March 11, 2025 • 32 mins
“I want to write a dual timeline novel, but I’m struggling to weave the storylines together. Help!” 👈 This is something I hear from writers all the time. And while it’s true that writing a story with dual timelines presents its own set of challenges, the possibilities are often worth the effort.
Tune in to this episode to learn the essential elements that make dual timeline novels work, common mistakes to avoid, and practical writing strategies you can use to write a dual timeline story that truly resonates with readers.
In this episode, I cover things like:
- [03:00] The difference between true dual timeline stories and stories that use flashbacks to convey backstory—and why this distinction is so important
- [08:45] Two proven methods for arranging the chapters in your dual timeline novel, including the most common approach that works for all genres
- [11:25] Why creating a connection between timelines is so critical—and 5 specific ways to create meaningful connections between your timelines
- [18:00] How to keep readers engaged in your story no matter which timeline they’re in (and what to do if one of your timelines falls flat)
- [25:55] Final thoughts and episode recap
If you want to write a novel that has more than one timeline—or if you’re editing a novel with dual timelines—this is an episode you won’t want to miss!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
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👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
No matter how you look at it, the key to creating
this sense of meaningfulconnection between your
timelines is to look forparallels between each of your
timelines and then harmonizethose parallels to create an
overarching sense of meaning andconnection.
This connection is always goingto be part of the meaning of
your story, and so the way youconnect your timelines says
something in itself.
(00:20):
And remember, it's only whenthe timelines affect each other
and connect that youroverarching story becomes
complete.
Welcome to the Fiction WritingMade Easy podcast.
My name is Savannah Gilbo andI'm here to help you write a
story that works.
I want to prove to you thatwriting a novel doesn't have to
be overwhelming, so each week,I'll bring you a brand new
(00:42):
episode with simple, actionableand step-by-step strategies that
you can implement in yourwriting right away.
So whether you're brand new towriting or more of a seasoned
author looking to improve yourcraft, this podcast is for you.
So pick up a pen and let's getstarted.
In today's episode, we're goingto talk about writing a novel
(01:02):
with more than one timeline, andI wanted to tackle this topic
today because it's somethingthat's come up in my Notes to
Novel course quite a bit overthe last few weeks.
I have a handful of studentsright now who are working on
dual timeline novels, and I knowfrom talking to them and other
writers who listen to thispodcast that writing a dual
timeline novel can be prettyconfusing and overwhelming.
(01:24):
So in this episode, I reallywanted to talk through the
essential elements that makedual timeline stories work, some
common pitfalls to avoid, andI'm going to share some
practical strategies you can useto write a dual timeline story
that truly resonates withreaders.
So let's dive right in, shallwe?
And we're going to start with adefinition.
So what is a dual timelinestory?
(01:46):
A dual timeline story is a storythat has two separate but
parallel storylines set indifferent time periods.
Usually, one timeline is set inthe present and the other is
set at some point in the past.
Now, this is not always thecase, nor is it a hard and fast
rule.
I'm just saying usually this ishow these stories appear, and
the key thing I want to drawyour attention to is that dual
(02:08):
timeline stories feature twodifferent yet connected plots
that each have their own set ofcharacters, their own conflicts
and their own specific settings.
So, in other words, they are,on all accounts, two stories
that are distinct yet somehowconnected, and it's this
connection between the twotimelines that is the defining
characteristic of what it meansto write a dual timeline story.
(02:31):
Now, technically, you couldhave more than two timelines.
You could have some set in thepast, present and future, but of
course, the more timelines youadd, the trickier things get to
manage.
A great example of a story withmore than two timelines is Cloud
Atlas by David Mitchell.
In this book, there are sixinterconnected timelines, each
told from the perspective of adifferent character.
(02:52):
Each character has acomet-shaped birthmark, and
names, dates and referencesreoccur, hinting at a greater
connection between the sixcharacters and their timelines.
Now, something really importantto note is that a dual timeline
story is not the same as astory with a lot of flashback or
backstory scenes.
