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Plot doesn't have to move at an even speed. Just as you can slow-motion over an important battle, you can speed up over long periods of time. A couple of paragraphs evoking boredom: staring at the ...
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#4: Attribution notice removed
by
System
·
2019-12-12T21:57:19Z (about 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/33969 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added
by
System
·
2019-12-08T08:12:44Z (about 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/33969 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision
Plot doesn't have to move at an even speed. Just as you can slow-motion over an important battle, you can speed up over long periods of time. A couple of paragraphs evoking boredom: staring at the rain, practising magic, staring at nature some more, counting days, whatever. Then move on to whatever ends the monotony. A lull in the action is also a great time for your character to do some introspection: what do they think about the situation they are in? Are they afraid? Angry at something? Expectant of some even to occur? Maybe they reflect on the path that brought them to this point, and draw new understanding, that they didn't have time for earlier, in the heat of the moment. Your novel doesn't need to be a roller-coaster. The slower places let your reader reflect on what your character has experienced so far, and where they are going next. So, ultimately, it is up to you: give the slow part as much meat as you feel it needs, and then skip on to the next interesting part.
#1: Imported from external source
by
System
·
2018-03-05T00:07:50Z (almost 7 years ago)
Original score: 27