This video explores possibilities for using a nonlinear structure in your stores, citing two references from award-winning novelists and another from a case study of my own.
Each example serves to highlight the potential of nonlinear narratives to deepen thematic exploration and enrich character development.
Hello, Jane Cleland here.
The question is: Can you give an example of a non-linear structure? Absolutely! I’m going to give you three.
First, let’s start by defining the term. A linear structure is chronological. It begins at the beginning and makes its way through until the end. Non-linear does something else.
Let’s start with Italo Calvino’s The Castle of Crossed Destinies. Travelers in the night lose their ability to speak and end up having to tell their stories using tarot cards. But since tarot cards are open to so much interpretation, there are misunderstandings, confusions, and ambiguity, making a thematic comment on the complexity of communication.
Second example: The Lost Van Gogh by Jonathan Santlofer. The story tells two narratives during two different time frames. One is set in the current day, focusing on people trying to find a Van Gogh that was lost. The other goes back to the beginning of the 20th century, showing how the Van Gogh got lost in the first place. So it’s not flashbacks—it is current at that time. The chapters are labeled, for example, “1900,” and by the way, those chapters are all set in italics as well. These short chapters show what was happening at that time. This is a non-linear structure.
Third example: From my book Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot. I developed a case study about quilting—a matriarch who told her stories through the quilts she made. Each quilt represented a very special summer spent at the seaside and was named for that event. For instance, one quilt was named Amish Shadow when one of her sons shocked the family by marrying an Amish girl. The names of the quilts reflected what was going on in her life. This is non-linear because it’s based on a category. You could name each chapter for a wildflower or a football team—whatever it is, as long as there’s harmony and consistency, it’s going to work for you.
How about you? What have you done with non-linear structures? I’d love to hear about it—put it in the comment section!
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Thank you!
*Transcripts are software-generated. To report any transcription errors, please use my contact form!
