Writing Advice

[TheIronRuler]

Hello escapists.
This is for all you creative writers.
I've almost finished my short story, around 10500 words at the moment, yet I have one chapter left.
That chapter I leave to the person talking about what just happened rather briefly.
But I just realized that before this... shall we call it epilogue?... I was alternating from current time - present, and memory flashbacks - past between every chapter.
I've realized that I need some sign that tells the reader that the chapter is in a different timeline (there are two time-lines simultaneously), but since the story is in first person present I can't think of anything besides writing the location of the episode in a different font a line below the chapter title.
Any advice?
(It rounds to about 25 pages. I think it took me way too long to finish. How long do you think I should have written it?)

EDIT: Hello folks.
My issue had been resolved, but I have another question.
Here is the post with my question -
[quote = myself]
I had a couple of opinions about the piece, and they told me that the writing style and personality of the main character (along with other hints) make up for not writing time or places before every episode.
Therefore I suppose this thread lost a bit of its meaning.
Now I have another question, just for you -
I want to write a story in the second person, with a frame story (A person telling the tale) in the third person, in the style of an all knowing entity.
I've realized that second person is difficult, but I plan on having the person talk about certain key moments in the life of the hero, such that changed him and his behavior, and then dedicate the rest of the piece to the devastating event that occurred, placing the hero in the spotlight as a murderer, and the sole survivor as the person telling his tale.
Any tips on how to accomplish this?
[/quote]

 

[LittleRedCircles]

Um. Unless you were on a deadline, you take as long as you need to finish a story. I wouldn't waste another second worrying about how long it took you to write it.

I would say this might be a good opportunity to experiment with alternating between first and third person, but since the story is already written, that wouldn't be very practical. That said, there's nothing wrong with giving your readers a little head's up at the start of each chapter. It won't be insulting, and if it will help them keep track, all the better. I know that's not an especially interesting or unique idea, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[William MacKay]

you could use different fonts for each chapter title which reflect the time period and make references to the time-period in the first few times: people catch on quick.

 

[TheIronRuler]

Um. Unless you were on a deadline, you take as long as you need to finish a story. I wouldn't waste another second worrying about how long it took you to write it.

I would say this might be a good opportunity to experiment with alternating between first and third person, but since the story is already written, that wouldn't be very practical. That said, there's nothing wrong with giving your readers a little head's up at the start of each chapter. It won't be insulting, and if it will help them keep track, all the better. I know that's not an especially interesting or unique idea, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Now I'd like to ask you - should I write the location & time, or one of them?
Since there is the current time, which is happening right now and the past (being about a year ago but I did not mention it at all. I just drew it so that it would fit in chronologically), I'm not sure whether I should current time and past or whether I should write locations, since both of the stories (the frame and the flashbacks) occur in one general place (each to its own).

 

[Dr. wonderful]

I say go with that or used a tv or newspaper to tell people the time or place.

 

[TheIronRuler]

I say go with that or used a tv or newspaper to tell people the time or place.

Sadly the realm I write of is a place with no such things.

you could use different fonts for each chapter title which reflect the time period and make references to the time-period in the first few times: people catch on quick.

The time periods are about a year apart, I'm not sure how to convey that through the font of the text.
Care you enlighten me?

 

[vviki]

I'm in favor of the time stamps. I enjoy the extra information it gives depth and detail to the story, also shows that the writer thought of it . Another way I would suggest is picking up the events from each time line one step back and repeating a bit of the last scene, so since the time lines are linked, the reader will know witch one is continued in the current chapter.

Sort of like: Chapter I(present) ends at the train station. Chapter II(past) ends in the office. Chapter III(present) picks up from the train station. Chapter IV(past) picks up from the office.

Now even if the next scene in every chapter is new, you can briefly repeat the end scene in the beginning of each chapter. Like say at the start of chapter IV you write one additional sentience "After the our meeting at the office, we went to the party, where we would meet our mutual friend"

Take your time with writing. Also don't worry to rework things later to improve or change them. You can't rush greatness .

Hope this helps!

 

[Hungry Donner]

What time range are we looking at? Is this something where you can mention seasonal changes and that will clue the reader into the time frame?

Edit Woops, I missed that. If they're a year apart you may still be able to use environmental changes. Not seasons of course, but you could have something that was started in the early period and is finished in the later, or perhaps something that has been removed.

 

[TheIronRuler]

What time range are we looking at? Is this something where you can mention seasonal changes and that will clue the reader into the time frame?

It might, since the current time is winter and the flashbacks occur at harvest (Autumn).
The flashbacks feature a festival to the goddess, to celebrate fertility and get young couples together. The current time is in winter, when most ex-soldiers have no employment and therefore sit in taverns accumulating debt. I mention snow and cold, but I didn't say WINTER.

