#7k words of prose essentially

[rubywingsracing]

GO READ THIS RIGHT NOW *screeches like a pterodactyl*

I have once again Put That Beast (Lando and Oscar) Into A Situation. In doing so I've finally written something that isn't 40k words!!! Guys I actually wrote a oneshot I am Certified Fanfiction Writer! Unfortunately I completely blacked out in the writing of this fic and when I woke up I had 7k words where a major theme is whether the characters use 'thou' or 'you' when they're talking to each other. I dunno man.

The Dreamer of Dreams - Landoscar

Rating: Teen and up Warnings: none, but minor tw for discussion of extreme religion and its effects Tags/themes: religious imagery and symbolism, magical realism, this fic passes the bechdel test which is. Wild. for an f1 fic unfortunately, 'fuck fate' a la john green, oneshot, OP pretending to be fucking shakespeare or something, the pretentious prick Short summary: Fate dictates that the Chosen Lamb must be sacrificed in one week's time. Oscar says fate is full of shit and isn't real, anyway.

I'm stumped man. I wrote this in one sitting. God I need to sit down.

[cyanide-e-pistachio]

Shuake Spicy Fic Recs✨

Hi everyone! I’ve noticed a lot of amazing Shuake fic rec posts, but not a lot when it comes to the spicier variety 🔥 so I’m gonna link a few of my favorites! When it comes to Shuake, I like dynamics of all varieties and read a lot based on mood. So I’ll try to divide these as best as I can!

What are my credentials, you may ask? I'm just a simple gal who likes to read and write :3

If You Want Something Deceptively Wholesome - The Joy of Asking for It by Stealth_Noodle (One-shot, 6k words)

A post-canon, established relationship fic that is simply a wild ride through and through, ending with a lovely little domestic scene that warms the heart <3 I love this author's writing style and how they make everything so engaging!

If You Want a Good Top!Goro Fic - Advantageous Positioning by coleslawed (One-shot, 7k words)

Starts off with a really captivating cold open, has a fun mini-character study of Akiren, and has a good, assertive Akechi! I remember really loving how this author could write such compelling prose.

If You Want a Good Top!Persona 5 Protagonist Fic - We'd Feed Well the Land and Worry the Sheep by cookietosser (Multichapter, 34k words)

This is an older fic, but still so good. If you want a confident, doting Akiren, this is the fic for you! It's set during Sae's Palace arc where the two start to bond through nap dates, things escalate quickly, and Akechi has a bit of a crisis about it, lol. Aside from the smut, this is also just a great fic overall and a true classic for me!

If You Want a Great Switcheroo - change places! by bangandawhimper (One-shot, 6k words)

I guess if I'm preferential to any dynamic, I love switching, and this one has that in spades. An unspecified AU fic where Akechi tries bottoming for once, much to his (initial) irritation. There were some moments in this fic where I genuinely laughed out loud.

If You Want Something Actually Hilarious - spin cycle by androgenius (One-shot, 6k words)

Again, another fic where I genuinely laughed out loud several times while reading. Akechi and Akiren are neighbors, and a lot of hilarious shenanigans regarding a washing machine ensue (and not in the way you'd think, you heathens!). The writing style makes it an absolute joy to read.

If You Want a Good Amount of Plot - Bullet with Butterfly Wings by CloudMenaceBird (Multichapter, 127k words)

If you want a good plot to go with some incredible smut, this is one of my favorites. It's just an amazing post-canon shuake fic where Akechi wakes up in the Velvet Room and manages to find Akiren again after the events of Royal's final Palace.

If You Want the Oddly Specific Category of “Two People Who Have No Idea What They’re Doing but Pretend to be Experienced Anyways” - what matters most is how you bring joy to life by futuresoon (One-shot, 8k words)

This is simply a classic, through and through. Pretty much everything by futuresoon is, but this is my personal favorite of theirs. I have nothing to say other than this is probably my favorite characterization of Akechi, and that all the subtleties in this work are *chef's kiss*

If You Want WHOLESOME WHOLESOME WHOLESOME - Fools Rush In by Atalan (One-shot, 35k words)

I actually read this work recently, and being. Simply. FLOORED by how good this fic is, and how much it establishes in a one-shot. Essentially, Akiren and Akechi speedrun their entire confidant on the day they first meet at the TV Station, and it has a delicious way of writing that "instant connection" vibe. And it's incredibly wholesome. That is all.

