As I continue playing with the Firebird concept, defining the overall pace of the story becomes important. Pacing---the speed at which a story unfolds and progresses---is at once dependent on the type of story being told and yet an element that helps define the story. It is an important factor in setting moods, developing characters, and determining the complexity of the tale. Pacing can be one way in which a book satisfies reader expectations; it can also signal surprises or twists as the pace speeds up or slows down.
While many people think of pacing as primarily important to fiction writing, nonfiction works that recount a narrative of some sort also rely on pacing to convey information and to set tone. For example, I am currently reading a biography of Queen Elizabeth II that is seeking to convey both the personality of the late Queen and the complexity of her role as she navigated the historical and political events of seven decades as a constitutional monarch with great influence but no direct power. By its nature, the intimacy of this written portrait demands a relatively slow, thoughtful overall pace. By way of contrast, T. R., a biography of Teddy Roosevelt written in the mid-20th century, moved at a faster pace reflecting the energy and activity of its subject and his power to influence events directly; while it touched on his personal development as a man and how the development of his character affected his decisions, it was more driven by his direct interaction with the events of his time.
Pacing can shift within a book, often in concert with the development of the primary character. For instance, in my upcoming biography of Holy Bull, the pace is relatively moderate while discussing his early life and the emergence of his distinctive personality, then picks up as he moves into his racing career, slowing once more as he transitions to the life of a stallion. Pacing can also ebb and flow to allow sections with more intensive setting and character development to alternate with passages depicting action and the consequences of crucial decisions; this allows the reader to "take a breath" and not be either overwhelmed by one hard-driving piece of action after another or bored by an overdose of introspection or unneeded detail.
I haven't made all the decisions yet as to how the Firebird story will set up, but as a fantasy centering around the viewpoint of one particular character, a moderate pace with a pattern alternating external and internal activity seems likely to be most workable. I'll probably have to do some outlining and shuffling to see what progression works best.
While many people think of pacing as primarily important to fiction writing, nonfiction works that recount a narrative of some sort also rely on pacing to convey information and to set tone. For example, I am currently reading a biography of Queen Elizabeth II that is seeking to convey both the personality of the late Queen and the complexity of her role as she navigated the historical and political events of seven decades as a constitutional monarch with great influence but no direct power. By its nature, the intimacy of this written portrait demands a relatively slow, thoughtful overall pace. By way of contrast, T. R., a biography of Teddy Roosevelt written in the mid-20th century, moved at a faster pace reflecting the energy and activity of its subject and his power to influence events directly; while it touched on his personal development as a man and how the development of his character affected his decisions, it was more driven by his direct interaction with the events of his time.
Pacing can shift within a book, often in concert with the development of the primary character. For instance, in my upcoming biography of Holy Bull, the pace is relatively moderate while discussing his early life and the emergence of his distinctive personality, then picks up as he moves into his racing career, slowing once more as he transitions to the life of a stallion. Pacing can also ebb and flow to allow sections with more intensive setting and character development to alternate with passages depicting action and the consequences of crucial decisions; this allows the reader to "take a breath" and not be either overwhelmed by one hard-driving piece of action after another or bored by an overdose of introspection or unneeded detail.
I haven't made all the decisions yet as to how the Firebird story will set up, but as a fantasy centering around the viewpoint of one particular character, a moderate pace with a pattern alternating external and internal activity seems likely to be most workable. I'll probably have to do some outlining and shuffling to see what progression works best.