pacing
PAY-sing
/ˈpeɪ.sɪŋ/
The speed at which a story unfolds and reveals information to the audience.
Controlled through sentence length, chapter breaks, action frequency, and structural density.
The story behind the word. Derived from Vulgar Latin passare (to step). It transitioned from measuring physical running speed to evaluating the rhythmic flow and velocity of storytelling.
Word relationships
- tempo: Tempo comes from music criticism, while pacing is standard literary terminology for narrative speed.
Commonly confused with
- plot: Plot refers to what happens in the story; pacing refers to how fast or slow those events are presented.
Word family
- pace (verb/noun): To set or regulate speed.
Collocations
- rapid pacing
- brisk pacing
- uneven pacing
- control the pacing
Example sentences
- "The thriller's rapid pacing kept readers hooked, though some character moments felt rushed." Editorial feedback
Memory hook
PACING sets the PACE of the story. The speedometer of a narrative.
When not to use
Do not confuse narrative pacing with physical walking pace, though the metaphor is identical.
Fun facts
- Action scenes usually employ short, punchy sentences to accelerate pacing, while reflective moments use long, complex sentences to slow it down.
Related words
Explore more words
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.