Of Pacing, Tension and the All-Important Artistry of Holding the Reader’s Attention…a
Posted by Anjuelle Floyd | Filed under Articles and Essays, anjuellefloyd.com
Author, Ken Follett, writes, “There is a rule which says that the story should turn about every four to six pages. A story turn is anything that changes the basic dramatic situation. It can change it in a little way or change it in a big way. …You can’t go longer than about six pages without a story turn, otherwise the reader will get bored. … Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, follows the same rule. In Dickens it’s the same; something happens about every four to six pages.”
The author of at least 20 novels, many of which are thrillers that have achieved international success, this list includes Follett’s well-received historical works, The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, the latter of which made the New York Times Best Seller List.
Adapted for film, The Pillars of the Earth debuted July 23, 2010 on Starz as a mini-series.
When it comes to pacing, Follett’s admonishments are well taken. But what is he really talking about?
Pacing. Read the rest of this entry…
Tags: action, arc, attention, build, causality, cause-and-effect, character development, Charles Dickens, conflict, engagement, Jane Austen, Ken Follet, pacing, plot, Pride and Prejudice, protagonist, reaction, reader, tension, The Pillars of the Earth, thriller, timing, transformation, World Without End, writer
Preparing for the Journey
Posted by Anjuelle Floyd | Filed under Articles and Essays
“At heart, despite its infinite variety, the hero’s story is always a journey.” –Christopher Vogler, “The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers” It helps to have a map, itinerary, or even hotel reservations when setting out on a journey. The writer works with symbols that settle reader in for the journey.
Tags: balance, beginning, book cover, change, chaos, Christopher Vogler, destination, dialogue, drama, dream state, elements of fiction, engaging novel, interest, internal state, itinerary, journey, mapy writer, Mythic Structure for Writers, opening lines, pacing, prose, questions, rest, scenery, sentence structure, story, supporting cast, symbols, The Writer's Journey, title characterization, tone, travel guide
Facebook
GoodReads
LinkedIn
MySpace
Scribd
Shelfari
Twitter
YouTube
Loading ...