I think life moved a little slower a few decades ago. It seemed to, anyway.
I certainly remember having four TV channels and getting up to change to another station.
But these days with digital and satellite television, we can page up and page down rapidly through a huge selection of programs. Surfing the web with a DLS modem means we can bring up websites in a second.
Even the television shows seem faster-paced with choppier, shorter scenes. And if a show like West Wing or ER needs a scene with the key players talking to each other, they arrange it so the conversation is taking place in a rush while dashing down a hallway to the next meeting or the next medical emergency.
I’ve also noticed that many books are faster-paced—for all age groups. Children’s literature and YA seems a lot faster-paced, for sure, than they used to be. In some ways, I think it’s a good thing—these books probably pull in a lot more reluctant readers by grabbing them right off the bat.
Adult fiction usually starts off with a compelling scene and then keeps things moving along with conflict (which editors advise should be in every, or nearly every scene). No saggy middles of books, either.
It makes me wonder a couple of things—is this mostly an American phenomenon (because I do think our attention spans are pretty short here) or if it extends to other cultures? Also I wonder if we’re doing the right thing, long-term, by pandering to this reader impatience.
I read Girl with a Dragon Tattoo which I thought was excellent—but slower-paced than most books in its genre. Was this because Swedish culture in general is a little slower-paced? Or was the pace just particular to Larsson?
I’ve noticed that frequently books by authors from the American South can be slightly slower paced. There seems to be more sitting on porches in rocking chairs going on (I’ll admit to writing that way, myself.) But we’re still running 100 mph in every direction, so there’s not a whole lot of difference in our pace these days.
And should we be writing fast-paced books to meet market demands? So much classical literature was slower-paced. Have we completely moved on?
I think to be published these days (at least for a first book) you’ve almost got to have a book with a plot that moves along quickly. And I do think that books have so much competition in the entertainment arena—computers, TV, Ipods, etc.—that to lure readers to novels, publishers have to look at books that will pull readers in.
What do you think? Does pace correspond with culture? Should we write to our market when pacing a story?
I’m part of the problem, I think. I have a *much* shorter attention span than I used to. No more 12 book-long journeys by David Eddings for me, even though I loved them as a child.
I need to be drawn into the story quickly, and not be bogged down in the middle, and the pace of my own writing reflects this bias.
Interesting questions! I agree that pacing is critical, and that a slow start can make for a tougher sell. But I like books that at least sometimes give me–and the characters–a moment to catch our breath. I love a strong sense of place, and enjoy description.
Slow pace in books might indeed be a cultural thing. It seems the pace of life in general here in Finland is more peaceful than in the USA. Also in books written by Finnish Authors, teh pace isn’t so “darting” as books written by Authors in the USA.
I agree, though, that a story needs at least a moderate pace if not a bit more. The Russian Literary Authors wrote very slow paced stories and so did our own Finnish ones (Frans Eemil Sillanpää comes to mind).
I don’t think our new Authors write their stories where the characters/happenings are “darting from wall to wall”. Kari Hotakainen comes to mind as one who writes very good and rather slow paced stories.
A while ago I read a Romance written by “The Best Selling Author of…” and got quite irritated with the yes-no-yes-no, love you/love you not/love you -ping-pong.
Regarding the question of conflict in every scene: personally I think it’s a bit over emphasized.
IMHO good starts are always necessary, also in slow paced stories as are satisfying endings.
I think we want to be entertained – meaning fast and furious. With the lighting speed of technology, I think readers have become impatient. Me? I want to breathe and enjoy the journey, but of course I don’t want to be bored either with a book or movie.
I always suggest to younger adults to read a classic a year. I don’t want the old writers to be forgotten and not appreciated. They are the pioneers. But I have found it is a challenge for people to not become bored with the writing style and slower pace of a classic.
Teresa
Elizabeth – That really is an interesting question! There are definitely cultural differences when it comes to the pace of life. No doubt about that. And yet, I think it’s also a matter of sub-genre. For instance, thrillers tend to move at a faster pace than cozies do, etc..
In my opinion, writers do best when they match pacing to the kind of story they’re writing. Stories like your Myrtle Clover novels and Lulu Taylor novels don’t need the kind of pace that, say, Robin Cook, Lee Child or Michael Connelly use. In fact, I think if your pace was different, the stories wouldn’t be as strong.
I think readers respond more to a solid match between story and pace than culture and pace. Just my $.02.
Linda Howard spoke to a writer’s group(it was a workshop focused on sex, but she took questions on any topic)and said that she thought some ‘meanderings’ allowed the reader to get a better understanding of the character.