You can definitely includeflashbacks within your scenes in
(03:15):
either of your timelines, forexample, a flashback where a
character is rememberingsomething about their past, but
that is not the same as a storywith dual timelines, where the
events in each timeline unfoldwithin their own scenes or
chapters.
So, in other words, flashbacksor backstory should act as
context, woven into a scenewhere dual timelines need to
(03:37):
show events unfolding in realtime in each timeline.
Okay, so I'm going to say thatone more time, because that's
really important.
Flashbacks or backstory shouldact as context that gets woven
into a scene.
Dual timelines, on the otherhand, need to show the events of
the story unfolding in realtime in each timeline.
Okay, so, really importantdifference Now.
(03:59):
That being said, you can usethe dual timeline structure to
avoid too many flashbacks inyour present day timeline if
you're writing a story that isheavily reliant on backstory.
An example of this is in whenthe Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
.
That story reveals theprotagonist's backstory in the
past through a secondarytimeline.
(04:19):
This timeline has a beginning,middle and end, and it unfolds
through real-time scenes thatjust so happen to be set in the
past.
Okay, so, with thisunderstanding of what makes a
dual timeline story differentfrom a regular narrative with
flashbacks, now I want to sharethe three essential tips that
will help you craft a compellingdual timeline novel.
(04:40):
Tip number one is to structureyour dual timeline story with
purpose.
The way you structure your dualtimeline story is one of the
most crucial decisions you'llmake during the writing process,
and this goes beyond simplydeciding that you will include
two timelines.
It's about how you structureand then arrange your timelines
to create the best readingexperience possible.
(05:01):
Now, the most important thingyou need to know is that each
timeline must have its owncomplete narrative arc, while
also serving the overarchingstory.
This means that each timelineneeds to have a clear beginning,
middle and end, its own centralconflict and resolution,
character development that isspecific to that timeline and
stakes that matter within thattimeline's context.
(05:23):
So, although each timelineneeds to be distinct and work
independently, they should neverbe able to stand entirely on
their own, and that's becausewhen they have a reason to be
told side by side, they're goingto become stronger, more
meaningful and more impactfuland they'll add up to that
really nice, cohesive,overarching story that you're
going for.
(05:43):
Okay, so let's talk about how toconnect your timelines, and
there are really two mainoptions for you.
So option one is you canconnect your timelines by
writing timelines that converge,and in this scenario, at the
beginning of the story, thesetwo timelines and the plots and
the characters don't seem tohave anything in common.
In fact, most of the time, thecharacters in each timeline
(06:04):
don't even to have anything incommon.
In fact, most of the time, thecharacters in each timeline
don't even know, the othercharacters in the other
timelines exist.
The story might even take placein two totally different
locations or time periods andfor most of the story the two
plots and each cast ofcharacters will move forward on
their own as if the otherdoesn't exist.
But at some point they willconverge and when they do
(06:25):
converge the reader willunderstand the bigger reason or
the bigger meaning behind theirconnection.
So a great example of this is inthe book the Hours by Michael
Cunningham, which uniquelyfeatures three timelines rather
than two.
This story opens with Virginialast days before her death in
1923.
In the second timeline,clarissa Vaughn is a book editor
(06:46):
.
She's living in New York Cityin the late 20th century and
when we meet her she's on herway to a party for her poet
friend, richard.
In the third timeline, lauraBrown is a housewife living in
1949 who is bringing up her onlyson, richard.
The narratives converge in anunexpected way during the party
held for Richard and thisconvergence reveals the
(07:07):
connections between these threeseemingly separate stories.
So in this type of structureit's only when the timelines
converge that readers fullyunderstand the meaning behind
each timeline and theiroverarching connection to each
other.
Option two is that you cancreate parallel timelines or
stories that are mirrored acrosstime.
So another structural approachyou can take is to craft each of
(07:30):
your timelines with similarpacing and parallel developments
to create a sense of a biggeroverarching connection.
In this scenario theprotagonist arc will be similar
in both timelines and thesimilarities and differences
between each timeline willcreate that overarching meaning.
So a great example of this isin Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover,
(07:51):
and in this book we see thestory unfold from the point of
view of both main characters,tate and Miles.
