: Re: Jumping between points in time in narrative Is it acceptable for a writer to jump back in time for a whole chapter? I don't mean a flashback, I mean more like, for example, chapter 5 happening

Nonlinear narratives are a particular favorite of mine. Yes, it's possible to do this, but it can be tricky to set things up so they're not confusing to the reader. But if you have a good reason to present things to the reader out of order, it can be a very powerful way to set up a book.

You'll have to do some work to make sure the reader is oriented. Putting a date at the beginning of a chapter is a start, but lots of clues in the story itself would also help.

Nonlinear techniques allow you to present information to the reader exactly when they need it. They also let you start a story in the most interesting part of the tale, and pace it however you want.

One of my favorite movies is Pulp Fiction, and that film succeeds in great part to its use of these devices. We get a great view of the characters due to the order in which we encounter them. The film goes so far as to have a character die, then we see him again (but we know he's doomed). Yet it's never confusing, because the story is very clear. The script is available online, you may want to spend some time reading it. (It's also a hell of a page-turner.)

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: This is extremely rare and very difficult to execute smoothly. While switching into present tense when the action picks up is usually fine, it's very difficult to create a smooth transition

@Dunderdale623

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: Do readers enjoy self-administered vigilante justice? Or do they prefer moral heroes? Let me put it this way: A common trope in American popular fiction is the hero who lives by his

@Dunderdale623

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: Think of everything in the story in terms of "actors". Do they appear near enough to be confusable? Do they appear in contexts where one can be confused with the other? In your case

@Dunderdale623

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: Are newlines effective for adding weight to certain phrases? Sometimes I'll write something where there's a few paragraphs of buildup, then a "whammy line" or two. I wrote a quick example, pretend

: Re: Jumping between points in time in narrative Is it acceptable for a writer to jump back in time for a whole chapter? I don't mean a flashback, I mean more like, for example, chapter 5 happening

More posts by @Dunderdale623

: This is extremely rare and very difficult to execute smoothly. While switching into present tense when the action picks up is usually fine, it's very difficult to create a smooth transition

: Do readers enjoy self-administered vigilante justice? Or do they prefer moral heroes? Let me put it this way: A common trope in American popular fiction is the hero who lives by his

: Think of everything in the story in terms of "actors". Do they appear near enough to be confusable? Do they appear in contexts where one can be confused with the other? In your case

: Are newlines effective for adding weight to certain phrases? Sometimes I'll write something where there's a few paragraphs of buildup, then a "whammy line" or two. I wrote a quick example, pretend

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