Proper pacing of your plot is a key element to grabbing and keeping your reader’s attention. Sharing enough information so your reader can follow along, while also keeping the story moving forward so your readers don’t grow bored will create the perfect balance and the proper pacing for your story.
You will need to slow down in some scenes and speed up in others. But how do you know when to do this, and how exactly do you execute it properly?
No Infodumping, Please!
While backstory plays a key role in developing your protagonist and explaining their feelings and motivations, no one likes a mass infodump at the beginning of the story. At that point, your reader doesn’t yet have a reason to care.
Instead, weave the backstory throughout the plot where it fits organically. What catalyst could connect the present story with a vital piece of the backstory? For example, what could happen right now to trigger a core memory for your protagonist? How is this memory directly related to what is currently happening? And even more importantly, is this part of the backstory important to your overall plot?
This interweaving of backstory can be done through memories or flashbacks, but be sure to clarify it is a flashback and resist the temptation to use this technique too often, otherwise it can become jarring or confusing for your reader. If your story is one that goes back and forth in time a lot, consider alternating present and past on a chapter level and adding a date or time stamp as the chapter heading.
An even simpler way to introduce elements from the past is through dialogue and interactions with other characters while keeping the reader grounded in the present story.
(Learn more in Flashbacks vs. Backstory.)
Determine a Central Conflict
The central conflict works best when the external conflict ties into the protagonist’s internal conflict. You can encourage your reader to become invested in your protagonist by showing their vulnerabilities and making them relatable. This will cause the reader to want to see the best outcome for them, especially when they fall into conflict, which is essential to drive the story forward.
It’s important to set up the conflict early on—what does the character want that they can’t have? (Hint: this also works well with your villain if you want to create a deeper story for them.)
(Learn more in Character-Driven Plot.)
Craft Solid Scenes
Be cautious of filler, which does not serve a greater purpose for the story and instead only serves to increase your word count. These are the parts of the story where you will lose your readers. They will either feel misled (Wait, you introduced the barista in depth only to drop them completely out of the story?) or they will feel bored (Ugh! What is the point of this scene? Move on already!).
In the words of Kurt Vonnegut, “Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the story.” You want to make sure your story is always moving forward. It can be difficult to cut things you’ve worked so hard on, but killing your darlings doesn’t have to be so painful if you reframe it. I highly recommend creating a “Maybe” doc where you can save any filler excerpts. In this manner, you aren’t simply pressing delete and sending it into oblivion, but merely setting it aside for a future project. As a bonus, these excerpts might even help to inspire a new book idea when you browse them later on.
Using foreshadow is another great tool, but make sure to follow through with it so as not to leave your reader confused or disappointed. And remember, just like at any good party, you want to arrive late and leave early. In other words, jump right into the action at the beginning of the scene, and be sure to leave before it fizzles out and dissolves into mundane activities or dialogue.
(Learn more in Cause-&-Effect Trajectory in Plotting.)
Raise the Stakes
What will the character lose if they don’t get what they want? Great, now increasingly raise the stakes and sense of urgency as the story progresses toward the climax.
You can increase the tension through a ticking clock (e.g., they have to find the cure by midnight or else they’re stuck that way forever), increased danger (e.g., now there are two monsters after them and they’re running toward a cliff with nowhere else to go), or giving them what they thought they wanted only to find out it’s not what they actually need (e.g., they got the man of their dreams only to realize he’s a self-centered snob). Gasp! How will they get out of this situation?
Build to a Climax
As you near the end of your book, you need to have a climax in which the ultimate conflict comes to a head. During this part, your main character should have a flaw that gets tested. Think misplaced trust, or maybe they’re unlucky or shy (check out this extensive list of 123 Ideas for Character Flaws).
Raise both the internal and external conflicts to build tension, which will result in a greater sense of fulfillment once it’s resolved. Keep in mind that longer sentences will slow the pace, while shorter sentences and dialogue can create a sense of urgency, so use them appropriately in the right scenes.
Quick Tips
A quick pace will keep your reader’s attention, but there are certainly moments where a slower pace is needed too. You must find a balance to achieve proper pacing.
For Slowing the Pace
Create vertical movement by adding depth, texture, mood, tension, and emotional resonance.
- Lengthen your sentences and paragraphs
- Use more detailed descriptions (stop and smell the roses!)
- Introduce elements of backstory through flashbacks, memories, sharing with another character, etc. (but be sure to weave it in rather than infodump!)
- Add in subplots (these must eventually tie in with the main plot)
- Include introspection into how your protagonist is feeling or what they are thinking (also helpful in developing character)
For Increasing the Pace
Create horizontal movement by grounding the reader in the present and moving the character or story forward.
- Shorten your sentences and paragraphs
- Introduce action to increase the sense of urgency and make use of cliffhangers
- Include more dialogue
- Remove filler scenes or sentences that don’t serve a larger purpose in the narrative (every sentence must develop character or drive the story forward)
- Use active voice, which is direct and concise (“She wrote a book” vs. “The book was written by her.”)
Additional Resources
- Reedsy has a video (approximately 1 hour) with editor Anna Bierhaus, where she discusses pacing by breaking it down into four main points.
- 123 Ideas for Character Flaws
- Check out my other Tips for Writers articles along this topic:
- Your editor can help! I can guide you by pointing out exactly where your manuscript needs to speed up and where it needs to slow down. I will even offer specific tips and suggestions for how to achieve this and find that perfect balance to optimize your pacing.
Red Quill Editorial LLC
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