Why Pacing Problems Kill Good Manuscripts (and How Editing Fixes Them)
Why pacing matters
Readers rarely say, “The pacing was off”. Instead, they say, “I couldn’t get into it” or “It dragged in the middle”. Pacing is the invisible hand guiding your audience through the story — keeping tension alive, action balanced with reflection, and scenes flowing in a rhythm that compels them to turn the page.
Common pacing problems
The sagging middle: many drafts lose steam after the opening hook, meandering until the climax.
Rush to the finish: authors sometimes accelerate too quickly, cramming crucial developments into the last chapters.
Uneven scene lengths: chapters that sprawl next to ones that whiplash past create an unbalanced rhythm.
Info-dumps: long passages of backstory or world-building can suffocate narrative drive.
Flat tension: when stakes don’t escalate, pacing stalls — even if “things happen” on the page.
Why authors struggle to spot it
Writers are close to their work. What feels urgent to you may feel slow to a reader. Conversely, you may rush through favourite scenes, leaving gaps in context. This is where professional distance makes all the difference.
How editing solves pacing problems
Manuscript assessment: Tom Witcomb highlights structural pacing issues — flagging slow sections, rushed transitions, or imbalance between acts.
Developmental editing: digs deeper, leaving margin comments on scene purpose, escalation, and flow.
Line editing: refines sentence rhythm, trimming overwriting and ensuring prose moves at the right speed.
Techniques editors use
Scene purpose test: every scene must advance plot, character, or theme — ideally two of the three.
Chapter mapping: editors chart word counts and beats per chapter to reveal pacing imbalances.
Cutting redundancy: tightening dialogue and description keeps momentum alive.
Strategic expansion: sometimes pacing improves by slowing down in the right place — giving space for emotion or clarity.
The result of good pacing
When pacing works, readers don’t notice it. They simply stay hooked. They turn pages late at night, carried along by a story that feels inevitable yet surprising. That invisible current is the hallmark of professional-level storytelling.
Ready for the next step?
Book a discovery call with Tom Witcomb to discuss your manuscript.
Explore our manuscript assessment service to identify pacing issues early.
Consider developmental editing for a deep dive into structure and flow.
