Pacing and Stuff


I'm 3/4 of the way through a book. I'm liking it...I'm actually liking the main character. He is snarky and brilliant and endearing and really funny. But I am not ripping through the book in my normal fashion, as a matter of fact it's been over a week since I started and for me that's unheard of. It got me thinking. Why wasn't I finishing this book?

I loved the MC.

I loved everything about him.

As I read another loooooooong inner dialogue part from this MC...that I love...it hit me. The pacing was off. There were expansive amounts of nothing-really-going-on stuff in between the exciting or emotional parts (and those parts WERE exciting and emotional and well written). The expansive nothing-really-going-on parts made me put the book down way before my eyes typically betrayed me and closed on their own. I was kind of awake when I put the book down. Again, unheard of.

Now, I'm not saying I like books riddled with over the top drama either. That can get old. But pacing is definitely something I allow into my psyche while writing...I always have an undercurrent running behind the scenes asking, what is propelling my story forward? What will keep the reader hooked 100% to my characters? Do I need an "event" or "moment" soon?

I do NOT want readers to be able to put my books down.

Thoughts? What do you think?

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