Season 2, Episode 48: Pacing
IN THIS EPISODE
This week's discussion revolves around the pacing in Abby's middle-grade novel - and all about what she did right.
(Plus, it's six months in the past, so enjoy this trip to October 2019, a simpler time.)
How difficult is it to show the emotional layer in middle-grade lit without slowing down the pacing?
VERY, as it turns out - but this week, Abby gets the gold star from Kemlo. Word choice plays a big part here. Words like "chattering" and phrases like "a normal person" convey an opinion about what the protagonist thinks about someone without coming right now and saying it. It's a way of showing backstory, a mini-flashback.
“It’s a way of sharing the knowledge your protagonist has...because all we want is to know what she knows so that we can feel like we’re inside her head.”
Showing how your character relates to their world is an essential skill, one that takes time to get right. Listen to Kemlo read where Abby gets it right to hear how little details mean so much, and convey so much information in just a few lines.
Be careful, however, in the overuse of this device - this time, Abby gets warned about using too many questions. Asking a specific or open-ended question can pique a reader's interest and get them wondering about what's next. But peppering them with too many questions can be overwhelming and confusing.
“Any good writing craft or technique is one that is used sparingly.”
Watch your use of filter words, too - there's a lot you can cut without losing meaning. Words like "felt," excessive adverbs, etc., are often unnecessary and should be on the chopping block unless you really need them.
The same goes for dialogue tags - there are a time and a place and appropriate use, but try to distinguish the speaker that doesn't end in "he/she/they said," either via description or action. Of course, it's not a hard and fast rule, and it's worth your time to review these in your editing process and see if you can mix it up.
