Forward momentum

These days, I think it is necessary to maintain forward momentum in a long story. We all have shorter attention spans and it is not surprising that successful writers use a variety of techniques to keep the pages turning.

I tend to read a combination of contemporary books, non-fiction and classics. Some of the best classics are difficult for a contemporary reader, as the story sometimes requires a lot of time to unfold in comparison to contemporary novels. I love Ernest Hemmingway, but "For Whom the Bell Tolls" takes a long time to develop by today's standards. It requires some patience to read some of the classics, as we have all come to expect rapid development from the beginning of a story.

Short stories often employ a technique called "in medias res", which means "into the middle of things". Nowadays, novels also use this technique to create a "hook". Dan Brown uses this technique in his mega bestseller, "The Da Vinci Code". The principle character, Robert Langdon, is developed very quickly by way of introduction to a conference at which he is scheduled to speak. He is immediately thrust into the action as a curator is murdered at the Louvre and he becomes a suspect.

There are other techniques for maintaining forward momentum. Creating tension or conflict is desirable as a method for building momentum. However, it is built on many layers. The main story arc requires that a main conflict NOT be resolved until the end of the story. So, it is also necessary to create and to resolve smaller conflicts along the way. This technique is used by most contemporary authors today. James Patterson uses it very effectively.

Some conflicts may be extended with a technique of switching between scenes. This is often done with parallel story lines, involving different characters. For example, a conflict may be developed and built up at the end of a chapter, but the following chapter begins a new scene. These chapters or scenes may be alternated for maximum effect, but like many techniques, too much can also be too much. I believe it is a balance. Some parts of a story require the insertion of forward momentum techniques more than others. It depends very much on the progression of a story.

Another technique is to write short chapters. Both Dan Brown and James Patterson use this technique very well. It provides more opportunities for building and resolving conflict but it has a psychological effect on the reader as well. It provides frequent breaks that encourage a reader to move into a new chapter, whereas long chapters can leave a reader looking for a good stopping point. So why is this a problem? A writer cannot afford distractions. Anything that distracts a reader is diminishing the forward momentum of the story. Looking for a good stopping point is a distraction.

I attempt to use many of these techniques to keep the reader interested in "Box of Dreams". I believe it is one of the strengths of my story, along with an array of strong characters. But, the ultimate measure of my forward momentum techniques and character development rests with an editor's assessment of my work.