One of the chief concerns that I’ve had in revising my novel is pacing. Although most my friends and writers’ groupees have responded well to the pacing of the first part of the book, several of the middle-to-latter chapters, so I’ve been told, run a little long. It’s an important structural concern, and I’m taking pains to improve it. This is a challenge, because I decided to write a structurally complex book. First of all, it’s a mystery which acquires a careful and gradual dispensing of important information. Second of all, it’s told from two perspectives—well, really five, but primarily two. Finally, it doesn’t always unfold in chronological order. What can I say—I love complex stories. However re-structuring can be a bit of a nightmare.
I’m currently finding my way with it, trying cut down on the length of several of the long chapters without damaging the plot or the characterizations. I’m doing this chiefly by creating more chapters and more alternations between my two primary narrators. I have no great insight into this, but I do think it’s an important question a writer must ask during revision.
If any of you have been through this process and want to advise (or complain), I’d love to hear from you.
Talking the Walk 