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Q&A How to combat "uneven writing density"?

"Uneven writing density" is something that happens to me too, in my first draft. Then I go and add material where I've got only a skeleton, trim the excessive fat. One thing I found is, sometimes ...

posted 6y ago by Galastel‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-12T21:57:30Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/40176
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T10:11:35Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/40176
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T10:11:35Z (almost 5 years ago)
"Uneven writing density" is something that happens to me too, in my first draft. Then I go and add material where I've got only a skeleton, trim the excessive fat.

One thing I found is, sometimes the "excess" from one part can be grafted onto a "skeletal" part. For example, I might have a small scene of brotherly affection between two characters. It's nice in and of itself, but it slows the overall pacing, so it has to go. Later on in the story, there's not enough flesh, so this scene might come in as a memory. Or, I might just reuse a joke from the deleted scene in a new setting.

When I trim, my main consideration is pacing. So, I make a mental note of what it is I'm excising (interaction between two characters, some bit of foreshadowing, an introduction of a worldbuilding concept etc.) and I use this as a guide for what I need to bring back to the story. Those are the elements I'd try to introduce in the places that need "filling up".

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-11-15T18:07:35Z (about 6 years ago)
Original score: 2