I, for one, like a story to move, but I want a nice, long book so there’s time for those meanderings. Maybe it’s because I write that way.
I don’t know, maybe this doesn’t help at all, but I would recommend just writing the book. If it’s a first book, pander a little, sure. But there are still some slower paced books out there that I’ve seen.
But what’s important is the story, right? Maybe I’m idealistic, but I don’t mind. :) If the story wants to go slowly, it will. If it wants to be speedy, that’s good too. :D
You used to be able to find such fast paced fiction in the pulps and penny dreadfuls. And in magazines.
Ironically, our fast paced life killed a lot of the idle reading we used to do, and we got too impatient for shorter fiction.
I myself am glad to see it coming back. (Okay, I’ll admit it, I like to see it com back partly because that’s what I write.)
I think absolutely pace is reflected in the times and culture. When I read the old classics they are much slower paced. Look at sci-fi … moves so fast it’s like the speed of light sometimes.
Marvin D Wilson
Absolutely. In addition to culture, I believe that changes within specific Genres drive story pace. I don’t think it is so much that all authors are writing at a quicker pace though. Instead, I believe that people are simply buying books by authors that write at a quicker pace than in the past.
One method used by many authors in trying to make a work appear quicker in pace is to simply shorten chapters. In many of the books I read by newer authors, the chapters are divided where there used to be scenes withing a chapter. Many books nowadays (especially thrillers, suspense, mystery) have seventy to one hundred chapters.
I think faster paced stories are here to stay. I believe the only reason many books are still 80-100K words is because that is what people expect when they buy a book. The thickness of the book makes them feel they are getting their money’s worth. I say this because I’ve read some stories recently that break down the level of detail so much to describe the picking up of a toothbrush and which hand was used.
I’ll agree with the others who are saying the genre dictates the pace. I’m with you, Elizabeth about worrying if the pace is too slow, but I don’t write stories filled with car chases or ticking clocks. Oh dear…
Elizabeth you’re absolutely right about the faster pace. I’m just guessing, but I’d say it’s cultural, as we do speak faster and have so many other *things* going on and things to occupy our recreational time.
It’s affected syntax and grammar as well. People like to read how they speak. Makes sense. But we don’t necessarily speak grammatically correct do we? As a result, some of the *rules* of grammar are, in some instances, being bent; in others, *the powers that be* are actually making changes to those rules.
Keeping up with these changes can be challenging! A good reason to rely on your editor! ;)
I don’t know if it is a cultural thing or not, but in the U.S. I think most publishers are only looking for fast paced stories. However, there are exceptions. I’m reading “American Wife” by Curtis Sittenfeld and it is anything but fast moving, yet it has drawn me in and keeps me reading. It also has no chapter breaks which bothered me at first. This leads me to believe that good writing and a good story is more important than pace.
I read mainly British literature or mysteries and I know it’s different than American literature. Even the British television series are slower paced. I think though with all the fast action all the time, I’ve become impatient when things don’t happen immediately.
CD
I agree with Bethany: just write the book, and if it needs to go slow, it will. My recently completed first novel, Dakota Blues, combines both. At times my heroine is sitting around, thinking. At times she’s driving fast and running people off the road. I hope that doesn’t deter future readers!
Maybe I’m oversimplifying things, but large cities demand fast paced action and smaller communities provide a setting for cozy mysteries. Its difficult to reverse them and be successful.
And stop by as I left you an award today.
Stephen Tremp
I think in literary fiction or subgenres like cozies you have more liberty to slow down. For the mass-market, though, it seems that fast-paced is de rigeur.
I don’t know that that’s good. Belle over at Ms. Bookish recently said she didn’t finish Angels and Demons or The Davinci Code because they were TOO fast paced. She just didn’t enjoy the frenetic rush to the end.
While I like tension, I do think there’s time for characters to relax a bit between tense scenes. If your prose is compelling enough or your characters interesting enough, you can get away with that.
Hi Kathleen! Thanks for dropping by. And I totally agree. If I’m reading something like a thriller then I *need* some downtime as a reader. It can’t be all fast-paced all the time or I’m just worn out with it.
Lorel–I’m like that, too…and I don’t know what happened! I didn’t used to be such an impatient reader.
Bethany Elizabeth–You make a good point. Some stories are just naturally faster-paced than others. I worry over things like this, though. :)
Christine–I wondered if that would be the case. I think life here in the States is just SO rushed. And people get so irritated! Traffic jams are the worst–people just get so annoyed. I think the darting around has gotten ingrained in us.
