If you follow these instructions, your writing will improve. You will learn a great deal, and be a better writer for it. Your story will intrigue, and your readers will rejoice.
And if I'm putting you to sleep, there's a good reason for that.
The tempo of your writing is crucial to keeping readers interested. When you get in the groove and the fingers are flying away at the keyboard, you run the risk of repeating sentence variations that can be detrimental to the flow of the story. In essence, you begin writing a lullaby.
"Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top,
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock."
The melodious tone is meant to "lull" the listener to sleep, in most cases an infant. The timing of the sentences is intentional. When you are trying to keep a reader engaged, however, you have to constantly change the pace. Take the following example:
"He was still holding the pipe above his head, but the poor girl didn't listen. He slammed it on the counter, sending shards of wood everywhere."
Now, the action is there, but the repetition distracts from the overall flow. Instead, let's break it up a bit.
"He was still holding the pipe above his head and when the poor girl didn't heed his beckoning he slammed it against the counter. Shards of plastic and splinters of wood shot out in all directions. The cashiers screamed; even the guy."
(Shameless plug) that's actually an excerpt from my novel, I Will Follow
The point is, keep the pace exciting. It'll keep the readers hooked and guessing.
Until next time, keep those keyboards warm.
-John
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