Doing the Math to Make My Novel Kick A$$

I'm wrapping up the final revision of my novel and what do I do? I get a brainwave! I recently watched a movie (see the photo for a hint) and I was struck by the pacing in this film. How the jump scares happened at the best moments and how the scenes would drift away from the promise of the title, only to move back to it regularly.

It's quite difficult to explain how the movie touched me, but it did. I watched it three times! Not for the story, because that was quite simple; it was a teen scream after all, but for the creative elements. I loved the pacing, and the way the story would include little side plots but return enough to the main plot to keep my interest. The second and third viewings were done with a notebook and pen. I wrote down the timestamps for each element. False scares, jump scares, tension building, creep factors, etc. And for how often the main theme/title was mentioned or focused on.

And then, the difficult part! I did the math, and I don't like math. At all. But based on the length of the movie, I calculated what percentage each element came into play. There were two false scares, and a death within the first 3% of the movie! Bam! This is what really hit me. My novel had a boring start. The first four chapters had very little to do with the actual plot, they were simply building up to it. They're good chapters, but I didn't feel like they would grab a reader.

So, I did even more math! I calculated (very roughly) what page in my novel each of these elements should go in order to get the same intensity as the movie I watched. Of course, a movie and a book are quite different, and just a single scene from a movie can pack in so much. But I wanted to add at least some of the elements.

I rewrote the opening chapter and added in a red shirt. Actually, there are two, but I only revealed one in the opening...the fate of the second one is revealed in chapter four. If you're unfamiliar with a red shirt, it's a Star Trek reference for a character whose purpose is, well, to be killed. And the first chapter is now 100% about the title. I feel like it's a much better opening and it says: 'Hi there, this book is gonna scare the crap out of you so keep reading!' My original opening has then been moved to chapter two, and I added a creep/scare element, just to keep things moving. And so on, and so on.

I'm new to the world of writing, and I'm learning. I'm moving scenes around here and there so much that sometimes I feel like I'm working a jigsaw puzzle. The original story is still very much there and about 75% of it is exactly as I wrote it a year ago during the first and second drafts. I suppose if my novel were a cake (and yes, I am obsessed with the Great British Baking Show) I would be doing the pretty bits now. The fondant flowers and decorative piping and finishing touches. Sorry for so many mixed metaphors, but have I mentioned that I'm new to writing?

I feel good about the opening chapter of my novel now, and I'm continuing to work my way through the book, seeing where I need to tuck in a reference, a paragraph, or an entire chapter to keep the main object in the forefront of a reader's mind. The final third of the book is all about the title, so no worries there. It flows much better now and I'm so glad I decided to watch that movie.

I'm hoping to get the final revision finished in the next few days, and editing done by the first of 2025. And then the exciting part...publication! I will admit that I'm quite nervous about it. We'll see how it goes. I've been playing around with cover ideas, and I might post my top three next time. Until then, follow your dreams and have a great day!