Writing Excuses 8.15: Narrative Rhythm

Published: April 15, 2013, 12:58 a.m.

We begin with an audio glitch and a jumbling of our usual intro. Why? Because it breaks rhythm, and sometimes you may actually want to do that.
\n
\nNarrative rhythm is the pattern of story elements and associated structures that help drive the reader's pace through a book. Consciously managed, narrative rhythm is a a critical pacing tool, but can also be used to point up important information, increase the impact of certain scenes, and even encourage the reader to take a breather.
\n
\nWe talk about examples from film (it's not the same thing, but it's easy to make the point this way), as well as examples from our own work. Scenes and sequels, chapter breaks, cliffhangers, and more all come in to play here. \xa0And of course you, fair listener, want to know how to manage narrative rhythm, and we cover some tips and tricks for that, too.\xa0\n\nSupport this podcast at \u2014 https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/exclusive-content\n\nAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands\n\nPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy