The sound came from outside the cabin. A snap, like that of a twig under a heavy boot. She stared at the curtain from her position in bed, waiting for a shadow to cross in front of the window, while her heart galloped inside her chest like a wild horse. Did she dare investigate? Did she have time to search for a weapon? Perhaps it was just a curious animal. Or perhaps they had found her hiding place.

What is pacing?

- the speed at which a story progresses

Readers expect a story's pace to move quickly during moments of intense action, like when the villain is chasing the hero through a cornfield wielding a chainsaw. On the other hand, if a character is experiencing a moment of reflection about a lost love, or they are deciding whether to open the door to a stranger, the pacing of that scene should slow down, giving readers a chance to reflect with them.

Pacing that follows the mood of the story can enhance a reader's experience, luring them through the drama using a number of techniques, including scene structure and precisely chosen words.

Pacing sets the mood

- Good pacing helps to convey the mood of a scene

Not only can pacing affect how a reader interprets a character's feelings, but the mood of a setting or event can be enhanced with thoughtful and deliberate pacing.

Pacing takes into account how and when information is shared throughout a story. Deliver a piece of dialogue too quickly and the sentiment loses impact. Move too slowly through an exciting scene and you risk boring your readers. Take mystery writers, for example, their storyline depends on delivering details to the reader in a specific way at a specific time.

8 pacing techniques and how to incorporate them into your story

1. Vary the length or your sentences and paragraphs

This is likely the top pacing tip you'll ever hear. The length of a sentence controls the pace of the story. Imagine the difference between a paragraph-long sentence and a five word phrase. One is quick and easy to digest, and the other requires more attention. Is your character pacing the hall, worried about asking their beloved to marry them? This often requires longer, weightier sentences, thus slowing the pace. Or perhaps they are dueling on the backs of dragons with magical swords. An action scene like this will require shorter, punchier sentences to reflect the urgency of the situation.

2. Use more detail to slow down pace

Adding descriptive words will naturally slow the reader's pace and can be useful for bringing their attention to something important. Do you want them to learn that your character loves roses? Or perhaps the cute florist who sells them? Using descriptive language can help to develop a character or immerse the reader in a setting. This 'slow motion' scene can also be effective when it's connected to an action scene, heightening suspense and setting up the climactic moment.

3. Control pace and develop characters through introspection

Revealing a character's motivations through introspection and reflection will draw your readers in as much as that killer hook. The most exciting plot can still fall flat if readers don't understand or care about the characters.

Listening to a character talk to themself slows the pacing of a story, which is not a bad thing when you want your reader to pay attention. However, if done carefully, this technique can also be injected during moments of duress, let's say when a character is being forced to confess something at gunpoint and we hear their internal monologue. Don't be afraid to show their personality through language and slang they only use on themselves.

If you choose to use flashbacks to convey a character's motivations, be sure they are absolutely necessary. Flashbacks not only slow the pacing, they can disorient the reader. If you use them, make them brief and make every word count.

4. Change the order of events

Have you ever had a story drop you in the middle of the action then take you back to when it all started? This is a common pacing method for writers. Some will even include a prologue for this. When filling in those gaps, you'll want to slowly drop hints. Reader's will keep reading just to satisfy their curiosity. Starting the story at an unexpected place or time can also help writers when they are stuck.

5. Keep characters moving during dialogue

Dialogue is critical to fiction writing, but too much at once can kill the pacing of a story. Just like us, your characters are clenching or scratching or leaning when they speak. Include small actions during dialogue and you will keep your readers' imaginations engaged as you supply them with information. And this is not limited to character actions. Perhaps the conversation is taking place at a bustling train station with all its distractions.

6. Reveal plot points and information selectively

Leave your readers in a state of suspense by handing out story details in small doses. The hook can be considered among the first of these details to appear in your story. When done cleverly, this is the pacing blueprint for all good thrillers. You can hold your readers hostage by using dialogue, character reactions, and discoveries to answer a question and ask another one.

For instance, you might sneak a clue into a pile of descriptions, hiding it in plain sight, like the butler explaining the mansion's many features, including the grandfather clock of unknown origin, which later comes to life and terrorizes the occupants.

7. Throw a wrench into the works

Characters should take two steps forward and one set back. If life is going along too smoothly for them, your readers are likely to get bored. Some writers find it helpful to keep pacing notes on significant details revealed in each chapter. This helps them visualize where they might have let the story or the character off the hook.

8. Perform a pacing edit

Pacing is not something that can be easily measured until the story is finished. Your first draft will have pacing issues that need to be fixed. Here's where it's useful to step away from the story for two weeks, at minimum. When you come back, you'll be able to read it with fresh eyes.

If it helps, break down the work into scenes or chapters, then focus on the momentum of the story as you read. Is there enough action? Is there too much? Are there moments of reflection and revelation? Did you leave clues in the right places? Did you rush through a scene and the sentiment got lost?

📌PRO TIP: Don't forget that a trusted beta reader can also help you find pacing issues, especially if you're having trouble seeing them yourself.