propinquity (pruh-PING-kwih-tee) —noun. Nearness in place, time, or relationship; proximity.
From the Latin propinquus, meaning near, which itself comes from prope—close to. The same root gives us approach (to come close to), approximate (drawing near to a value without quite reaching it), and the lovely propinquant, an old legal term for a near relative.
A useful word for a writer because the second scene of a novel is, in a sense, a test of propinquity. Your reader chose to stand close to your protagonist after the first scene or first chapter. The second scene asks her to stay there. If you push her away with a wall of backstory, she’ll find another book to stand near.
The propinquity of the two cottages, separated by no more than a hedge, made it impossible for either family to keep a secret for long.
Question: My critique partners loved my opening chapter, but they all said they got bogged down in chapter two. What am I doing wrong?
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