1. Reggie

    Reggie I Like 'Em hot "N Spicy Contributor

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    Scenes in "Real Time"

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by Reggie, Jan 27, 2011.

    Hello, has anyone here ever written a scene and tried to write a lengthy one (let us say it takes 10 minutes for a reader to read the entire scene) that matches the “real clock” as if you are really in the scene for 10 minutes? If you have a very good scene and it takes the reader ten minutes to finish reading it, is as if he is really doing something in that location for ten minutes. If anyone ever tried that, what is the word count per minute (the number of words for that scene that you type in the chapter represents the time on the real clock)? I know this sounds like a strange question, but it kind of gave me an interest that makes my novel look realistic, and I know that people have different speeds when it comes to reading, but an average person who would take their time to read the scene would have a standard word count per minute.
     
  2. Youniquee

    Youniquee (◡‿◡✿) Contributor

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    Hmm..I've never tried, but it sounds pointless to include in your story.
    I don't think it would make a novel more realistic but very long winded and boring...no offence.
    It would be impossible to write something that takes 10 minutes to read for everyone. People skim over words/paragraphs and don't even know it. xD I don't think anyone's ever researched into this.
    It's a very good thought tho :p
     
  3. Kevin B

    Kevin B New Member

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    Not me. I've never tried to write to match the "real clock" because no two readers read in the same way. If one reads the scene in 10 minutes, the next reader may read it in only 8, and the next in 9, or 11. I really don't see where having a "time correct" scene in the story would be effectively important.
    :)
     
  4. Reggie

    Reggie I Like 'Em hot "N Spicy Contributor

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    Thanks for the comments, maybe I was in over my head about this, but thought it would work. I'll just stay stick with my old writing technique. Thanks though. :)
     
  5. Islander

    Islander Contributor Contributor

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    Humans don't have a linear sense of time - you can usually make the reader believe this or that much time has passed by using external timemarks, like letting a character glance at their watch.

    Still, it's an interesting idea, and who knows, maybe it will reinforce the reader's sense of time.
     
  6. Taylee91

    Taylee91 Carpe Diem Contributor

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    I've actually never tried it, Reggie. I think I should give it a try sometime, but it might cause a migraine to develop in my head. . .Sounds hard to do
     
  7. R-e-n-n-a-t

    R-e-n-n-a-t New Member

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    This could be boring very easily, I'd fluctuate moment by moment with detail. Some moments need a lot of detail, but most don't need to be in "real-time" for the best effect.
     
  8. Spacer

    Spacer Active Member

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    Maybe 500 to 700 words per minute. There was a time I could do over a thousand, so it certainly varies.
     

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