If You Want a New Fav - Good For You by Chaoticconstellation (Multi-chapter, 14k words)

This came out just recently, and it is a new favorite of mine! A wholesome fic where Akiren and Akechi agree to try an experiment to see if physical touch improves Akechi's mood. It features a very touch-starved Akechi Goro who needs (and gets) a hug.

If You Want a Classic - To Catch a Tiger Cub, One Must First Enter the Tiger’s Lair by AyuOakhay (Multi-chapter, 77k words)

This is my personal favorite Shuake fic ever! I don't know what draws me to it - maybe it's because it has a little bit of everything I like! And despite what the tags may suggest, it does have some surprisingly sweet moments. It also inspired my current work!

And there you have it! I have more I can think of and other oddly specific categories, so I may do a Part 2 one day! 💚

[twopoppies]

like a boomerang by youwill (M, 48K) Very loosely based on the movie Groundhog’s Day (essentially just the concept of re-living a day over and over), this fic is delightful and charming and really worth a read. Link is to a download.

my heart is breathing for this moment in time by usedtothebeach (E, 160K) Probably my absolute favorite time travel fic. I’ve read it more times than I’d like to admit, and every time I love it more. One of the things I like most is how organically the author weaves in canon events…every little moment is an easter egg without it being so obvious that it pulls you out of the fic. Anyway, this one is so moving and so absorbing, I hope you like it if you give it a try! There’s an 18K companion piece to it as well, but you’ll see the link at the appropriate time when you’re reading the main fic.

your quietest voice by flimsy (E, 8K) Beautiful writing (like, just savor the sentences…they’re so pretty) and a really unique concept for time travel.

as we move slowly by snk (GA, 3K) A canon fic tinged in magic and truly gorgeous, poetic writing.

feel the chemicals burn in my bloodstream by togetherwecouldbealright (M, 123K) I read this one so, so long ago that all I remember is that I loved it, that there’s some really romantic and sweet moments, and that my notes from way back when only say, “OMG this one is so good! And I’ve barely gotten to the smut!” HAHAHAHA! (Link is to a download)

every universe but ours by @28finelines (E, 50K) This fic isso touching and funny and sexy and I read it all in one go! Please go read it because it’s like reading multiple Larry fics in one, each one with that “I would find you in any lifetime” vibe.

Soul of the Sea by vurdoc (E, 33K) A gothic romance set in a small Scottish village. Mysterious, melancholy, tender, and such a pleasure to read.

The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep by @helloamhere (WIP, 4 part series, mixed ratings, 128K) Amazing world building, complex characters, beautiful writing.

Black With Autumn Rain by Whimsicule (T, 93K) This writer is a favorite. If you like intense, creative stories, with complex characters and tight dialogue, you should read all of their fics. This one has the flavor of a Daphne du Maurier novel – dark, creepy, and moodily romantic. Plus a supernatural edge. It’s so good.

i was at an all night diner by @yoursongonmyheart (6K, NR). This is more of a prose poem, and i really enjoyed the way the author built such an intimate portrait of the 5 boys in so few words. It’s beautiful and dreamy and I think about it still.

I Won't Let You Forget by graceling_in_a_suit / @graceling-in-a-suit (T, 7K) I love the writing in this one. It’s one of those fics that has that kind of melancholic, dreamy feel to it that I really enjoy. Plus, it has a “no matter what, I would find you in any lifetime” vibe. So good.

Take Care Down By The Water by shyserious (M, 37K) Oh my goodness I loved this fic. Magical realism, mythical creatures, dreamy/moody atmosphere, beautiful writing. The link is to a download.

The Haunting of Louis Tomlinson by @helloamhere (T, 31K) Like everything else this author shares with us, this is so well paced and so well written and just charming. Great dialogue, great zouis friendship, and this one also has one of my favorite tags ever: Harry is a complete drama queen and also A GHOST

Loyal Knight And True by rainbowninja167 / (E, 52K) Really original story, mystery and magic, great characterizations. All around a very good read!

the bearded stranger by juliusschmidt (E, 2K) This is a wild twist on strangers to lovers and it’s fun and funny and really kind of hot.

You Take Me Over, You’re The Magic In My Veins by supernope (E, 36K) I read this years ago and my notes are not terribly helpful: “medieval princes. Pining forever! Sexy though.” 🤦🏻‍♀️ But I like this author, in general, so if that sounds good, give it a whirl!

