Happy Anniversary Joy  !
I approached this article with great interest, as I have long known the benefits of short and long lines and the dance a writer must do to pace a piece of interwoven writing, even with poetry. I'm pleased to have found this and able to put/keep some things in transition with my craft, and into better perspective. If nothing else, it's always great to have these reminders.
Pacing is elemental to good writing and something that gets overlooked, because there can be dawdling over those details like happy children telling mom a droll story that slogs a read. I think taking a page from Hemingway helps too. We often want to reach for flowery words more comparable to E.E. Cummings or Fitzgerald, rather than the economy of words like a poet, W. Carlos Williams. The assumption of overflowing mom's vase with weedy words isn't as pretty as we think.
When I think of my own writing, currently, it's been the bendable free verse, similar to prose, but with poetic devices that create an auditory quality among other things from metaphoric to the sensory. It reminds me of the influences of Toni Morrison and surprisingly, Nicholas Sparks, for a poetic flavor to bend an ear (emotively).
What is truest for me is that we struggle to set up...a story. With poetry, it's a single thread. With a hook, it can be similar, but with more constraint to keep those weeds from filling the cracks. I want to start weaving details early, from beginning, work through and back (even as my fiction approach), to get those details you long to introduced to back fill and explain story/events happening, happened or on the horizon. That's where novel prep has helped me.
You make mention of noting times when to introduce fast and slower paced action. I think it's important to select sections in advance with forethought of where you want to write to those events with tempo. And, like you say, with more writing comes more experience handling those choppy seas of words to turn a piece into a smooth, sailing craft. Hmm, new metaphor. Had to end sometime.
It's been getting easier with poetry to learn where a line break should occur. For me, as neurodivergent, I have to be a good study of human behavior to learn when to speak and when to listen and not get distracted by ADHD. A writer has to think ahead, be disciplined in knowing they can get lead astray. But, also important, is to let yourself go once in awhile for that release of writing, purge what you can. The hardest part comes when it's time to edit and those little babies have to come out. I just tell myself to store them for another piece, so I don't have to feel bad with edits.
So as poetry goes, needing to keep a reader interested and not confused, with good material that flows, so must fiction and the novel craft. I've spent less time with it, because of low vision and easily frustrated by my perfectionism. This, overall, is what stumps me. I can write 50,000 words a month just on reviews, because it comes out naturally. I can't sit down and plan and plot something that I'd rather pitch as a movie idea and be done with it. With reviewing, I have structures, either set aside, or in my mind, once I see the words I choose give response.
I had great plans to write THE novel. More than twenty were launched (new metaphor still afloat). Many good short stories came of it. But, I just lean into the little interruptions that beg my ear, that I call poetry. Even if just to drop my 'antithetical jottings' into notes, craft a thought or introduce a link in newsfeed. Even, if just to blather on to a complacent audience in some social media forum, or read a current inspiration to my distracted family, I'll always be writing aloud, in my head, or on paper. And, all the while, I keep incorporating new ideas (an armada) and thoughts (to empty a ballast) that come about, even with a review such as this (why a levy breaks). Metaphor gone?
Merely, writing for pleasure, if just free associating but hypercritically analyzing with this over functioning mind, I'll always have something to chew on and spit out. Reading, articles such as this, makes the machine (not a ship) go from clunkety-clunk to sixty in about 20 years plus. I've hit some curves I couldn't smooth out. I've run into some metaphors that didn't pan out, or just went on and on forever until I was stranded in a muddy field, spun out (new metaphor).
I could go back and look at this review later, edit, edit and add a thing or two to stay on point (and off metaphors). Or, just wing it, like I mostly do. What's that? 4,000 characters in a little over 10 minutes (over 6k now  ). Some run on sentences that are a bit self-serving, or mostly, and don't serve the purpose of a review. And, then, lines like this.
Having fun and frivolity with reading and responding to your article is what gives some flavor to this pasttime. I wouldn't be able to say what I've said with candor and no preclusion of planned thought (if that sounds Englishly correct), to randomly write and hope that it serves the author of this piece I've lent feedback.
But, more important, are other writers reading and deconstructing pieces in this community and wherever they roam? (some were kind to remember me when I was absent) Because, that is essential to understanding the craft inside and out. True writers (some guilded) know when there is a gun in a room, it goes off in the second act. And, the rest of us, just having fun and killing a few years of boredom and making acquaintances in our waning, writing life.
Whatever serves, for the serious or the young at heart, or both, it's about the game, how you played/dabbled in prose, if you left everything out on the field/paper/screen, for better or worse, regardless of the aim to win. We have to brave enough to lose.
A happy idiot, rain-showered and puddle stomping, I'll continue to enjoy writing. And, if there's opportunity, share our words and love of metaphors with one another...send notes and thoughts and visit newsfeed and other places where writers submit, so they know. They do it because they want to share what they love...just like any other.
Okay, so this was about pacing. I failed, but it's reviewing. I give myself a pass.  Now, to reduce this double vision to one, so I can get back to reviewing a poetry contest that needs my attention. Thanks again for sharing and caring.
Brian
WDC Anniversary
and Angel Army Reviewer
 
thank you to the internet gods for not letting my stray, clumsy hand wipe out this review on several occasions before hitting store and edit...he typed with one good eye.
I really need to disable the touchpad.  
The rule of comedy is three jokes on one topic. It should be the same for metaphors, but really only one for poetry.
I apologize for any errata. I must go soak my eyeballs in something hydrating now.  |
I accept review credits if I deserve rank. I accept merit badges as recognition, to be earned not bought…my opinion. I buy to support friends to maintain my shadowed equivalency, not pad.
I have low vision, ADHD. it’s tripped me up. I dust off, get back in the game.
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it indeed is a need for change.
talk to text and cut and paste. Angles hand so stray fingers don’t mangle the pretty text. They also can be intrusive as a laptop keystroke wipeout. These review tool boxes are WIDE OPEN spaces. Have to turn my next to get to end of window/line. 
s t r e t c h 