Description
This class is part of our “Summer Novel Series,” a variety of single-session classes on Thursday evenings designed to tackle one element of novel writing in each class. You can take one class, pick and choose, or take all of them! You can find all other classes in the series here.
Pacing is the most important factor in how a story feels to its readers. Which sections are the most memorable? Which parts feel immersive and true, and which seem distant or vague? The reader’s experience of any narrative is governed by the author’s use of scene, summary, and the flow of time.
And yet, many writers struggle with the question of pacing, both conceptually and practically. In this class, we will break the larger idea of pacing down into fundamentals. We will talk about the different story speeds and how each one can function on the page. We will explore scene, summary, and the problematic idea of “Show, don’t tell.” (Spoiler alert: Telling is just as important as showing!) Participants will leave with a greater understanding of what pacing is, how it works, and how to use it to greatest effect in their own writing.