In the present timeline we arein Tate's point of view and
we're watching the romanticrelationship develop between her
and Miles.
In the past timeline we're inMiles's point of view, watching
his last romantic relationshipdevelop.
So in both timelines we see thedeveloping romantic
(08:13):
relationship and the key plotpoints that mirror each other in
terms of when they unfold.
So they might unfold indifferent ways, but the timing
is pretty consistent and becauseof how the past timeline
unfolds right alongside thepresent, as readers we get
insight into each relationshipand point of view character at
the same time and in thisscenario, what the author
(08:34):
reveals in one timeline helps toshow us the truth in the other
timeline, which is pretty cool.
So that's option two.
You can structure your story asparallel timelines or storylines
that mirror each other acrosstime.
Now, once you've determined howyou're going to connect your
timelines either by structuringthem in similar ways or by
having your plots converge it'stime to think about how you're
(08:57):
going to arrange the scenes andchapters in your dual timeline
story.
And there are severalapproaches to how you can do
this.
So the first and most commonapproach to structuring the
chapters in a dual timelinestory is to alternate chapters
between your timelines.
So in this scenario, onechapter is dedicated to timeline
A, the next chapter isdedicated to timeline B, and so
(09:19):
on and so on.
This kind of setup will createa consistent rhythm that your
readers can easily follow.
A great example of thisapproach can be seen in the
Nightingale by Kristen Hanna.
In this book, the authoralternates fairly consistently
between the primary World War IIstoryline and the more
contemporary 1995 timeline.
Neither timeline dominates thestory and the author maintains a
(09:42):
really nice back and forthrhythm that keeps both
storylines moving forward inparallel.
Now the second way you can dothis is you can group several
chapters from one timelinetogether as a section and then
switch to the other timeline forthe next section of chapters.
An example of this setup can beseen in the Historian by
Elizabeth Kostova, because shegroups multiple chapters within
(10:04):
the same timeline together,creating these really nice and
distinct sections.
So this story moves betweenthree main time periods one in
the 1930s, one in the 1950s andthen one in the 1970s, and each
section or groups of chaptersfrom that timeline allows
readers to really sink into thattime period and become deeply
(10:25):
immersed in that timeline for alittle bit.
Sink into that time period andbecome deeply immersed in that
timeline for a little bit longerof a period of time before the
author switches us to anothertime period.
Now the right choice for you isoften going to depend on the
type of relationship you havebetween timelines.
So, for example, a story inwhich both timelines contain
equally important narrative arcsthat gradually illuminate each
(10:46):
other might be best told throughalternating chapters.
A story that spans generationsor has significantly different
narrative styles in eachtimeline might be best told
through a section-based approach.
There's not really a wronganswer here.
It just depends on what you'retrying to do with your story.
But whatever pattern you dochoose, just remember that
consistency is key.
(11:07):
Once you establish a rhythm,you will want to maintain it
throughout your entire story,and that's just so that readers
can sink into your story andanticipate the structure without
becoming disoriented.
Okay, so that's tip number one.
You will want to structure yourdual timeline story with
purpose.
Tip number two is to createmeaningful connections between
(11:28):
timelines.
So we just talked about howimportant it is for those two
timelines to connect, and nowwe're talking about how to make
those connections meaningful.
And this is really importantbecause the power of a dual
timeline story lies in how thetwo narratives inform and
enhance each other.
Without some kind of meaningfulconnection between the
timelines, you are essentiallywriting two separate stories
(11:50):
rather than one cohesivenarrative.
Now, one of the most powerfulways you can connect your
timelines is through sharedthemes.
And this is powerful becausewhen both timelines explore
similar thematic questions fromdifferent angles, then each
storyline deepens the reader'sunderstanding of the other one.
So a great example of this isin the Seven Husbands of Evelyn
(12:11):
Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid,where each timeline explores
themes of identity, fame,sacrifice, love and the price of
success.
The contemporary timelinefeatures journalist Monique
Grant and it provides contextand perspective for Evelyn
Hugo's more glamorous butcomplicated past.