For more magical fics, check out these recs:

Time Travel AU fic rec

Mermaids and Other Mythical Creatures

Witches and Wizards

Magical

[feetoffire]

Captain Christopher Pike, the rec list

I had this almost finished and ready to post, and then the kitten wiped everything, so here it is, a gazillion years later than I wanted. Yay. 

Ongoing - the fic is complete, but not all chapters are posted

WIP - fic isn’t finished

Incomplete - last-updated-more-than-a-year-ago WIPs

recs under the cut; spoilers abound

AOS

Gen

Pike’s Office by AnxiouslyGoing. Poor Jim has a Tarsus related panic attack, and ends up sleeping in Pike’s office/on Pike’s lap. Academy Era, bonus appearance by Spock, dad!Pike. 2k oneshot.

Another Life by LullabyKnell. Time travel fix it for ST2009. As ever, LullabyKnell gave us a spectacular, delightfully well-written fic. Dadmiral Pike, even if he’s technically a captain at this point. No pairings, everything is platonic. 12 chapters, 61k, T. Complete. 

Watching the Cloud of Dust by AngelQueen. Pike runs into Spock Prime while seeing the Enterprise off. Cue melancholy fluff (it follows Spock Prime around like a dog). 1.7k oneshot, G.

Phil Boyce/Chris Pike

horizons universe by gracieminabox. Massive, massive series spanning the whole of Chris’ life. Not canon compliant, i.e. Pike Lives. “Christopher Pike, in word and in deed.” Series, 263k in seventeen parts, G-E. 

Altered Horizons by InsaneSociopath. The bar fight goes very differently because Chris gets elbowed in the face. Featuring depressed!bipolar!Chris, who is Not Having A Good Time, Emergency Department (ED) doc Bones, and mother-hen!Jim. Phil is essentially Sir Not Appearing In This Fic, but he and Chris are married. Seven chapters, 14k, G. Incomplete. I adore this one. 

When Darkness Drifts by InsaneSociopath. Tarsus fic. Jim gets adopted by Starfleet but still ends up on Tarsus, except Chris is there. All Tarsus-related warnings apply. Jim and Chris centric; Phil is most present in the last few chapters. Six chapters, 44k, M. Complete. 

Kinktober 2017 by nerdqueenenterprise. What it says on the tin. Series, 13k in eight parts, T-E. Complete. 

A Vacation Long Overdue by nerdqueenenterprise. Reunion sex, mostly. They haven’t seen each other in six months, so they take leave on a remote beach. ~9k oneshot, E. 

The Weight of a Man by imachar. Another huge series charting the evolution of Chris and Phil’s relationship. Both canon compliant and canon non-compliant, so there’s a choice if you want it. Series, 174k in sixteen parts, M-E. Complete. 

shatterproof by gracieminabox. Will Make You Cry. Phil’s POV, STID compliant, featuring a picture from their early days. 4.3k oneshot, M.

Winged Desires and Veiled Persuasions by imachar. Post-Narada, ignores/was written before STID. Bones ends up hanging out with Phil and Chris at Spuhura’s wedding reception, and then the three of them have sex in Phil and Chris’ hotel suite. Pretty much pure smut. 12k oneshot, E. 

McPike

The Wind and Its Satellite by severinne. Long series, some BDSM, eventual Bones/Jim/Pike. Something of a McPike classic. Series, 186k in twenty parts, M-E.

Partridge Fallen From the Pear Tree by severinne. Post-divorce Bones works as a prostitute to make ends meet. Pike comes to town to recruit him, ends up paying for a night without knowing Bones is Bones, and then they both freak the fuck out when Pike realizes who he is. More-or-less just smut and angst. Pre-canon. Three chapters, 12k, E. Complete.

Singularities Verse by FrancescaMonterone. Bones and Pike fall in love, Pike adopts Chekov, Jim is Jim. Bonus Admirals Archer and Reed, and Archer/Reed. Mostly pre-canon, ace Pike. Series, 81k in six parts, T. WIP. 

Need by Noranem. Post STID, Pike and Bones invite Jim into their relationship and their bed. Established McPike, early days Bones/Jim/Pike. Four chapters, 12k, E. Complete. 

Pirk

See All The Stars by HoneyBeeBritt. Chris and Jim fell in love some time before Daystrom. Fluff and angst, with a happy ending promised in part four. I come back to this one regularly, especially part one. Series, 6.2k in three parts, T-M. Ongoing.

