Start Late, Finish Early

Now, you know I don't run unless there are very large dogs chasing me. You know my writing journey didn't start late, and didn't finish early.

So what could I possibly be blogging about today?

Writing. That's right. Believe it. I know my blog is a mish-mash of this and that, my violent mood swings, book reviews, whatever whatever. But occasionally, I throw in a writing post.

Today you're getting "occasionally."

I thought I'd blog about writing a scene. Over the past couple of years, I feel like I've grown a lot as a writer. One of the things I've especially learned about is pacing. A large part of pacing is when you enter a scene and when you exit it.

I so wish I could take credit for learning this on my own. Or from my agent or editor. But nope. I'm crediting INCEPTION.

Remember how Leo says that when you're dreaming, you can't remember how the dream started? You're just simply in it already?

I applied that to writing. With each scene, I want to enter as late as possible. Of course, I still need to set the scene (which I'm still working on. Or rather, my CP's are still hounding me about), and build character and all that jazz.

But in order to keep the pacing, I need to enter the dream already in it. This doesn't necessarily mean shootings and wild horses trampling the MC. But maybe I start the scene with the MC already in the park, instead of walking there or getting ready at their house.

Start as late as possible.

On the other end, end as soon as possible. Use the words needed to build tension, advance plot, define character, evoke emotion. And then STOP.

I'm still working on the stops (heck, I'm still working on everything), but at least now I know I need to work them.

What's one thing you've learned over the past year that has made you a better writer?

Oh! And if you want to win a query critique from me, check out Aime Borst's blog today. Go check it out.