So, again, all the timelinesare exploring these different
(12:33):
themes of identity fame,sacrifice, love and the price of
success and in doing so, theyadd up to this really nice,
cohesive whole.
Okay, so you can connect yourtimelines through shared themes.
Like that, you can also connectyour timelines through physical
objects.
Now, physical objects cancreate powerful connections
across your timelines,especially when they hold
(12:54):
different meanings or servedifferent purposes in each time
period.
So what I mean by physicalobjects is something like a
family heirloom, a mysteriousletter or an artifact that might
appear in both timelines orthat maybe evolves in
significance as the timelinesprogress things like that.
So a great example of this isin the Cottingley Secret by
(13:14):
Hazel Gaynor, and in that storythere's a manuscript that
details how two girls, francesand Elise Wright, somehow
convinced the entire town theylived in that they had
befriended fairies.
So the first timeline takesplace in 2017, and in this
timeline, the main character,olivia, finds the manuscript in
her grandmother's bookshop, soshe reads the manuscript and she
(13:36):
tries to figure out whyeveryone believed these two
young girls when their storiesseem so outlandish.
Then we have the secondtimeline, in which we see
Frances and Elise's story unfoldin 1917, in real time, as it
happens.
So this manuscript is theobject that connects both
timelines.
Now, another way you can createconnection between your two
(13:57):
timelines is through yourcharacters.
So characters in differenttimelines can reflect or
parallel each other inmeaningful ways as well.
They might face similarchallenges, possess
complementary traits or evenrepresent different approaches
to the same fundamental humanexperience.
So consider how you can useyour characters to explore
things like similar lifedecisions from different
(14:19):
historical perspectives,generational patterns in
families, historical impacts onindividuals and their psychology
, and even how societal changesaffect human relationships.
A really great example of thiscan be seen in the Thirteenth
Tale by Diane Sutterfield.
In this book, the protagonist,margaret, has been asked to
(14:40):
write a biography about a womannamed Vito Winter.
As the story progresses, we seea lot of parallels between the
two women.
They both have childhood trauma, they both struggle with
questions of identity, they'reboth haunted by missing family
members and they both facesimilar decisions about whether
to confront or escape theirpainful.
This creates a nice sense ofresonance by showing how these
(15:01):
two women, despite living indifferent eras, respond to
similar challenges.
Okay, so you can definitely useyour characters to create that
sense of meaningful connectionbetween your timelines.
Another option you have forcreating this connection or this
resonance between timelines isto use information asymmetry, so
in other words, you can usesomething like a revelation in
(15:22):
one timeline to completelyrecontextualize events in the
other.
For instance, maybe you have apresent-day character who
discovers information about thepast that changes their
understanding of their familyhistory, or maybe you have a
past timeline that reveals theorigins of a mystery being
solved in the present.
Either way you look at it, thistechnique can help you create
(15:43):
dramatic irony, and dramaticirony basically means the reader
knows something the charactersdon't, and because of this,
tension is built as theyanticipate how this knowledge
will affect your characters.
Okay, so that's another greatway to create connection and
resonance is to use informationlike this.
Now, the last thing I want tobring up here is that you can
find connections between yourtimeline via setting, and by
(16:07):
setting I mean both time andplace.
So on one hand, your story cantake place in the same setting
but in different time periods.
A nice example of this can beseen in the book the Forgotten
Garden by Kate Morton, and thisstory centers around Blackhurst
Manor and its fairy tale gardenon the Cornish coast, so the
garden itself appears inmultiple timelines in the 1900s,
(16:30):
when it was created, in 1975when one of the characters, nell
, discovers her connection to it, and then again in 2005, when
Nell's daughter, cassandra,inherits the cottage.
So this garden serves as areally nice physical link
between the generations, andwhat's really fun about it is
some of the features aremaintained over the course of
(16:50):
time, while other features havechanged over time, so you can
definitely play with that kindof stuff as well.
Okay, now, on the flip side ofthis, you can have a story that
takes place in the same timeperiod but in different settings
.
So an example of this is in Allthe Light we Cannot See by
Anthony Doerr, and in this storythe first timeline takes place
on the coast of France.
