Slowing Things Down

Hello Naked Hero readers! So I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe how fast the last month has flown by. The craziness of the holidays coupled with the craziness of a deadline has put the last month on warp speed for me. So it’s with that in mind that I wanted to slow it down a bit and talk about, well…slowing things down.

One of the most enjoyable things about writing is taking two characters and putting them into situations that keep the reader moving through the pages (or screens!) at lightening speed. But what about those scenes that need a softer touch? Those scenes that need to give the reader (and the author) and bit of a break.

One of the elements of craft that’s so important for a writer to learn and understand is pacing. But what does that really mean? For me, I like to think of pacing as the overall rhythm of my story.

Have the hero and heroine danced around their attraction too long? Or not long enough.

If I’m writing something with a suspense element, have my characters been racing non-stop for pages and haven’t yet come up for air?

And what if it’s contemporary? Is everyone just sitting around talking instead of taking some action?

Regardless of the situation, it’s important to understand that while our daily lives have ups and downs in them – moments of great joy and excitement and moments of quiet reflection – our characters’ need those moments, too. No matter what type of story you’re telling, you need to understand that you’re taking your reader on a journey.

As a writer, it’s my job to try and take my readers on a whirlwind ride, each and every time out. One of the best ways I can ensure I’m doing that is to make sure there’s a lot happening, in both big and small moments between my characters. And, of course, as a romance writer, there’s one place I really need to slow things down….because let’s face it, we all love a naked hero with slow hands!!

So what do you think? Do you like a balance in your stories? And do you enjoy those moment when the author slows it down and lets you savor the characters for a while?

Happy Reading!

Addison

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