Shining On The Quay by topaz. Post-Narada through Beyond, ignores STID. Chris and Jim fall in love, get together, and figure out how to keep a relationship going when one of them is in space and the other is an admiral. Series, 32k in three parts, E. Complete. 

You Still Got Wheels, Kid by withthepilot. Yes, this is partially on here because it’s one of the few (good) fem!Pike fics. Pre-canon, Pike finds out Jim’s alive because she (not Winona or Sam) is listed as his emergency contact. Prostitute Jim. Takes place two years before canon, I think. 12k oneshot, E. 

Moments along the path by InsaneSociopath. Jim, through no fault of his own, is assigned to Pike as an aide bc Command thinks he’s a loose cannon. Pike is delighted /s. (he warms up eventually.) Some Tarsus PTSD; also a fair amount of fluff. Academy Era slow burn that goes right through to (immediately) post-Narada. 46k oneshot, M. Second chapter is artwork. Long but 100% worth it. 

How Do You Want Me, How Do You Want Me? by babykid528. Get together via smut. Feelings abound but talking about them does not. 3k oneshot, E. 

The Ocean Between Us by severinne. They get a drink in a bar. They’re both dead. Something of a get-together fic. Can and Will sucker punch you with feels. STID compliant. 1k oneshot, T.

Mutual Profusion of Good Feeling (aka Wherein the Aliens have a Flair for Mood Lighting) by kayliemalinza. This doesn’t really count as Pirk, but it’s not platonic enough for the gen category. Away mission, the premise is ‘aliens made them do it’ but there’s no sex or fade to black. Romantic, I guess? I really don’t know, but the prose is gorgeous. Also a Pike Lives/returns to the Enterprise AU. 5k oneshot, T.

Timeline Shenanigans

In plain view by IceCream_Junkie, Killermanatee. Pike/Pike. What can I say? The image of Greenwood’s Pike and Mount’s Pike together is very pretty. 2k oneshot, E.

Out of This World by TheAsexualofSpades. Space Puns. That is all. 1.1k oneshot, G. 

Discovery/quasi-SNW

Gen

A Small Storm by EKthered. Spock goes to visit his captain and ends up comforting him instead. Post Boreth. 2.3k oneshot. 

you were never broken by ordinary things by SiderumInCaelo. Michael Burnham & Chris Pike. Michael has only an inkling of what’s going on, but she manages to comfort Chris anyway. Post Boreth. 1.2k oneshot. 

Piler | Chris Pike/Ash Tyler

the chair and the badge by ninjamcgarrett. The boys are soft and in love. Lots of smut, but a fair amount of plot. Their respective traumas are addressed too, so there’s plenty of h/c. Honestly? My favorite from this pairing. Series, 59k in five parts, M-E. Ongoing. 

Reality by aishahiwatari. Initially a take on how these two idiots settled their differences, and evolution from there. Part two is post-season two of Disco. Series, 5k in two parts, E. Complete.

survival is insufficient by topaz. Post-Disco; they get together to remember Discovery’s crew, and then they get together. Traumas are addressed. Part two is a sort-of case fic, TW starvation. Series, 33k in two parts, E. WIP.

Feeling Too Deeply by NightOfTheLand. Established Piler, post-Disco season two couch sex. 6k oneshot, E. 

dancing to a beat of our own, flying with the speakers blown by wolfhalls. Neither of them want to talk about anything, aka Horrible Coping Mechanisms TM. Bottom Pike, quasi-hurt/comfort. 2.7k oneshot, E. 

Christmas in Sickbay by lah_mrh. Chris is accident- and injury-prone and has a new reason to hate spiders. Ash just wants to spend time with his boyfriend. 1k oneshot, G. 

The Pillow Will Disappear When I Forget I Put a Pillow There, Worry Not by prototype_malice. Sleepy fluff and cuddles. (they deserve it.) 665 words, oneshot, G. 

Chris Pike/Una | Number One 

it will take place without witnesses by love_in_the_time_of_kohlinahr. Post Disco, Pike is struggling with the knowledge of his future, so he and Una play chess until stupid o’clock in the morning (as one does), and then he lowkey has a panic attack. Una POV. Also features sleepy sex, but it isn’t plot-important and can be skipped over, if you wish. 2k oneshot, E. 

Overtime by Astronoddingoff. Una has Thoughts about Chris working doubles for the better part of a week. Also men get pegged. Definite sub!Chris. 7k oneshot, E. 

