Feb 17, 2011

Wannabe Writers #44 (Pacing)


Wannabe Writers is an Internet writing group. Everyone is welcome to join. It's a place to meet other writers, ask questions, and get feedback.

Here's the deal. I've stopped doing my post weekly (on Saturdays) and have started doing them basically whenever I feel the need. So if you still follow my Wannabe Writer posts then feel free to do the same and then just link below whenever you write your own post.

Where I am in the writing process: Unpublished. Still. UGH!
My current problem(s): Pacing. I recently made some changes in my current novel to make it happen over the course of a week. There are no longer chapters but sections Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. Then I just kind of have page breaks to divide it throughout the different days. I have no idea if this was a mistake or not.
My question this week: Pacing? I've been writing for 2 and a half years now and I still can't figure this thing out... Also, do you really have to have 'normal' chapters?

6 comments:

Miranda Hardy said...

I don't think there are such things as "normal" chapters. It's a subjective matter, really. Write the chapters how you feel it best develops the story and don't worry so much about "traditional" methods.

Keep writing!

Unknown said...

I don't have a post about this (I doubt I could ever write a successful book), but I just wanted to say that I love it when I read a book with chapters that don't fit the "norm." When done right, I think it add a lot to the story. Plus, sometimes I get very tired of the norm.

Just my two cents! :)

Laura Pauling said...

Pacing is hard to get so don't feel discouraged. And no chapters don't have to be normal. They can be diary entries. Or time entries. Or chapters.

Have you read Scene and Structure by Jack Bickham? One of the best books out there on how the structure of your scenes affect pacing!

Witless Exposition said...

I think as long as you have some sort of stopping point for readers you're doing fine. It sounds like you have that in place with your page breaks. I know I have a hard time stopping in the middle of a chapter, which can be difficult in older novels with 50 page chapters!

Patricia JL said...

I got rid of chapters in my one MS. Instead if I have parts w/ *** for breaks. I think it works out fine and that's what you have to do, look at it both ways with normal chapters and with what you want to do and figure out what reads better.

sarah darlington said...

Thanks guys! I feel much better now about how I've been doing it. :)