STRUCTURE AND PACING

Rollercoaster against a sunset background

Pace Yourself, Darling

A Guide to Structure & Pacing That Won't Put Readers to Sleep (or Give Them Whiplash)

Whether you're penning a sweeping romance, a tightly-coiled thriller, or a philosophical musing on the meaning of life (told through the eyes of a talking fox), the way you structure your story and control its pace is paramount.

Neglect either, and your narrative risks collapsing like a badly made soufflé. In fact, it might just be the difference between readers bingeing your book in one glorious sitting—or hurling it across the room mid-chapter.

Let's dissect the art of pacing and structure, explore how to build narrative momentum, and learn when to hit the brakes. We'll also tackle the signs of too-much-too-fast or painfully slow storytelling and what you can do to fix them.

Seatbelts on—let's get cracking.

What Is Pacing Anyway? (And No, It's Not Just Running About)

Pacing refers to the rhythm and flow of your story—the speed at which events unfold, scenes develop, and revelations drop like literary bombs. It's not just about how long your chapters are or how quickly things appear to move; it's how the story feels in motion to your reader.

Think of it like conducting an orchestra. You've got your frantic violins (fight scenes! betrayals! cliffhangers!) and your slow, moody cello solos (backstory! romance! existential crisis!). When balanced artfully, they create harmony; when mismanaged, it sounds like a cat fight in a conservatory.

Even the most reflective, literary tales have shifts in tempo. The trick is knowing when to speed things up and when to let the reader breathe. Spoiler alert: not every scene needs to move like a bullet train. And not every slow moment has to feel like watching paint dry.

The Rollercoaster Effect: Why Pacing Matters

Good pacing is what keeps readers turning pages, gasping for breath—or reaching for snacks and forgetting your book entirely. It creates suspense, allows for character development, and, most importantly, makes your story feel like a satisfying journey rather than a disjointed collection of scenes.

If your pacing is off, even the best plot or the most dazzling prose can fall flat. Too fast, and your reader's emotional connection gets trampled under a stampede of plot points. Too slow, and you risk losing them to the siren call of Netflix.

Like a perfectly curated playlist or a night out with just the right amount of chaos, your story needs peaks, valleys, and moments to recover in between. Let readers catch their breath after a twist. Then punch them in the feelings again.

Balance or Bust: Mastering Pacing Through Contrast

A well-paced novel dances between quick bursts of action and slower, more thoughtful scenes. It's like a literary tango—you pull the reader in, spin them around, then pause for dramatic effect.

You can manipulate the pace using:

Paragraph and sentence length – Short and sharp for urgency, long and meandering for introspection.

Dialogue vs. exposition – Use snappy dialogue to cut through heavy narration and break up slow sections.

Scene placement – Follow an action-heavy chapter with one of character reflection or a quieter subplot.

Language and word choice – Vivid, punchy language for speed; lush, lyrical prose to slow things down.

And if you're the colour-coding type, mark your scenes accordingly. If everything is red-hot action, your reader might feel like they've run a marathon with no water breaks. Give them a cool blue scene every now and then.

Build It and They Will Stay: Assessing Your Story's Structure

Structure is the skeleton that holds up your pacing. Without it, your plot sags like a wet trifle. Whether you plan meticulously or write by the seat of your pants, you'll need to step back and look at the shape of your narrative.

Ask yourself:

Are the major plot points spaced evenly?
Does your tension build in a satisfying way?
Are your acts (beginning, middle, end) proportionate?
Do slow scenes exist for a reason—or are they just padding?

Consider mapping your story's emotional highs and lows. If your second act feels like wandering through a swamp in slow motion, tighten it up. Or add a crocodile. Whatever works.

Tortoise vs Hare: Fast Isn't Always Better

While thrillers and crime novels often lean on a brisk pace, speed isn't everything. Relentless action can be exhausting—and frankly, a bit dull if we never get a moment to care about the people involved.

Contrast is your friend. For every chase scene, give us a moment of introspection. For every cliffhanger, give us a conversation that reveals character depth or emotional weight.

Think of it like spicy food. Yes, we want heat—but not every bite should be a chilli to the face. Mix it up. Keep things interesting. Let the reader's pulse rise and fall like a well-executed heartbeat.

Slow Down and Smell the Coffee (and the Characters)

Even in the most adrenaline-fuelled thrillers, if readers don't care about the people being chased, stabbed, or exploded, they won't care about the plot either.

Take time to show who your characters are when the bullets aren't flying or the romance isn't simmering. Let them reflect, remember, argue about mundane things. The boring bits are often where we fall in love with them.

Use introspection, meaningful dialogue, and internal monologue to slow the pace and deepen character arcs.

As Mr King put it: “You've got to care about the people.”

Wordplay Wizardry: Let Language Do the Legwork

Length Matters. And yes, we're still talking about sentences. Writers are magicians with syntax. Want your reader to feel breathless? Use rapid-fire sentences, punchy verbs, and abrupt stops. Want them to linger? Go full-on lyrical with long, winding sentences and rich imagery.

Chapter and paragraph length also matter. Short chapters feel faster. Long ones, especially when dense with description, give the illusion of time stretching. Use this wisely—and know when to switch tactics.

Slow It Down, Sherlock: The Power of Detail

When you want readers to pause and really see something, zoom in. Describe the rust on the doorknob. The crack in the tea cup. The odd look on someone's face.

This isn't filler—it's mood-building. Slowing time at just the right moment can create incredible emotional impact or foreshadow something sinister lurking just beneath the surface. (Bonus points if the crack in the cup turns out to be a metaphor for the character's fractured psyche.)

Secrets, Lies, and Delayed Gratification

Use reveals to satisfy questions they know they're asking. Use twists to answer the questions they didn't even know they had. Tease them with just enough to keep the pages turning, but don't spill all your secrets at once.

And remember: cliffhangers are legal adrenaline. Whether it's chapter endings or mid-scene interruptions, make your readers desperate to know what happens next.

The Dreaded Ticking Clock: Cue Dramatic Music

Nothing kicks pacing into overdrive like a deadline. The villain will detonate the bomb in 24 hours. The curse activates at midnight. The spaceship's oxygen runs out in six pages.

Imposing time constraints on your characters forces movement—and injects tension into even the quietest scenes. It also gives your plot a forward pull that's hard to resist.

Even non-thriller genres can benefit. That awkward wedding speech needs writing by Sunday. The job interview is tomorrow. Time is the great motivator. Use it wisely.

Read It Aloud (Yes, Even the Saucy Bits)

When in doubt, give your story a live performance. Reading your work aloud is the single best way to spot pacing issues. You'll hear where it lags, where it rushes, and where your dialogue sounds like it was written by an alien impersonating a human.

You'll also catch typos, awkward phrasing, and any moment that makes you cringe. Consider it a bonus.

Yes, you might feel ridiculous. No, your cat isn't judging you. (Much.) But your manuscript will thank you. And your future readers will, too.

Final Thoughts: Pace Like a Pro

To sum up (before you start pacing the room), remember this:

Pacing is about rhythm, not just speed.
Balance is key—mix fast and slow to create texture and contrast.
Structure helps you spot where things drag or sprint ahead.
Characters deserve time to breathe, sulk, and grow.
Language is your best tool—sentence length, paragraph size, even punctuation matters.
Details, withholding, and urgency all affect how your story moves.
And finally, always read aloud. It's free editing. And mildly theatrical.

Writing isn't about racing to The End. It's about guiding your reader through a journey they don't want to leave.

So, pace yourself—and your story will keep readers turning pages long after bedtime.