Slow Down!

I've been told by different people that some of my works could have been longer. 

Some said I could drag it on a little because it was too fast paced, while others said it could be a trilogy. I agree with them, but once I finish a story it's like a balloon filled with air and tied shut. To untie and add more air is not that easy.

So wanting to decrease those comments, I've decided to slow down and take a breather. You see, I'm the kind of person that loves cliff hangers and fast paced stories, hence I try to end most of my chapters with cliff hangers. I also cut out all the not-so-fast-paced parts and avoid writing them. It's a habit.

Now that I am able to see what I'm doing, always making my stories too snappy, I've learned to add in breather chapters where nothing fast paced happens, simply to give space for characters to grow. Honestly, I dread writing those chapters because they seem so slow and uneventful to me, BUT I'm learning to incorporate them.

I guess this is something all writers should learn to balance in their works. You shouldn't speed like a race car nor should you inch your way like a snail. If you see room for your story to expand, add some breathers. But if you see your story dragging on aimlessly, cut it. A few words extra or less could make your story better.

So, if you're a writer, which one are you? The one that needs to expand your story or the one that needs to cut it?