Author:
Hi!
So, as the name suggests, I have some questions about pacing!
When I write, I have a lot of trouble doing time-skips. I love writing detailed scenes and putting in as much information as possible, but I always have trouble moving on from those scenes, so I kind of keep the story going throughout and end up moving important scenes up so I don't have to time-skip.
Like, a character finds fifty dollars and is going to spend it shopping next week, I don't want it to take that long, I can't do a timeskip so I move it up to the next day or even in a couple of hours. Even though that kind of messes up my plans a bit (a bad example, actually. Agh)
I'm worried this makes my stories feel rushed or drag out way too long as I detail scenes that don't need to happen, or go into too much detail about certain things. Like, my most recent story it took ten chapters just to pass from one day to the next, and 40,000 words. And now I feel like too much stuff happened and I rushed it, and am worried about the same thing happening in future chapters (if you're reading that story, The Waitress, I would really appreciate feedback on this :) Because, like, the name of the story is The Waitress and Alex hasn't even seen the cafe yet! Agh. I feel like that's a problem)
I guess, what I'm asking is is this okay? The way it's going now all of my novels would be hundreds of thousands of words long and only take place over a couple of weeks, whereas I'd imagine books usually that size take place over months or years.
I know this is a huge sin as a writer, but I actually don't read all that much >.> So I don't have a lot of books for frame of reference? If anyone knows of good books with similar styles of mine, like I've described, I'd really appreciate it!
I do read, but I primarily read fantasy and at the moment I'm in a gap where my authors (Robin Hobb, Patrick Rothfuss, Jim butcher, Brandon Sanderson) haven't released new books. I read a TON of graphic novels and manga though, if that counts.
If this is a problem, then I need to learn how to time-skip, get better at pacing. Which probably means reading more books and doing research! Yaa..
Comments
Editing
It doesn't lend itself to how stories are posted here but problems like this in commercial fiction are fixed in the editing cycle. But frankly, at BC, people seem to like to take a long time on sequence and detail. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Ohh, that makes sense! I
Ohh, that makes sense! I guess it's something I shouldn't worry about until I actually finish the story then, and find an editor to help with it if I want to take it that far.
Thankyou :)
Not a fox
time
I like your detailed discussions. I don't understand the problem with time skips. That was then, this is now, in between is for the reader's imagination. Easiest writing you will ever do.
Now that you mention it, it does seem like an awful lot is happening in a very short time, and in reality would probably be more spaced out. But it doesn't really detract from the story much. As Erin stated, this is one of the functions of editing and may need to wait till the editor gets an overview of the whole story (ie. it's finished). Your problem is why almost all good writers are avid readers, you may have to become one.
Thankyou :)
Thankyou :)
It is definitely something I need to leave to an editor when I finish the story. I just need to focus on finishing it!
And I do definitely need to start reading more >.>
Not a fox
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I used to have that problem but now use three asterisks on a new line.
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It's a simple device and makes it clear there's a break. You can effortlessly jump an hour or a decade, or to another part of the world.
My experience is that whilst some readers enjoy reading long stories, the majority (including me) do not. My most successful stories are my shortest, with my highest kudos rating by far, being just 2,500 words.
I'm not familiar with your stories but if you're taking 40,000 words to say very little, that explains it.
Heck, if you have 100 words that say nothing then strike them out. Many professionals reckon the more you delete, the better the work becomes.