One of the most important elements to any story is the pacing. It is the very heartbeat of the novel. A pace that is too slow can fail to hook a reader’s interest early on and, conversely, a frantic pace can leave the reader feeling forced along without ever really becoming invested in the characters. Why are they acting this way? What is motivating them? These questions must be answered in order for characters to achieve a sense of depth and for their actions to feel real. As a writer, you want the pacing to pull the reader through the events of the novel so that they want nothing more than to continue turning those pages while also building a gradual understanding of each character’s individuality.
There can be no doubt that the pacing of An Oath of the Mage is very fast. Simply put, I write the way I like to read. An editorial review from the team at Createspace summed it up best with their critique of An Oath of the Blood: “[The author] has done a great job of mixing in a complicated mythology and an original world context that actually enhances the story, rather than suffocating it in detail and exposition."
It's true. I ruthlessly cut all superfluous dialogue or detail that does not have an easily definable reason for being there. But, I'm also very conscientious about creating well-developed characters that are believable. I want their pain to be the reader’s pain. Their joy to be the reader’s joy. Because while pacing is an important element to story creation, character development is the most important element. Think about your favorite novels. What do you remember most? The plot? The location? Or the character themselves?
But, as is the nature of all things, some people will like the fast pace of An Oath of the Mage and some will not and that is okay. To my way of thinking, people, including me, are very busy these days. If someone takes the time to read the Island Shifters series, I want to take them on a journey they will not soon forget.
There can be no doubt that the pacing of An Oath of the Mage is very fast. Simply put, I write the way I like to read. An editorial review from the team at Createspace summed it up best with their critique of An Oath of the Blood: “[The author] has done a great job of mixing in a complicated mythology and an original world context that actually enhances the story, rather than suffocating it in detail and exposition."
It's true. I ruthlessly cut all superfluous dialogue or detail that does not have an easily definable reason for being there. But, I'm also very conscientious about creating well-developed characters that are believable. I want their pain to be the reader’s pain. Their joy to be the reader’s joy. Because while pacing is an important element to story creation, character development is the most important element. Think about your favorite novels. What do you remember most? The plot? The location? Or the character themselves?
But, as is the nature of all things, some people will like the fast pace of An Oath of the Mage and some will not and that is okay. To my way of thinking, people, including me, are very busy these days. If someone takes the time to read the Island Shifters series, I want to take them on a journey they will not soon forget.
"The reader has certain rights. He bought your story. Think of this as an implicit contract. He's entitled to be entertained, instructed, amused; maybe all three. If he quits in the middle, or puts the book down feeling his time has been wasted, you're in violation." - Larry Niven
Tell me. What is your pace? Do you like a long, leisurely reading experience or heart-pounding excitement? I would love to hear from you.
~Valerie~
~Valerie~
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