing of your story and provide you with feedback. Getting an outside opinion could help. 

In Conclusion

In conclusion, it takes practice to find the right pacing for your story but these tips will help you find balance in writing your story. Once you’ve finished your story, you need the right graphic to promote your book. You need a graphic that stands out and captivates your audience. With Book Brush, you’ll find countless stunning templates that you can easily use to promote your book. In combination with your incredible story and unique ads, your book will be a double threat! Your audience won’t be able to resist reading it.

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