Terminal Velocity by Astronoddingoff. Una pegs Chris and drags his favorite fantasy out of him. Chris is On Board with all of this. Implied poly!Chris (i.e. Boyce/Pike) and hardcore switch/sub vibes from Chris. 6.8k oneshot, E. 

All for One by knightinmourning. D/s universe, where Pike had/has to hide the fact that he’s a sub to make (and stay) captain. Mostly reccing for part two, which has a fair amount of hurt/comfort (and also hints at threatened sexual assault and definite torture; be forewarned). Technically also Chris/Phil and Chris/Spock, but there’s no pairing sex, and part two is entirely Una’s POV. Series, 4.2k in two parts, M-E. Probably incomplete. 

A Gentle Touch by jedi_harkness. Chris and Una shower together. Body worship, no sex. So Much Fluff (and also happy tears). It’s super sweet. 1.7k oneshot, T.

Phil Boyce/Chris Pike

Decompression by Astronoddingoff. Chris is elated by a recent treaty success and the time spent dirtside. Phil does his best to make him even happier. Lowkey sub Pike. Implied poly!Chris (i.e. Pike/One). 3.5k oneshot, E. 

Most Pike/Boyce fics fall under the AOS tags

Una/Phil/Chris

Triangulate by Astronoddingoff. Sex pollen, but they’re already-kind-of-mostly in an established relationship. Recent miscommunications lead to angst. They all love each other and they’re all idiots. Lowkey sub Pike. Two chapters, 20k, E. 

Holy by Astronoddingoff. Self-actualizing featuring religious guilt/conflict, i.e. Pike is a sub and religion is weird about enjoying yourself. 2.7k oneshot, E. 

Happy Birthday by MeganMoonlight. It’s Phil’s birthday. Cue breakfast in bed. 530 word oneshot, G. 

[allisonilluminated]

How To Pace a Fanfiction

Hey All,

We're going to talk about pacing today, but let me start by telling a story.

When I published my first fic, Serena's Sister (Pokemon, T), I had no idea where I was going to go with it.  All I knew was that I had a cool idea and enough inspiration to turn it into words.  In my entire life, the longest thing I had ever written was seven thousand words, so I was understandably amazed when I wrote three thousand words in two day. At the time, that seemed like a ton, and I was nowhere close to slowing down.

By the time summer rolled around, I had finished the first part of my story, and I was ecstatic.  60k was more words than I had written in my entire life, and I still wasn't close to done!  Happy, I set my story aside for the summer, ready to come back in the fall and finish it for good.  I had the plot, I had my characters, and there was nothing that could stop me.

There was just one thing I hadn't accounted for – I had become a much better writer than I was when I had started.

I came back, and suddenly my chapters were exploding in length.  I wrote five thousand words one week, then six the next.  The scope of my project ballooned too – it wasn't just a drama between sisters anymore.  Now, it was about Erin, Paul, and Korrina, but also Serena, Ash, and their group, but also Alain, Mairin, and the Ninja Village, but also friend drama with Elle, Shauna, Tierno, and Trevor, but also high stakes political drama about Diantha, Cynthia, and Malva, but also villainy with Team Rocket and Lysandre, all while following an overarching plot spanning continents and time lines and dimensions.  Plus, since the fandom was Pokemon, every single one of those characters had a team of at least two Pokemon, all of whom had their own personalities and movesets to keep track of.

Is it any wonder I hit a dead end?

I'm really proud of Serena's Sister – as my first and so far longest story, it holds a special place in my heart.  It has tons of problems – plot holes galore, underdeveloped characters, major fanservice, a protag who borders on Mary Suedom, etc.  However, I think the biggest problem with the story is the pacing.  To understand what I mean, here's my forty chapter story broken down into ten chapter chunks:

Chapter 1-10 (Part One):

Word Count – 26,206 words

Main Perspectives – Two (Erin, Serena)

Protagonists – Six (Erin, Serena, Bonnie, Clemont, Paul, Ash, Elle)

Time Frame – A Few Weeks

Chapter 11-20 (Part One):

Word Count – 32,110 words (+ 5,904 words)

Main Perspectives – Four (+2 Team Rocket, Clemont)

Protagonists – Seven (+1 Korrina)

Time Frame – A Few Weeks

Chapter 21-30 (Part Two):

Word Count – 58,665 words (+ 26,555 words)

Main Perspectives – Eleven (+7 Ash, Elle, Mairin, Alain, Diantha, Zygarde, Froaky)

Protagonists – Twelve (+5 Mairin, Alain, Diantha, Zygarde, Cynthia)

Time Frame – One Week

Chapter 31-40 (Part Two):

Word Count – 59,221 words (+ 556 words)

Main Perspectives -  Fourteen (+3 Korrina, Bonnie, Sawyer)

Protagonists – Seventeen (+5 Shauna, Trevor, Tierno, Yuki, Sawyer)

Time Frame – Five Days and One Timeskip

The problems here should be pretty obvious.  From part one to part four, there was a 126% increase in word count, three times as many protagonists, and 3.5 times as many perspectives – all in a much shorter in story timeframe.  

