Writing Pace and Rhythm And How To Control Them

You always make me think.....with your great "food for thought" hubs. I also find that I have happy thoughts as I read most of your hubs....like the fact that I learned to drive with an automatic car, but soon owned a standard, which I loved and drove for several years.....

I'm through Amish Country quite often and all kidding aside, have decided, they definitely have the best means of transportation!

Oh yeah.....the main gist of your hub.....interesting & educational as always. UP+++

I was on the every word of this post, Bill. I love your advice on the short chapters. Today, most readers want fast-paced action, similar to the movie script. There is not a buton for Excellent - but I vote this post more than that!

If I ever write a book I'll remember this...especially the tip about having characters do something that regular guys do to slow down the book little bit. It definitely makes a character more real and I do read books from time to time where the character never slows down and I find myself wondering what the deal is.

Wow, these are great tips for a writer. Thank you for sharing this with us Bill.

Hope you are having a lovely weekend. Sending you blessings and smiles :-)

Packed with more great tips, Bill. And you broke down your tips into short subtopics just like the short chapters you mentioned. I love books by authors that have short chapters. It can be an extremely long book but the short chapters make it fly by.

Thanks for another writing workshop Bill.

Have a lovely Sunday my Friend. Many Angels are on the way to you and Bev.

Bill,

My writing instructor always told me unless you are James Joyce never write long chapters, long sentences and long paragraphs. If I'm to judge my work, I think I write terrible dialogues. I know the techniques, but I cannot write crisp dialogues, perhaps because I don't use English in my everyday communication.

Great advice, bill! Thanks.

Great metaphor, Bill, which provoked fun (?)-filled memories. I learned to drive (won't say what year it was) in a car with manual transmission - the gear shift was attached to the floor. Ah, those were the days!

Excellent! These are god ways to keep readers engauged, while you are aware of what gear you are in.

Thanks I can use some of these techniques in my writing.

Hi Bill,

What I find funny is that WE are not used to automatic here! LOL Most drive manual and do their test on manual. MJ has his Daimler which is automatic and so different to drive, pure luxury! Great idea comparing the driving and writing because it is true! How you come up so many different aspects to this wonderful craft is amazing. Changing pace keeps it interesting for the reader and the writer!

Yes, "billy boy" you have helped, as always. I just love driving a stick, as that is what I learned to drive on to begin with, and I think all should know how to drive one in case of an emergency when that may be what is only around.

I know you will find this hard to believe, but when I was young, I actually considered being a female race car driver, as I was a little fast in those days ... hehehe ... that is ...when driving my stick shift vehicle. It was such fun, but I know better now to slow down. Boy, could I tell you some stories (well, there's a thought) of being young and living in Tampa, Flordia, after I was just married, and I had a person following me after I left the grocery store ... as I noticed him in the store and then when I came out, he was right there and he started driving his yellow beetle VW around in circles around my car, (before cellphone days : ) ..anyway, I ran to my car, locked the doors and left him in the dirt! LOL I knew not to go back to our little apartment for my husband was off on tour duty at the time, but I lost that weirdo in my dust .... We still have one stick shift.

Anyway, back to the subject, I love it when I read a poem and it feels like I am reading so very face due to the pace and then WOW ... the end! Exhilarating!!!

Blessings, Faith Reaper

Awesome hub, Bill and fantastic advice. I especially like the voting options- those were hilarious! Your description on how to control pace was extremely well-written and easy to follow. Not an easy thing to explain, but you pulled it off wonderfully.

Thanks for sharing!

Liz

Since I have been reading all of your writing hubs I have paid more attention to other's writing...I was reading a new mystery writer and getting bored very quickly with trite language and unnecessary comments by the characters. Probably will not finish the book even though it started out good..way downhill. I love all the advice ....Cannot wait till the total book is out...

Great advice as usual Billy! I like to think about when I was on a mock crime scene in my criminal law class. Everything was in the details. You had to write fast descriptions to not miss any notes while moving carefully around the evidence.

