Friday Fix (Craft): Timing in Your Novel

Every well-structured novel has plot points where a twist or a change occurs in the story. These plot points must always have a reason for being. In other words, they must always have a motivation. That motivation could be related to the external story or the internal story.

For example, when your heroine reports her male co-worker’s embezzlement to the police must be a decision that flows out of her motivation. She may be secretly in love with the embezzler and tempted to protect him. When she finally decides to report him because it is the right thing to do, she must report him at that moment that will have the greatest impact in your story.

Timing is critical in developing a well-paced story. What techniques do you use for timing the plot points in your novel?

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