Asked by: Julie Lee

How do you slow down the pace of your story?

Let’s take a look at 5 techniques to slow down the pace:

1. Lengthen your sentences. …
2. Add descriptions. …
3. Include subplots. …
4. Use flashbacks and backstory. …
5. Add more introspection. …
6. Shorten your sentences. …
7. Use more dialogue. …
8. Remove (or limit) secondary subplots.

Why does my story go so fast?

First of all, your story might be unfolding too quickly (or not quickly enough) because it’s your first draft. My first drafts are very stripped down, so I have to do a lot of adding to them. I have to slow down the story. Many other writers write too much in their first draft and have to take stuff out.

How do you slow down a moment in writing?

You write I shot the ball in the hoop time slowed down then we won. To read that takes two seconds therefore your reader imagines a scene that takes. Two second ball goes up comes down done.

How do you make a story not repetitive?

6 Ways to Avoid Repetition in Your Writing

1. Read or listen to your book out loud.
2. Avoid overused words.
3. Use a thesaurus.
4. Rotate your characters’ names for pronouns.
5. Repetition isn’t only about words. Think sentence variation.
6. Sometimes it’s okay to use the same word.
7. Do this now:

What is one way a writer can slow down the pacing of a story?

Another way to slow down the pacing – especially for a single moment that you want to highlight – is to heighten the attention to detail. Think of a slow-motion movie shot. This kind of shot amps up the focus on each visual aspect, allowing the viewer to experience a single moment in exquisite detail.

How do you know if a story is good?

What Makes a Good Story?

1. Theme. A theme is something important the story tries to tell us—something that might help us in our own lives. …
2. Plot. Plot is most often about a conflict or struggle that the main character goes through. …
3. Story Structure. …
4. Characters. …
5. Setting. …
6. Style and Tone.

Is a fast paced story good?

A fast-paced story keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eager to know what’s happening. There’s a lot of action. The storytelling is vivid and dramatic. In contrast, a slow-paced story is more atmospheric.

How do you know if my book is too fast paced?

You know if it’s going too fast if your readers tell you that, or, if after your readers finish they didn’t walk away with the impressions you wanted them to because there wasn’t enough space for your ideas to grow before you moved on from them.

What is pacing in writing?

Pacing refers to how fast or slow the story is moving for the reader. This is determined by the length of a scene and the speed at which you, the writer, distribute information.

What makes a story weak?

What makes a plot weak or strong depends on a variety of components. Strong stories have a good balance of character, plot, and setting. If you have way too much of one and too few of the others, your story could feel off. Keep in mind that genre is important to consider when looking at plot and pacing.

What makes a bad short story?

Packing in too much plot.



A short story that tries to do too much will feel simultaneously overloaded and underdeveloped. The heart (or focus) of the story gets lost in the many distractions of tangential plotlines. The fix: Explore your own motivations and intentions.

What makes a story good or bad?

A good story should make us ‘feel’ sad or happy, awkward or tense, excited or happy, hopeful or disappointed, or a combination of any of those emotions. A lousy story won’t do any of these things – or worse, it will make an audience feel the ‘wrong’ emotion.

How can I write a better story?

The Top 10 Tips For Writing Great Short Stories

1. Understand that a short story is not the same as a novel. …
2. Start as close to the end as possible. …
3. Keep up the pace. …
4. Keep the number of characters small. …
5. Give the reader someone to root for. …
6. Create conflict! …
7. Suggest a backstory but don’t elaborate. …
8. Appeal to the five senses.

What should you not do when making a story?

Avoid making common mistakes by following these writing tips:

1. Don’t write sporadically. …
2. Don’t ignore story structure. …
3. Don’t second guess yourself. …
4. Don’t abandon your first novel. …
5. Don’t pigeon-hole your process. …
6. Don’t start off slow. …
7. Don’t switch POV. …
8. Don’t create flat characters.

What makes a boring book?

Many writers spend too much time developing characters that get killed off early in the story. They also show good luck charms, objects, or places we never see again. These factors, along with an interesting but ultimately irrelevant history, all make appearances in boring stories.

How do you make a story not cringe?

6 Tips to Avoid and Fix Bad Writing

1. Read Out Loud. This is the first step to checking your piece for awkward writing: read it out loud. …
2. Shorten Your Sentences. One of the best ways to avoid awkward writing is to take out every unnecessary word, phrase, and sentence. …
3. Be Specific. …
4. Re-Word. …
5. Tighten. …
6. Delete.

What is a good story plot?

A strong plot is centered on one moment—an interruption of a pattern, a turning point, or an action—that raises a dramatic question, which must be answered throughout the course of the story. This is also known as plot A.