Contrasting Character Timelines

Alma Matters · Jan 16, 2015

In my current WIP I have three main characters and the story takes place over three/four days.

My question is this, the chapters move between the three characters – how important for the reader is the timeline? For example.

· We are with Trish at dusk.
· In the next chapter we see Tony at midday and we spend a few chapters with him until...
· We see Trish at midnight.
· The next time we see Tony its midnight in his story too.

I’m building to a point where the characters meet soon, but some have more going on in their timeline than others.

Is this a problem? Do I need to switch around the chapters so that we see each character at roughly the same time?

I’m sorry if this is confusing.

30,000 words into my first attempt at a novel and I feel I'm going to collapse under the weight!

Any help is appreciated.

Sonsofthepharaohs · Jan 16, 2015

It's hard to say if it would be confusing, because a lot of it would depend on the execution. It might be a hot mess that makes my head spin wondering if they're in parallel universes, or it could be really well controlled and seamless.

But I think control is the word. You will need to be very clear what's going on in order to avoid confusion.

I might suggest an alternative to making the timeline jump about every chapter, by bundling them up. Have several chapters from one POV that traces their day from say, early morning to tea time. Then switch to another POV and show his day from lunchtime until he catches up with the other POV's timeline, then you could either go back to the original POV character, or carry on with the other one. But I think jumping back and forth in time every chapter would get quite confusing for the reader.

Sage · Jan 16, 2015

It would really throw me off to have Trish's chapter come before Tony's even though it starts later than his. It's understandable (though sometimes still a little disorienting) for Tony to start at midday and have a scene that goes though midnight and then have to go back to Trish at dusk, but based on this example, I don't see why you wouldn't stick Trish's dusk after Tony's midday.

There could, of course, actually be a good reason, but in general this wouldn't work for me.

Alma Matters · Jan 16, 2015

Thanks guys. It's clear (I think) that the events take place on the same day and in the same time zone and the example I have given above maybe is the most confusing.

I think the issue seems to come from the writing. I have several chapters from Tony's point of view (because it flowed and felt natural when I was writing). Then I went back and did a section on Trish. Then back to Tony.

Based on your feedback it may be best to avoid confusion by trying to make sure that, wherever possible, we see every characters 'noon', then every characters 'dusk'... etc. I don't want things to be over complicated.

Another question that’s bugging me – does it matter if one character seems to have more going on in their story than another? For instance – Trish might have 3- chapters and Tony might only get one.

Sorry for all of the questions.

Sage · Jan 16, 2015

Alma Matters said:
Based on your feedback it may be best to avoid confusion by trying to make sure that, wherever possible, we see every characters 'noon', then every characters 'dusk'... etc. I don't want things to be over complicated.

I don't think this is true, if I'm understanding what you're saying. My problem was that you started the first character we see later than you start the second character we see, so we actually go back in time from the first character's beginning to get to the second character's beginning. There may be reasons to do that, but there have to be reasons or else it's just messy storytelling.

Grain of salt: I generally don't let separate POVs overlap in time at all, so even a real overlap has the potential to throw me off, but starting before the first POV just sounds like it'd confuse the reader.

Alma Matters said:
Another question that’s bugging me – does it matter if one character seems to have more going on in their story than another? For instance – Trish might have 3- chapters and Tony might only get one.

Only if it's supposed to be Tony's story

Jamesaritchie · Jan 16, 2015

I think almost anything can be made to work, but just from your post, I'd hate that. I don't know whether I'd find it confusing, but I'm pretty sure I'd find it annoying.

But it's your novel, and if you think you can pull it off, then go for it.

Michael Davis · Jan 16, 2015

One complain among readers is when they're not aware of the timeline, or it jumps too drastically. As shared with me at a book group reading, they want to be there enveloped by the fictional world which is hard to do when they're out of synch with the story. Doesn't have to be hard print in script, rather it can be in the dialog, like, "Jenny, breakfast is ready" or "above his cup of java, he pondered the new day."

Alma Matters · Jan 17, 2015

Thanks for your input guys – it’s helped me straighten things out in my own head.

I think generally the plot is linear. There’s just that sticking point which I will address. I want to focus on getting the words out for this first draft and hopefully, in the rewrite, I can sharpen that point even further to make it clear to the reader.

Thanks for point about dialogue Michael – the story takes place in the same town around the same event – so I can maximise the opportunity here.

Thanks again!

Contrasting Character Timelines

Alma Matters

Sonsofthepharaohs

Still writing the ancient Egyptian tetralogy

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Alma Matters

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Jamesaritchie

Michael Davis

Alma Matters