Progression, pacing and revision

Patterns of change, reading rhythm and alternative arrangements.

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• You want to rearrange the story without wrecking it

  The barrier is safely trying a proposed change, rather than deciding between several already-developed alternatives.

• The story seems to stop moving

  The amount of lasting change is too small for your intention; speed and pressure are separate dimensions.

• Some parts of the story rush while others drag

  The experience of speed varies awkwardly; that can happen even when progression and tension are working.

• The tension rises and falls in the wrong places

  The pattern of uncertainty and pressure needs inspection, rather than reading speed or activity alone.

• Too much development is packed into the ending

  Necessary development is concentrated late, rather than being flat throughout or one relationship transition being rushed.

• Every change seems to break something else

  The task is tracing consequences of a chosen edit, rather than comparing competing versions before choosing one.

• You have more than one possible version of the story

  Several alternatives need comparison and separation; tracing a committed edit's consequences is a different job.