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The Secret Weapon of Bestsellers: Level Up Your Pacing
Manage episode 405795307 series 3383978
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What is Pacing?
- More about rhythm than speed
- Reader engagement is key - avoid sections that feel like a slog
- Different genres have different pacing expectations (e.g., thrillers vs. literary fiction)
Crafting Pacing
- Sentence Length: Short = fast, Long = slow
- Active Voice & Description: "Show, don't tell" keeps things moving
- Paragraph Length: Vary length and break up long blocks of text
- Formatting: Use sparingly - long quotes, italics, footnotes
- Series Writing: Consider ongoing elements that won't become burdensome
- Information Reveal: Control the flow of information for suspense
- Chapter Endings: Cliffhangers or unresolved conflicts keep readers hooked
- Dialogue: Natural delivery to reveal character and advance plot
- Vary length for pacing: short = tension, long = build relationships
Improving Pacing
- Self-Review: Re-read your work - identify boring sections
- Revision: Experiment and refine pacing - big edits are OK
- Read & Watch: Learn from your genre & films - analyze pacing techniques
- Comparative Analysis: Compare your pacing to published works (page-by-page)
- Cheat Sheet: Check out the podcast's resource for key pacing tips
Remember:
- Pacing is an iterative process that improves with practice and revision.
- Keep reading, experimenting, and revising to master pacing in your writing.
Bonus:
- Support the podcast and explore their resources for more writing advice!
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Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!
Chapters
1. Crafting Compelling Pacing in Writing (00:00:00)
2. Mastering Dialogue, Pacing, and Suspense (00:10:25)
3. Podcast Highlights and Upcoming Episode (00:20:00)
124 episodes
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