I know what you mean about conflict. I try to move things along because my stories aren’t very long, but I have plenty of humorous scenes without conflict.
Marvin–SF is definitely that way. And..I hate to admit it…I get confused. I also get confused with very fast-paced political thrillers.
Teresa–I’m planning on reading “The Secret Garden” with my daughter this summer. I wonder how it’s going to go over. She’s used to faster-paced lit, but she did enjoy “Little House in the Big Woods,” so I have hope! :)
J.L. Stratton–So you think the market is driving it. I’m sure you’re right–the publishers only want to put out what sells…understandably. And the readers are the ones who ultimately decide what’s published, whether they know it or not.
I’ve also noticed the trend for short chapters. I’ve made mine short in response–or, if I *do* have a long chapter, I have section breaks within it.
Crystal–You’re right. :) And think about the texting trend and how abbreviated our speech is becoming.
Margot–Very good point. Yes, thrillers move SO much faster than cozies. And readers do expect that. I keep things going at a good clip in my cozies, but if people really started dashing around then I’m sure I’d get an editorial note on it. But I did think “Dragon Tattoo” moved slow in spots…don’t know if that was an editing problem (I believe Larsson had already passed away before the first book was edited?) or if it was more acceptable to a Swedish publisher.
Jane–I haven’t read “American Wife”–thanks for the tip!
Terry–More time to learn about the character. Yes, I can see that. I think with cozy series the development happens more over the life of the series.
Clarissa–I’ve noticed that with some of the Brit. cop dramas that I watch here…very true.
Lynne Spreen–Sounds realistic to me. Right now I’m sitting here and thoughtfully considering my comments. In a second, I’m about to run off to Walmart. :) I guess we all have reflective moments and craziness…
Stephen–So to you the setting can help influence the pace? Good point. And thanks for the award!
Simon–Lit fic editors do seem to have more patience with a slow start, I think. And…I agree w/ Belle. Davinci Code was frantic. I was worn out reading it, although I thought it was interesting. A few moments of rest with the characters would have been a welcome change.
Some books seem to have a “fighting against the clock” scenario the *whole* time. And that’s exhausting.
Daring Novelist–I think, ultimately, that’s what worries me the most–people not finding *time* to read with the fast-paced lives we all live. Or that their other toys will be more appealing. I’m hoping Ebooks will correct some of that.
I was recently given a Kindle and have the perception that I finish novels more rapidly on it. That’s a perception and, while the gadget’s easy to take out and doesn’t have pages to turn, that can’t mean I’m finishing books more quickly.
But! I have two friends though who own Kindles and suffer the same delusion.
Why is this? Maybe because I associate devices with speed and efficiency. Why get a new computer if it’s not going to be more productive?
The culture we’re in (at least in the US) values these things; it’s worth thinking about how what we value influences what we perceive.
As a writer, I do my best to write without stressing about the market. It’s hard though.
Thanks for an interesting post!
It’s sometimes overwhelming, how fast-paced our culture is! I don’t see how we can get around it, though. If readers want fast-paced, then they’re not going to stick around for a slow novel when there are hundreds of other novels out there. Maybe once a writer has several novels published, he can get away with writing a slower paced novel that readers will stick around for.
I do think books are faster paced today than 30 or 40 years ago. And they deal with different issues. What is now a YA book subject would have been an adult subject or a subject not covered in books at all. Things change. I also think the changes are different, depending on the country or culture.
Straight From Hel
Good post with very interesting questions!
Things have changed a lot.
When I was a kid in the 70’s, we had one TV channel and one radio channel, both government-controlled public broadcasting. The radio station sent one hour of pop music per week, to protect the fragile souls of the young generation (fortunately we had Radio Luxembourg in the AM band).
The politicians argued for years and years that TV soaps would degenerate the moral of the country. The first TV series (Dynasty) was allowed in 1983. Satellite antennas for receiving broadcasts from abroad was banned until 1987. Commercial TV was not legalized before 1991. We were very happy when all of this (crap) finally came.
Now we’re like the rest of the western world, with hundreds of TV channels and full internet services. It’s almost too much. Therefore I have learnt to appreciate the slower pace in books. I don’t think books need to catch up with the speed of TV and internet.
I have read a lot of classics, and still do. I think very few books published to day are even close to the great works from 20th century, and I don’t need a hook in the first paragraph to get through a book.
Well, maybe I’m a little bit old fashioned in some ways … >:)
Cold As Heaven
I think you may have stumbled onto something. Most people live a fast-paced life and expect everything else to do the same. I’m sure most Westernized nations are like that now.
