Non-Linear Storytelling

When you tell someone a story, do you tell them in chronological order or do you start with the most relevant part? Non-linear storytelling is simply the events being described or written out of order. This is often used to add tension to scenes and chapters that would otherwise be bland. In some cases, it adds context and explains an event that just happened. 

Benefits of Non-Linear Storytelling.

Drawbacks of Non-Linear Storytelling.

Different types of non-linear Storytelling.
Conclusion:

When learning to construct storylines and character arcs it is common for writers to show a character's beginnings and then take them on a journey. Within this method of storytelling, flashback sequences are often used to show a character's backstory interspersed with the present narrative. This adds depth to that particular character and potentially others too. 

Benefits of Non-Linear Storytelling.

Intrigue: This type of storytelling often leaves the reader with a complicated puzzle to pull apart. Multiple storylines can also add an element of mystery to the story. 

Unreliable Narrator: It can also be used to show that a character is not telling the truth about a certain run of events, or is seeing the world with a skewed viewpoint related to past events. This can help to label them as an unreliable narrator.

Tension: By showing the results of a particular character’s decision before showing the process they went through to reach that point, we feel compelled to read on. This is because we, as readers, are trying to work out where they went wrong, or in some cases, how they saved themselves.

Questions and Answers: By showing events out of order, we can utilise non-linear storytelling to ask and answer questions throughout a story, keeping them gripped within the text. Or we can answer a question that we may not have asked yet, which will be explored in a flashback. 

Drawbacks of Non-Linear storytelling.

Confusion: With a narrative that jumps around a lot, the reader can get confused and this will throw them out of the story. Making sure that the reader knows if they are reading a flashback or alternative timeline is of utmost importance unless, of course, the confusion is a deliberate decision for a section of the storyline.

Stilted progress: A sense of progress is one of the most satisfying and important aspects of a narrative, if it is broken up such as with a non-linear style then it still needs to feel satisfying and this can prove more difficult but is certainly possible. 

Different types of non-linear storytelling.

In some cases, such as with The secret life of Addie LaRue, written by V.E Schwab, there are two narratives, one far in the past and one in the present day. By alternating back and forth between the two we see how the protagonist has become who she is and gives her depth. 

Alternatively, in The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch, both of these methods are utilised to add depth and back story to the main characters. However, the storyline often twists and turns in both the flashbacks and the present narrative where one scene happens, and then another scene after it plays out which shows how the characters got to that point. This sounds as if it would be complicated and confusing to read yet instead it adds tension to scenes that otherwise may be boring to read. 

A slightly more common approach is to simply add backstory in the form of flashbacks throughout a novel, such as in The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. These flashbacks are spread out through the novel and help to answer questions the readers might have about the main character. It also shows the character’s roots and motivations, so when they make decisions, it is plausible given their past. This, despite being more straightforward than the other methods detailed, is nevertheless difficult to seem relevant.

Conclusion:

While complicated, using different types of Non-Linear storytelling within a narrative can be very rewarding and could be used as a tool to improve your craft. I recommend trying it out, even if it just helps you understand why character depth is important. For me, it has helped me learn how to use promises and payoffs in alternative ways than I usually do.