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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/40734
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I have learned over the past fifteen months of writing fiction that every scene needs to have tension and advance the plot.

This is good. But, I find that as I read my novel (again and again) to identify and address weaknesses, I become sort of... overloaded on any given day. Like the advancement of each scene is another chunk I carry forward. It is advancement, make no mistake. Each scene provides another puzzle piece or resolution, another mystery solved or twist.

Another chunk.

**(Edit: To clarify: these plot advancements are not all thrills and death. Some are cementing a friendship that needs to be cemented, or reaching a personal goal to address/overcome the 'shadow' of the protagonist. They advance the plot. That does not mean that they are fights or what not.)**

It's hard for me to read (and edit) more than about eight chapters of my novel at a go. But those eight chapters are solid, and the next day I'm ready to edit eight more. The edits are word smithing--I think all the structural stuff is solid.

So the question is: Why do I feel 'full' when reading/editing eight chapters on a given day? On the one hand this makes sense to me because those eight chapters (about 12 scenes) has twelve plot advancements. On the other hand, I believe we are aiming for page-turners. Should I be concerned that after eight chapters on any day I am sort of ... 'full?'

Another way to ask this is: Is the goal that a reader should be able to page-turn the entire novel at one go? And if not, what page-count is the target? I know that sounds stupid. I trust you to grok the sentiment.

**Additional edit, there are exactly two 'fight' scenes in the entire novel, and one death scene. This is not a hollywood action film--that's not what I am saying.**

Original score: 6