More importantly, people tend to look for average word count per chapter when they look for stories.  Serena's Sister looks like it has a 4k average word count, but in reality part one has a 2k average and part two has a 6k average.  Once people hit the longer chapters, a lot stop reading, which is the biggest problem with bad pacing.

Okay, so that's the problem with bad pacing.  How do I fix my pacing in future stories?

Here are some strategies to work on your pacing.  None of these are necessary, and it's up to you to figure out what works for you.

Standardize your chapters.  This is the best way to fix your pacing issues – make all of your chapters roughly the same length.  Your goal shouldn't be to produce as much as possible, but rather to make the most cohesive product you can.  Major variation with chapter length is jarring, and it can take a reader out of the story.  Some common standard chapter lengths people use are 2k-3k, 5k-7k, and 10k to 12k.  It's super important that you understand how much you feel comfortable writing, so you don't overshoot how many words you can realistically put into a regular chapter with your goal. This doesn't necessarily include first chapters, which can be shorter, or finales, which can be longer.

Standardize your sections.  A lot of people tend to split their stories into parts – both of my main projects are.  One problem Serena's Sister had was part one only had twenty chapters, while part two was just as long when I hit a wall yet I wasn't close to where I thought the part should end. Try to think about your parts like separate narrative arcs making one longer arc.  If you can make each part about the same number of chapters, your story will feel a lot smoother for it.  It's like building a rhythm – breaking it can throw your readers off.

Limit Your Scope. It's totally cool to want to rewrite an entire show.  Chances are, you're not going to have the endurance to make it all the way through.

Case and point – Ashes of the Past by Saphroneth (Pokemon, T).  It's a time travel fic encompassing every character and event from the first thirteen seasons of the anime in a comprehensive reworking of history.  He's almost done, too – his plot revolves around events from the fourth generation (Pokemon has seven) and that's what he's currently writing.  There's a reason his story is the most popular in the fandom – it's fantastic.

You know what else?  He's been writing it since 2011.  There are 250 chapters and 1.5m words.  There are more rotating perspective and plot points than I can keep track of.  On top of all of that, Saphroneth writes really sparse prose, so imagine how long it would be if he had lots of extra detail and description.

Know your limits.  What's the story you want to tell, and what do you actually need to tell it?  If the background political intrigue arc can be summed up in a single line of dialogue from a secondary character, does it really deserve 10k words of your time?  Tell your story, not every story, because that's what the readers want to see.  This includes limiting your perspective characters, sending unnecessary subplots to the background, and above all understanding what your focus is.

In short, you don't have to turn your idea into an ASOIAF scale project just because it's a possibility.  Control your muse.

Time management.  You know that moment you're reading a fic and thinking, “This is taking them a really long time?”  Guess what – sometimes that's because it is, in fact, taking a really long time to describe a really short period of time.  Try to avoid any jarring or unannounced time skips, or spending too much time on one short time frame.  This is a lot more flexible, so this point is mostly to the extremes.  It's just as important to think about how much time is elapsing in the story as outside.

Your writing style sets the tempo.  Every story has different pacing.  Recognize what speed you want to be going at in the first place!  Are you writing a fast paced thriller or a slow burn romance?  The meatier your prose, the faster your story will feel.  Keeping your style steady is something a lot of people don't have to think about, but knowing what your goal for pace is is super important.

Outlining.  I don’t personally outline, but it can be a wonderful tool for setting out your plot and keeping to a set road map.  Having a good outline can often be enough to alleviate pacing issues, although checking your scope is still incredibly important.

Essentially, the key to good pacing is consistency.  Good pacing shouldn't be noticeable, because pacing is what keeps your reader in the story.  It gives a story a sense of cohesiveness that's essential for an immersive reading experience.  How do you pace your stories?  What's your experience with bad pacing?

Thank you all, Allie

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