Catching the Bus: Pacing Practice

Slow Paced

The hem of her skirt was bathed in dust as she hurried along the unpaved roads. Her anxious eyes danced about. The hum of the bustling street encircled her, swallowing her heavy panting. Tapping impatiently, her head swung rapidly from left to right as her ears rang with the sound of cars speeding past. The wind lashed across her face as she made her way across the road. At last, the deafening clitter-clatter of a rusty yellow and green vehicle abated as it came to a stop in front of her. Pushing past struggling shoulders, she burst through the shoving commuters and took her seat on the bus next to the shattered panes. The world around her faded. Throwing her head back, she smiled. She had beaten the traffic.

Fast Paced

She ran down the street, crossed the road, and boarded the bus. She needed to beat the traffic.

What I learnt: I can control the pacing of a writing and infuse emotion by the use or omission of description and sensory cues.