Narrative Writing using pacing to create Tension

Narrative Writing to create pacing, tension, & mood.

Authors STRUCTURE stories in ways that will keep readers interested, organizing events in the plot to keep readers wondering what will happen next.

parallel plots flashbacks pacing

PARALLEL PLOTS

• two different but related story lines--generally equaly in importance

• encourages readers to consider the possibly mysterious connections between them

• the two plots can reflect similar or related themes.

FLASHBACK

• events that occurred before the earliest event in the story

• interrupts the plot to reveal what happened in the past

Multiple Choice

"two equally important story lines between which the writer alternates" is ...

• flashback

• pacing

• parallel plot

• structure

Multiple Choice

"how quickly or slowing the action in a story unfolds" is ...

• flashback

• pacing

• parallel plot

• structure

Multiple Choice

"a scene that interrupts the plot to show events that happened in the past, before the first event in the story" is ...

• flashback

• pacing

• parallel plot

• structure

Narrative Techniques

• Dialogue: spoken words of characters EX: "Where did you go?" she asked. I said, "Leave me alone."

• Pacing: speed at which a story is told (can be used to speed up or slow down the story) Elements: action, cliffhanger, word choice

• Description: sensory details- looks like, sounds like, feels like, and smells or tastes like EX: The sunset filled the sky with a deep red flame, setting the clouds ablaze

• Reflection: writer describes a real or imaginary scene and adds a personal reflection on its meaning Ask yourself questions

Narrative Pacing

• Narrative pacing is the rate at which it moves along

• To slow the pace, the author adds details, such as dialogue

• To speed up the narrative, the author leaves out descriptive details or skips over less important events

• quick dialogue between characters

• fighting

• running

• anticipation

• action

• short paragraphs

• shorter sentences

• less text on the page

• you turn the page often

• your heart is racing

• you might chew the inside of your cheek or lip

• you lose track of time

• you’re tense

​

FastPacing

Slow pace contains:

• internal monologues (also known as naval-gazing)

• questions and contemplations by the character

• dialogue with breaks for thought

• longer paragraphs

• long sentences

• larger blocks of text with less white space

• can feel boring, but not always

• feels “less” important (but isn’t!)

• contemplative and curious

Slow Paced Writing

​TENSION

The anticipation of what will happen next.

Examples:

• Don't let your characters have what they want

• Ask; How can You make your character's situation worse?

• Build flaws and conflict into your setting/story world

• Increase your consequences of your failure for the hero.

Hook

• Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation and its significance

• You can use a variety of techniques to hook a reader's attention.

• Some examples would include: interesting facts or trivia, anecdote, metaphor, surprise statement, description, or questions.

Multiple Select

Select all the options below that could be used as a hook.

• Surprise statement

• Thesis

• Question

• Main Idea

• Interesting Fact