My books would probably be classified as slower than norm, especially for YA. I’ll use the Southerner excuse!
The MTV generation started it – and life has only gotten faster since that time.
I would agree with the assessment that it is more American than international–in my writer’s group we’ve talked A LOT about this and I feel some envy–in the UK or India they have the freedom to spend some time introducing characters before the action starts, but in my efforts to try to sell… I don’t think you stand a chance if you do that in the US, at least not through the traditional means. Some genres aren’t quite as bad, but the most common ‘best sellers’-definitely have to…
I don’t care that fast books get published, but I wish some slower ones also did.
Definitely an American thing. Life is a lot slower in many places in the Third World. I can’t speak for all of them, but Africa especially. Places in Central and South America too.
This is definitely something I struggle with. I’m more slower paced by nature.
Paulo–Is it a page scrolling type thing? I haven’t gotten a Kindle yet, but it’s on my list in the near future. Yes, I’m like you–I even want my reading time to be efficient these days. Sigh.
If we get a new computer, it had better be fast, right? Because that’s probably why we’re upgrading to begin with! It all starts coming down to speed.
Elspeth–Oh, me either. :) I’ll have a couple of heart-pounding moments, of course, but it’s definitely not all action, all the time. I try to keep it moving, though–changes in setting, changes in the characters that are on stage, etc.
Laura–That’s the way I look at it. My books aren’t slow-paced, in comparison with other *cozies* for that very reason–a reader would probably just pick up another book that can grab them quicker.
Helen–I’ve read some YA books that have made my jaw drop!
Cold As Heaven–And I thought my life in the 70s was rough with just 4 stations! Wow. One channel..and it might have even been all educational all the time, right?
It all went downhill with “Dynasty.” :)
Poor you for catching up to the crazy whirlwind that we’ve created over here!
I smiled when you talked about the first paragraph hook. I’m patient through at least the first chapter. I keep wondering if readers *really* need that? Maybe in a bookstore, if they’re just flipping randomly through books? I don’t know.
Alex–It just seems to get faster all the time, doesn’t it?
Diane–Tell ’em you were *born* in NC. :) It could work!
Hart–I think it would be nice to have a mix, too. I think you’re right–most bestsellers are going to be fast-paced books that appeal to a wide-variety of readers.
Kristen–I wonder if it ties in at all to the amount of social media and digital entertainment that’s available? Maybe we all need to unplug. :)
I remember the days of three channels – ABC, CBS, and NBC. Maybe PBS, too? Life was definitely slower back then, but I think as culture changes, writers need to change with it to stay salable. Some people still like the slower pace, though, so I think there is a market there, maybe just a smaller one.
Pace definitely corresponds to the culture. Most people have so many entertainment options they aren’t willing to wait for the entertaining. A book that doesn’t grab them straight away won’t be read and if it feels like it is dragging will get tossed at the earliest possible convenience. Having been told that novels are take too long to get anywhere on multiple occasions by students, it seems this idea of fast action in novels is only going to get worse with the new generation.
@Elizabeth Span Craig:
The Kindle doesn’t scroll to the next page. There are thumb-sized buttons on either side that you press to advance to the next page.
Like a mouse getting a treat. Push. New page! Push. New page!
It works well because you don’t end overshooting your place.
It’s a sad fact, but yes – I think books do need to grab fast to catch many ‘modern’ readers. Due soley to television! People are so accustomed to fast, fast, fast, there’s no room anymore for build-up.
I don’t think this needs to stay the fad. Just let somebody write a slow-paced novel that sells well, and slow will become the newest fad.
And yes, I think this is mainly an American thing. I notice British books (at least those I’ve read, like Atonement) are fashioned more slowly.
– Corra
the victorian heroine
What a good question!
I quite like getting more than a plot when I read crime fiction so to me it is fine if the writer takes time to make the characters come alive and give me a sense of place, but then I am very old-fashioned. In Denmark the trend in crime fiction is also that each and every sentence must have a purpose, meaning that it must add to the drama so some of the stuff I write to give readers an impression of the relationship between characters.
Well, I know it may be difficult to sell it, but I am not going to write a really fast-paced thriller I don´t even like myself.
Susan–PBS was our 4th channel. And sometimes I think we could get a station from another town if we held the antennae just right.
Paulo–Ha! Like a mouse with a treat! I like that. And it sounds even easier to use than I’d imagined.
Cassandra–And no one wants their books to be put aside for being slow!
Corra–Fast has definitely become part of the culture, hasn’t it?
The market always determines the trends, doesn’t it? :)