LOVE THIS, BILL! As a race car fan and as a creative person this got me firing all cylinders this evening.

Once again, great advice. When I got to the part about dream sequences I'm glad to see you're not one of those people who yell about not using them at all. I think that was one element of my first novel that may have been a turn off to agents, but my readers seem to like them because they tell the back-story of the characters in context with the overall plot.

I feel like leaving the gas station with the tank full.

So true no matter what you're writing! Even business writing does not have to be boring. Using some of these pacing techniques can be useful.

Interestingly, when you were talking about cutting to new scenes, the principle also applies to video editing. One would think that every scene should artfully blend from one to the next with fades and other tricks. But that actually looks unnatural, odd as that sounds. Quick cuts actually emulate human attention more than one would expect.

Great hub filled with most useful, points in the writing field lots to learn from you.

Excellent suggestions Bill. I know what you mean about a manual transmission as well. Driving 80,000 Lb. tractor trailers makes one well versed in the sounds of the engine and the road!

Mark

Writing with Power by Peter Elbow was a textbook from my honors English class in college. Fun to see it mentioned and remember college days!

Bill - It's so much fun to read your hubs for the dazzling metaphors that I sometimes read one through quickly for the enjoyment aspect, then re-read to grasp the ideas.

Another excellent lesson. Voted Up+++

Jaye

Hi Bill, this is a really helpful article! You have great suggestions and your explanations are thorough. Its one of those topics that you don't necessarily think about when you are in the moment writing, but if you were blessed to have an editor--they most definitely would be checking. I'm bookmarking this one! Thanks again!

I've been driving a stick shift since I was 18. It's real driving.

You've become a master of metaphors!

Bill, I read and re-read all of your wonderful informative hubs. But,

when I go into the 'zone' and my head is down looking at the keypad, I write by instinct alone. When I go back through to edit, I check for obvious errors and thought clarity. I honestly cannot be sure I am following all this great advice.

So much to learn---so little time.

I will keep on keeping on.

Thanks again for all this good advice.

DJ.

Hi Bill. Even though I've been gone for a few weeks I see nothing has changed, you are still helping other to become better writers. As I slowly transition back into my daily routine I look forward to reading your words of wisdom. Thanks for all you do, it's great to be back. Bill

billy, I am likening this to an exercise routine: first the warmup, then the rev up, then the cool down....and then you do it all over again! Love all your advice and wisdom, having never even thought about pace before. It's amazing how much I don't know about this writing gig, and how much you are elevating me as I continue to ascend on this journey!

Blessings my friend ;) Pearl

Voted Up++++

Once more, you have written a helpful Hub. Combined with your humor, it makes it all the more useful.

By the way, I drive a Sonoma truck with manual, although it does have a light to tell me when to shift. I still prefer to listen to the rhythm and rev of the motor as my prompt. After all, I see the hill up ahead and the light does not have a clue, nor does it tell me when to downshift.

As someone who lives life barreling down the California Interstates with a cup of hot coffee in one hand, texting with the other and steering with my knees I take umbrage with your comments about automatic transmissions and what they say about my manhood. Obviously I could take your advice about controlling the pace, however. Please don't forward this message to the CHP. Outstanding hub!

Bill, you are a pro, when it comes to writing advice!

Bill, at 56 I should know how to drive a stick. I learned how to drive in a 1962 Cadillac (try parallel parking that monster!) and have driven automatics since. My sister, who is 10 years younger than I, insists on manual transmissions.

Huge help and great tips. I just pinned this, because I so referring back to when I need to. Thanks Bill and hoping you are having a wonderful day now!

I'm relieved you added the disclaimer about automatic transmissions, Bill. I don't know how to drive a stick! Anyway, I love your advice. I never really correlated hard consonants with speed, but you're absolutely right. The natural reaction is to quicken your pace as you read. The heart gets pumping and anticipation keeps the reader turning the pages until the story slows long enough to catch his breath.

Great tips! Now, I'm going to see what George Weir has to say.