What Makes a Page-Turner

The big revelation in storytelling ... pacing! How you pace your story can either absorb your readers or bore them. It's easier to define pacing when it comes to a screenplay. In a screenplay you have a short space to write either dialog or action. You also have to write these things in the average of 120 pages. The action cannot be bogged in minutia. You set the scene simply and quickly and move on. In books, you have a much wider berth. But if you want to keep the story moving and well paced then don't get bogged down in narrative or exposition. Yes, you do want to paint the scene with the right colors but you don't want to describe every last detail down to the color of the kitchen sink unless that is somehow important to the story.

How can you pace your book?

• Move the dialog along and don't have random discussions about things that don't belong in the story or reveal anything interesting about your characters that the audience needs to know.
• Keep the scenes just that scenes. Paint the picture and then leave that canvas. You don't have to over-describe a scene. You want a balance of details to actions.
• Keep it moving from one scene to the next scene. Don't let it got bogged down. 
• Don't make every character's dialog a monologue. People don't talk in monologues.

If you're ready to publish your book, but want professional input on how to improve your book and make it better, please contact 3L Publishing (www.3LPublishing.com) about our book coaching services at 916-300-8012.