Pace
Pace refers to Narrative Pace, which is defined as "the speed at which an author tells a story; the movement from one point or section to another".[1] Pace allows the writer to use mood, emotions, and dialogue to control how quickly the reader is taken through a story. The pace of a story may vary throughout, especially in the case of longer works such as novels.
Speed
Upping the Pace
A speedy pace keeps the reader on the edge of their seat; it causes them to want to keep reading in order to find out what happens next in the narrative. Sequences with a lot of action combined with minimal dialogue, character thought, and detailed description make the pace of the story go faster.[2] Also allowing multiple major plot points to happen in close succession will increase the overall pace.
Slowing the Pace
Using examples, detailed descriptions of scenes, and longer character dialogue[3] bring the pace down. This allows the author to build suspense or give the reader time to absorb what happened earlier in the story.
Examples in Literature
Faster
- The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
- Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Slower
- Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien
- Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert