Jars of Words

The pace of a story is the rate at which the action unfolds. If a story is too slow, readers will get bored; if it’s too fast, readers will become exhausted. To control the pace, examine the larger story. Make sure you introduce new conflicts as old ones are resolved, allow for breaks between the action, and speed up as you reach the climax. Use smaller, scene-related tools as well: draw out tension-filled or romantic moments and have quick fight scenes using some of the syntactic tools below. ***Note: have all POV characters reach the climax simultaneously. How to Slow the Pace Add in worldbuilding or introspection from the viewpoint character. Use long, descriptive sentences and deep vocabulary. Include interludes between moments of conflict (see my post “The Logistics of Scenes” for more details). Add flashbacks. Usually, they completely halt the story, so be careful. How to Accelerate the Pace Cut description (telling instead of ...

Knowing how to properly write a scene is the number one thing that helped me improve my fiction. What’s a Scene? A scene is one event or plotpoint (along with some subplot elements) that moves a story closer to its resolution. Something (whether it be a relationship, situation, or mindset) changes [is different than before]. Each scene should make readers feel a different emotion at its beginning and its end. According to Steven James (author of Plot Trumps Structure ), in each scene, the characters should seek, fail, process, and proceed. In this way, the plot moves forward through the characters. If a scene doesn’t include new plot or character developments, summarize or delete it. Create enough promises and questions to keep the reader engaged; include enough payoff and answers to satisfy them. Generally, answer something at the beginning of the scene and end it with a cliffhanger. ****Scenes should include diverse, interesting settings and only the character...

An outline is a structure that breaks down the events of your story. Essentially, outlining is creating the story - the world, plot, and characters - in shorthand. The benefits of outlining: It makes drafting easier. You know exactly what scene you’re going to write next, so there’s no excuses. While it’s still normal to get stuck while outlining, at least you get the hard stuff out of the way before drafting. An outline keeps plot holes and useless tangents at bay because you can spot them before you have to rewrite the last 20,000 words.   Outlining makes the climax more intense because you can plan for it. There’s usually less revising because you’ve put so much thought into how the story will progress beforehand. I tried to pants my first draft and had to scrap the entire thing. 90,000 words down the drain all because I didn’t outline. Now that I’m concocting an outline for my story, I’ve grown to love it more than I thought possible. It’s not even ...

The Lost Art of Building Up Others By: Jenny Lynn We live in a society today in which everyone likes to point the finger and condemn rather than practice grace and forgiveness. How much more do we witness everyone from celebrities to your next door neighbor being slammed for things like unwise choice in words, unpopular fashion choices, or their body composition rather than being praised for good works something constructive? DRAMA PAYS These days television and media outlets love to promote negative drama because that’s what gets a response from their audience. Mo s t people are not interested in uplifting stories with a positive spin. Those of us who are really need to speak up and start making our voices heard. Maybe then, decent music and television would make a comeback. Our teenagers wouldn’t be acting like the women from Sex and the City. And our new mothers wouldn’t starve themselves and torture their bodies with brutal workout regimens just to “bounce back” from pre...

1. Don’t let the climax happen too early; build up anticipation. Do this by establishing a formidable, lethal villain and indicating the protagonist’s resolve to defeat them before you dive into the third act. Then, have your protagonist do what she would naturally do to get to the villain - or to get the villain to come to her. Furthermore, set the climax somewhere interesting or symbolic of or conducive to the character’s change. 2. Make the protagonist the expected loser and your villain unstoppable. Remove every tool at your protagonist’s disposal, and make the situation deadlier than ever. This will create interest and tension, and it will force the protagonist to work infinitely harder, making their growth and ultimate victory more satisfying. 3. Place the protagonist’s moment of truth before the climactic moment so they can use that change to defeat the villain. This change is what the character’s arc has been progressing toward for the entire book, and it’s all-or-noth...

I will now post every other Sunday, twice a month due to pressures in life and school. Plus, this new schedule will allow me more time to work on my novel and extracurricular activities. Thank you for understanding!

John Cleaver by Dan Wells Romantic subplot: … yes. Humor: Yes, it’s darker. Moving: YES. Sad parts: YES. Mystery: YES. Summary: The series follows the sociopathic teenager John Wayne Cleaver as he fights inner and external demons. John has enough trouble fighting his sociopathic tendencies, and when murders start occurring in his small hometown, he struggles to stay afloat in his own twisted mind. The main character’s cunning and wit make him a unique protagonist, to whom the villain is a successful foil. It’s definitely a deeper, more poignant series. It can be slower at certain points because it primarily falls into the mystery and horror genre. However, the plot never stalls out or fails to be amusing, and the supernatural elements and deep psychological aspects make it a novel anyone can read and enjoy. It is a character-driven, unforgettable series. Rating: 4.5/5. For young adults, but can be enjoyed by anyone. Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman Romantic ...