MGOC Contributor: KJ Howe

KJ HOWE
photo by Russ Howe

EXCERPT from "Give Your Reader Whiplash: Pacing in Fiction" by KJ Howe in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

Want to write a compelling page-turner that dominates bestseller lists? Focus on pacing. As an author of popular fiction, you want to enthrall readers, keep them so engrossed in your story that your characters become real people. Readers must be invested in your protagonist's plight -- so much so that readers become your hero, vicariously experiencing everything that happens in his/her life. That's what keeps readers coming back for more. And nothing makes it easier to put a book down than poor pacing. How do you keep readers in full fiction immersion? Hone your pacing.

Pacing. What exactly is it?

* The rhythm or underlying beat of your story.
* The rate at which your novel unfolds -- talented writers can manipulate time in readers' minds.
* The way writers structure their novels to engage readers' emotions, eliciting different emotions at different times.

--

KJ Howe is a two-time Daphne du Maurier winner, a four-time Golden Heart finalist, and a finalist in the American Title III Contest. She is also the Executive Director of ThrillerFest 2012. KJ earned her Master's in Writing Popular Fiction in 2007 at Seton Hill University, and is now represented by the Evan Marshall Agency. International intrigue and pulse-pounding adventure are her passions. When she isn't writing romantic thrillers, KJ is researching them by shark cage diving in South Africa, interacting with semi-habituated elephants in Botswana, or scuba diving in the Red Sea. You can visit her at www.kjhowe.com.

MGOC Extra Essay: Two Faces of Fiction by KJ Howe

Let's call this post a mission in research.

I've recently been working on a profile about David Morrell (NYT Bestseller and creator of Rambo). David has had an illustrious career spanning 40 years, an incredible feat given the innate challenges of the publishing industry. Unlike many authors today, David has never really created a series character. Instead, he writes stand-alone novels that encompass several different genres, from thrillers to horror to speculative fiction.

Most publishers insist that authors find a niche (specific genre, style of book) and stick with it so they are easier to market.

I can understand this preference as it makes business sense to be able to "brand" and market an author's niche. Sometimes publishers ask authors to change their name and brand if they are writing a new style of book. For example, Joe Konrath wrote the Jack Daniels mystery series under his name, [J. A. Konrath], then started writing in a different genre as Jack Killborn.

As a reader, do you want to reach for a book by X author and know that it will be a certain style and type of novel, or do you like to be surprised by the genre/storyline knowing that you will enjoy the book no matter what because of the author's voice and talent?

Another question that piques my interest is whether readers enjoy the variety of stand-alones more or less than the comfort of a series character novel? I would be so appreciative if you could share your thoughts on these two issues!

("Two Faces of Fiction" appeared in its original form at Romance Bandits, April 23, 2010.)

KJ Howe has won three Daphne du Maurier Awards for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense.

posted by heidi