Using Constant Motion {How to Keep Readers Interested}

In a previous post on this blog, I mentioned how motion is good for spreading out information so you won’t info dump (which you can read here) But this can actually be used for more than just that.

Recap:

Pilot Episode

Making Character’s Relatable: Part 1

Making Characters Human (with an awesome example/review, interview, and giveaway!) (speaking of which, I’ll announce the winners of the giveaway at the end of this post!! 😃)

Multiple Conflicts

Today’s Goals:

Learn about using motion
Spice up all the boring parts of your book

About Motion

Motion gives the reader inadvertently the feeling of something moving. Even if your plot isn’t moving, your character is moving. This motion can keep them reading even when the plot isn’t doing that for you. If your character is just standing there, doing nothing but thinking, that’s kind of boring. But if they’re moving with even the smallest sense of purpose, that gives it that motion, that feeling of the story moving… even if it actually isn’t.

Because readers think that the story is moving, they keep reading. Of course, they’re more interested in other things going on in the book than the motion itself. But if there’s a lull in the action, you can still have action, you know?

An Example I Just Made Up

“There are enemies everywhere,” Greg told her. “We have to stay vigilant.”

Ignoring the fact we have no idea who Greg or ‘her’ is, let’s try again.

“There are enemies everywhere,” Greg told her. He put an arm out to stop her before she walked into the path of an oncoming carriage. “We have to stay vigilant.” He dolefully eyed her, as if the carriage incident was enough to show how vigilant exactly she was.

When the characters are moving around, it’s a lot more interesting to read.

An Example from a Real Movie

Picture a Marvel movie; during some of the scenes, when characters are explaining things, there’s motion.

For example, in The Winter Soldier, at the beginning, Nick Fury and Captain America are moving while Fury explains about the ships. (This is where you realize what a great excuse you have now to go and watch that movie again 😉 You’re welcome!)