(17:10):
The second timeline takes placein a small mining town in
Germany.
Now, I do believe there'stechnically 10 years between
each of these timelines, butcompared to some of the other
books we've talked about, theyare pretty close in time to each
other.
The two timelines just takeplace in very different
locations.
Okay, so no matter how you lookat it, the key to creating this
sense of meaningful connectionbetween your timelines is to
(17:33):
look for parallels between eachof your timelines and then
harmonize those parallels tocreate an overarching sense of
meaning and connection.
This connection is always goingto be part of the meaning of
your story, and so the way youconnect your timelines says
something in itself.
And remember, it's only whenthe timelines affect each other
and connect that youroverarching story becomes
(17:54):
complete.
Okay, so that is tip number two.
You want to find ways to createmeaningful connections between
your two timelines.
The third and final tip I havefor you is to do your best to
balance reader investment acrossyour timelines.
So one of the greatestchallenges in writing a dual
timeline story is maintainingequal reader interest in both
(18:15):
timelines.
I see a lot of writers who tryto tackle dual timeline stories
and what often happens is that,naturally, one timeline
generates more tension oremotional investment than the
other, and this is really common.
So the first thing you'll wantto do is you'll want to work on
crafting compelling stakeswithin each timeline.
So you want to make sure thateach timeline has its own
(18:36):
compelling stakes and conflicts,rather than relegating one to
more background information.
And this goes back to what Isaid earlier about making sure
that each storyline is fullyfleshed out and fully developed
as if it was its own story.
So let's say that you've donethat, and let's say that you're
still coming up with onetimeline that feels less
engaging.
Let's talk about what to do ifthat happens.
(18:58):
If your present day timelinefeels less engaging than your
historical timeline, thenconsider raising the emotional
stakes or adding complicationsthat echo themes from the more
compelling timeline.
So look at your more compellingtimeline and say what are the
emotional stakes there, what arethe physical stakes?
And then how do I take what'sworking there and possibly
(19:19):
mirror it in my more historicaltimeline?
Now, on the flip side of this,if your historical timeline lags
, you can look at that timelineand just see if there are any
ways you can make it moreimmediately relevant to your
contemporary story.
So go back to some of thethings we talked about earlier
in the episode and see if youcan find opportunities to create
those meaningful connectionsand the parallels to your more
(19:40):
contemporary storyline.
A great example of this is inthe Lost Apothecary by Sarah
Penner.
In this story there are twotimelines one in 18th century
London that follows a characternamed Nella who runs an
apothecary and essentially helpswomen poison the men in their
lives who have wronged them, andthe other timeline happens in
present-day London, followingCaroline who finds a small blue
(20:03):
apothecary bottle that triggersher investigation into the past.
In each timeline there are somepretty big stakes.
So in Nella's timeline, ifshe's found out for providing
poison to her customers, toessentially murder other people,
she's going to be in bigtrouble.
Right In Caroline's timelinethere are similar, yet different
stakes.
So a great example of storiesthat have compelling, engaging
(20:25):
stakes and conflict in eachtimeline.
Now the second thing you canplay with here is how and when
you shift between each timeline.
So, for example, when a readerreaches, let's say, a dramatic
high point in one timeline, youcan consider switching to the
other at that moment.
That's going to leave themeager to return.
So you're essentially creatinga cliffhanger in one timeline
(20:47):
and then flipping to the othertimeline, and this will help you
create a natural rhythm that'sgoing to pull readers through
your story and it's also goingto help prevent either timeline
from feeling like an unwelcomeinterruption.
Now, on that note, how youtransition between timelines can
make or break your reader'sexperience.
A good rule of thumb is toalways be as clear as possible,
(21:08):
so clear chapter breaks offerthe simplest approach to this
right, dedicating entirechapters to one timeline before
you switch to another and thenmaking it crystal clear that you
have switched to anothertimeline.
If you prefer more frequentshifts, you can consider using
visual markers like sectionbreaks, graphic symbols or any
other kind of clear formattingto signal that you've
(21:31):
transitioned to your readers.
