Pacing

What It Does

Analyzes scene-level pacing by looking for two issues:

1. Introspection runs — consecutive paragraphs with no dialogue or action, suggesting the narrative has paused for extended reflection
2. Long paragraphs in action — dense paragraphs in contexts that contain action verbs, where shorter paragraphs would create urgency

Why It Matters

Pacing is the rhythm of revelation and action. Extended introspection works in literary fiction but stalls momentum in action-driven scenes. Conversely, long unbroken paragraphs during chase sequences or fights reduce the sense of urgency — short paragraphs and whitespace create visual speed on the page.

What Gets Flagged

Introspection Runs

Severity: Information

Example (flagged):

A sequence of 5+ paragraphs with no dialogue markers (quotation marks) and no action verbs (ran, grabbed, jumped, etc.)

Why: Extended stretches without dialogue or action can feel like the story has stopped moving.

Suggested revision:

Break up introspection with sensory details, short actions, or micro-dialogue. Even a one-line action beat ("She set down the cup.") resets the reader's attention.

Long Action Paragraphs

Severity: Hint

Example (flagged):

A 200-word paragraph containing action verbs like "sprinted" and "crashed"

Why: Action reads faster in short bursts. A long paragraph during a fight scene removes the visual pacing cues that whitespace provides.

Suggested revision:

Split the paragraph at each major beat of action. Let each punch, dodge, or explosion stand on its own.

Configuration

No configuration options.

Technical Details

• Source: prose-craft
• Scope: Paragraph-level (analyzes consecutive paragraphs within scenes)
• Method: Dialogue detection via quotation marks; action detection via verb regex; paragraph length thresholds