Time is one of the important elements in setting. It is important that the reader know and understand the period in which a story takes place so as to process the events.

For example, historical fiction is grounded in the past. The author must be a researcher prior to writing, to ensure that vocabulary, clothing, foods and relationships are appropriate for that period of time.

Fantasy can be in the past, present or future, depending upon how the author phrases the action. When grounded in the past, there might be druids, mages and shaman. In the present, we might encounter modern-day herbalists, mind-readers or magicians. In the future, well, who knows what we might find.

There is more to time than setting. Time also controls the speed or flow or the action. There are reasons to slow down event, such as an in-depth study of what a character is seeing or doing.

Imagine standing on a ledge looking down at the traffic below. In this scenario action slows down. We want to feel the heartbeat, listen to the shallow breathing and process, in detail, what is taking place below.

On the other hand, there are times when action speeds up. Picture a car chase, robbers leading the way followed by an army of police cars, lights and sirens blazing.

How does the author control pace? By sentence length. When you want to slow things down, sentences become more complex. Language is filled with metaphors and similes, beautiful descriptions and flowery vocabulary.

To speed things up, shorten sentences to simple phrases, often beginning with verbs. Quick thoughts. Sharp movements. Crisp action.

Your task is to create a scene and play with time. Decide whether to delve into details or to have fast-paced action. Write. Read. Does the pace seem appropriate for the story? If not, rewrite, this time choosing the alternate.

Good luck with this one.

Have fun.

We think we walk around, looking and acting the same, day in and day out, unless, of course, it is Halloween. But this is not true. We change, sometimes hourly, depending upon where we are, what we are doing and who we are with.
Some might not consider this wearing a disguise, but, in essence, it is.

When I go to the gym I wear a t-shirt and shorts. To church, dress slacks and a nice top, combined with earrings and a necklace. I dress in a similar manner when I go to the theater, but when I eat lunch at the senior center, I wear jeans and a sweatshirt. To go for a walk, I put on a hat and my glasses get dark. In other words, I look different depending upon what I am doing.

So must the characters in your stories. Every time the character does something, you would not want to go into detailed descriptions of what he is wearing, for that would soon be tiresome. But it is something you would bring up if it made a difference.

Let’s say your character is running from the law. She will probably cut and style her hair differently, maybe change its color, and purchase clothing that she would normally not wear. She might wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and avert her eyes whenever meeting someone at a store.

What if your character is a famous singer? Perhaps he will also wear a hat pulled down low to cover his eyes. Instead of his designer jeans, he might put on his most ragged ones with well-worn tennis shoes.

Your task is to reread something you have recently written. Look for scenes in which it would feel natural to mention some form of clothing or description. Write it in, then sit back and think. Does it add to the scene? Make the character come alive? It should. If not, why? Did you simply add a list of details or blend them into the scene?

This is a fine line that authors walk. Too much detail in one place slows down the story. Too little detail and the reader can’t picture the character.

Have fun with this one.

Good luck!