Passing of time

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Dulvarian_Eldritch

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Would it be considered odd if my MC has one very long and event filled day (basically the first 8 chapters)? I didn't intend to write it as such, but the supporting cast didn't want to let him go without the proper send-off yada yada yada.

Should I spread it out some more, perhaps over a few days? The timeline fits, and I've had real life days that were busier. The flip side will be that the next part involves a rather boring move to a new post, and several weeks might be covered in one or two chapters.

I guess my real question is "How much should I allow to be crammed into one day?". Personally, I think it works. My real concern is that I just don't want to have the pace moving so fast, then slack off.
 

sunandshadow

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The Star Trek original novel _Triangle_ is an example of an approx. 300 page book which covers only about 2 and a half days in that many pages, and I am sure there are many other novels which do the same thing.
 

sacredmime

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If you feel the story will keep the reader's interest, then I don't think anyone would mind that it is all taking place in one day. And if the next part (moving to the new post) is uneventful, then don't spread it over more pages then is necessary.

The thing I'd be worried about in writing in a really long day was if the events seemed improbable (ie. too much happening/too many coincidences in a relatively short time). And remember, just because you've had busier days in real life, doesn't mean that your story should be compared to that standard.
 
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