Photo by Jens Lelie on Unsplash
Readers enjoy consuming as many plotlines as possible. However, most novels focus on a singular story – most except parallel narratives.
Storytelling has colored the world in many hues as it has consistently evolved. What started with people drawing events through sticks and shapes has transformed into words woven together to offer readers a magical experience. Through time, storytelling has played a consequential role in shaping history and society; in time, it has also enhanced people’s experience.
While stories can be timeless, the effectiveness of their delivery can falter at any time. To address this, authors have sought innovative ways to revitalize the creativity in literature.
They’ve constantly adjusted their writing methods to appease the audience’s interests. From crafting unique storylines and updating possibly outdated genres to combining multiple narratives into one, authors have consistently racked their minds to whip up something new for literature’s development.
Authors’ Newest Means of Enthralling Readers
One of the newest methods authors are using to captivate their audience is running multiple storylines in a single novel. These stories happen simultaneously in the novel’s timeline, and it’s up to the authors whether these converge or not.
Also known as parallel narratives, these novels include multiple storylines that typically happen concurrently. However, depending on the author’s volition, each can be entirely separate. They can even occur on different timelines and with different kinds of characters. Others may argue this isn’t the proper method to build parallel narratives. But so long as they share the same plot line or circle a similar central theme, they can be regarded with likeness.
Author Tamara Barnett is an expert in crafting parallel narratives. In Seasons of Love, a compilation of six fictional stories in one book, Tamara takes readers through the different phases of love. While there’s no apparent connection between these stories, and the characters never meet, this book is a perfect example of such a narrative. Sharing the same theme, readers experience similar events and emotions.
Parallel narratives are the newest means of enhancing storytelling. Instead of focusing on a singular plot and limited characters, this structure experiments with intertwined stories or related characters. It’s an exciting way of expanding stories and adding more artistry.
Mastering Parallel Narratives
Parallel narratives are definitely the way to go. This style challenges authors to break their limits and entertains readers to another level. But regardless of how interesting or wonderful these narratives are, juggling multiple stories in one is never easy.
These stories don’t need to have a converging point to be complicated. It’s the practice of simultaneously writing separate novels that makes it challenging. Not everybody has the time or the creative capacity to think of multiple stories revolving around one theme.
Hence, creating such narratives won’t always be easy.
Set a Purpose
Parallel narratives don’t just share a common theme. They must also aim to convey a similar message or lesson. By setting a purpose, all the stories involved will point in the same direction and share a similar thematic undertone. This sets the tone of the whole book and ties each tale with the other. Despite following a separate plot, they will appear unified and complete.
Each story must build up to a bigger picture the book aims to convey. This is why authors need to set a purpose for the whole book to share and not just for every narrative.
Create a Linkage
While narratives in this style are separate, they can share a binding point for the book to be coherent. Whether it’s sharing the same theme or a similar event within these different timelines, a singular tool must tie them together. Not only will this tie the story into one whole book, but this linkage will excite readers upon recognizing the similarity.
Set Different Goals or Conclusions
Parallel narratives may share a central theme or have similar storylines; they don’t have to share a common ending or goal. These stories must have distinct plots, with characters desiring different things. Naturally, they would have the same purpose, but this can be achieved without sharing remarkably similar plots and goals.
- Helping Kids Understand Big Ideas Through Stories - January 21, 2025
- Running with Purpose: How Life and Marathon Are Alike - January 3, 2025
- Faith In Times Of Despair: Finding Jesus When Hope Is Futile - December 12, 2024