 

[LittleRedCircles]

If it's not always clear which location goes with what timeline, then I would do both. Maybe do it like the newspaper articles do it - just a little "Los Angeles, April 30, 2010" right before your first paragraph or something. It might be best to make it that unobtrusive.

 

[Hungry Donner]

It might, since the current time is winter and the flashbacks occur at harvest (Autumn).
The flashbacks feature a festival to the goddess, to celebrate fertility and get young couples together. The current time is in winter, when most ex-soldiers have no employment and therefore sit in taverns accumulating debt. I mention snow and cold, but I didn't say WINTER.

Excellent.

Seasonal references can be kept pretty subtle but will still help the reading know what's going on, especially if you can get the description in early.

It may not be an option but a visual clue could help. I don't mean a description of visuals but actual visuals. William MacKay comment about chapter titles sounds good to me - you can alternate fonts or colors or have some sort of icon or symbol.

 

[TheIronRuler]

If it's not always clear which location goes with what timeline, then I would do both. Maybe do it like the newspaper articles do it - just a little "Los Angeles, April 30, 2010" right before your first paragraph or something. It might be best to make it that unobtrusive.

Like I explained earlier, this isn't modern times.
It's fantasy, and I'd rather kill myself than work on a dating system.
Therefore dates can't be used, I figured that halfway through responding to posts.

 

[William MacKay]

I say go with that or used a tv or newspaper to tell people the time or place.

Sadly the realm I write of is a place with no such things.

you could use different fonts for each chapter title which reflect the time period and make references to the time-period in the first few times: people catch on quick.

The time periods are about a year apart, I'm not sure how to convey that through the font of the text.
Care you enlighten me?

well that part wont work. different fonts for each time period might still work though

 

[LittleRedCircles]

Ooohhhhhhh, I see what you're saying. Yeah, that's tougher. Then yeah, this whole different seasons thing is probably the way to go. I bet you can trust your readers to put the pieces together.

 

[linkzeldi]

You could use that thing they do in spy movies where at the top of a page it'll give the date and time in bold text.

 

[Seives-Sliver]

You could do something catchy and place the date each chapter takes place in, or write in a different font if it's in the past, rather than the present.

 

[TheIronRuler]

Ooohhhhhhh, I see what you're saying. Yeah, that's tougher. Then yeah, this whole different seasons thing is probably the way to go. I bet you can trust your readers to put the pieces together.

But what if I do trust them and they get confused?
I don't want my readers to strain their brains (Is that even possible? No matter, I'm too sleepy to think of another appropriate phrase). On the other hand readers that can't keep up with two simultaneous plot lines should.. eh... I truly doubt that I gave enough hints.
Even though the only similarities between the stories is the main protagonist, you might get confused.

 

[Charisma]

If it were me I wouldn't rely on something as superficial as word processing mechanics, especially since submissions guidelines are usually pretty strict and those kinds of things wouldn't transfer over if you ever wanted to get it published.

Typically when I can't figure out an elegant way to do meta-story things like clear narrative changes like what you're talking about, I just abandon it and figure something else out. It's all about deciding what's most important to you and your story and sometimes you need to make sacrifices. Sometimes the sacrifice involves nothing more than rewriting some or all of the story. Rewriting always has to be an option.

 

[TheIronRuler]

If it were me I wouldn't rely on something as superficial as word processing mechanics, especially since submissions guidelines are usually pretty strict and those kinds of things wouldn't transfer over if you ever wanted to get it published.

Typically when I can't figure out an elegant way to do meta-story things like clear narrative changes like what you're talking about, I just abandon it and figure something else out. It's all about deciding what's most important to you and your story and sometimes you need to make sacrifices. Sometimes the sacrifice involves nothing more than rewriting some or all of the story. Rewriting always has to be an option.

The story is rather shot and each chapter ranges from 2 to 4 pages. I doubt that after reading a chapter of a different plot line the person will forget about the other. Plus, My main plot always end with a mini-cliffhanger that forces the reader to quickly read the usually shorter chapter afterwards and then get to the rest of the main story.
Is that acceptable?

 

[Charisma]

If it were me I wouldn't rely on something as superficial as word processing mechanics, especially since submissions guidelines are usually pretty strict and those kinds of things wouldn't transfer over if you ever wanted to get it published.

Typically when I can't figure out an elegant way to do meta-story things like clear narrative changes like what you're talking about, I just abandon it and figure something else out. It's all about deciding what's most important to you and your story and sometimes you need to make sacrifices. Sometimes the sacrifice involves nothing more than rewriting some or all of the story. Rewriting always has to be an option.

The story is rather shot and each chapter ranges from 2 to 4 pages. I doubt that after reading a chapter of a different plot line the person will forget about the other. Plus, My main plot always end with a mini-cliffhanger that forces the reader to quickly read the usually shorter chapter afterwards and then get to the rest of the main story.
Is that acceptable?

Hard to visualize without context. Why don't you just direct me to your story and I'll give you some proper advice.