Okay, so, super important, youwant to create seamless shifts
between your timelines, becausethis really does affect how
readers experience your story.
All right, now the third thingyou can do to help create
engagement in both timelines isto make sure that you're
properly characterizing each ofyour timelines.
So, beyond structuraldistinctions, you will need to
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give each timeline its ownunique feel, and this is
important, just so readers knowwhich timeline they're in and
they can become emotionallyinvested in both timelines.
So one of the ways you can dothis is by giving the narrator
in each timeline a distinctvoice, and this is going to be
especially important for storiestold in the first person point
of view, because each timelinewill use the I narrator.
So in this scenario, each firstperson narrator needs to really
(22:16):
sound unique and differentenough that readers always know
whose head they're in at anygiven time.
This also goes for storieswhere the narrator might remain
the same in both timelines.
So this isn't as common.
But a great example of a storylike this is the Invisible Life
of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab.
This story is written in thirdperson and it follows Addie in
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both timelines, but eachtimeline still feels different
because Addie is different inboth timelines.
So in the past timeline Addieis a bit more naive, optimistic
and more future thinking.
Emotionally and mentally sheshe's younger.
In the present timeline, whichis about 300 years later, she's
emotionally and mentally older,she's more jaded and she often
(22:58):
speaks with hindsight.
So although we're in the samecharacter's perspective in both
timelines, the author makes itvery clear just given the
worldview and the perspective ofthat character in the different
timelines.
Now she also labels it veryclearly at the start of each
chapter.
So of course that helps as well.
Now something important to noteis that no matter which point of
view you write in, whether youchoose first person, third
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person, whatever the maincharacter or the narrator in
each timeline needs to havetheir own language patterns,
their own worldviews, their owngoals, their own values, their
own fears, things like that.
Right, because that is going tocolor and affect how they show
up in their timeline and howthey interpret the events of
what's happening.
So something really importantto keep in mind.
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Now, the other thing you can doin terms of characterizing your
timelines is to give eachsetting a distinct mood, vibe or
atmosphere.
I will say this is more easilyachieved in timelines that
happen in very differenthistorical periods, of course,
provided you do your research oneach time period.
But a great example of this canbe found in the book Next Year
(24:00):
in Havana by Chanel Cleeton, andthis book alternates between
one timeline in the 1950s CubanRevolution and another timeline
in modern-day Miami.
So I'm sure you can imagine thedifferences in mood and
atmosphere between these twotimelines.
It's super clear.
Now, something else important tokeep in mind is that when
writing a historical dualtimeline story, whether both
(24:21):
timelines are in the past orjust one the setting needs to
reflect the times and transportthe reader accordingly, and this
is not going to be accomplishedjust by using vintage language
or the occasional historicaldescription.
So in this scenario, you willneed to do some thorough
research.
But, as I always say, withresearch, this is not a first
draft problem.
(24:42):
So just something to keep inmind as you're revising and
rewriting your draft.
Now, either way, details aregoing to be really important in
terms of characterizing yourtimelines and keeping readers
engaged.
So some details, like the useof cell phones or other present
day technology can help youcreate a feeling of distance
between the past timeline andthe present right, because in
(25:02):
the past we might not have thistechnology and in the present
our casual use of it, will helpyou almost create that sense of
distance.
And then other details, like,let's say, warm beef stew on a
cold winter's night, that canhelp you create connection
between your two timelines,because some things never change
right In most cases.
We're going to think of thatwarm beef stew on a cold
winter's night.
That can help you createconnection between your two
timelines, because some thingsnever change right In most cases
.
We're going to think of thatwarm beef stew like a comfort on
a cold winter's night.
(25:23):
So all of this goes back to thekey point, which is tip number
three.
You want to make sure that yourreader is going to be invested
across timelines and probablythe most important way you can
do this is just by crafting eachtimeline as if it was its own
story, with compelling, conflictand stakes.
Now, of course, the otherthings I mentioned, like making
sure the shifts between yourtimelines are clear and
(25:43):
characterizing your timelinesappropriately.
Those things help with readerengagement as well.
Okay, so that's tip numberthree.
You want to make sure tobalance reader investment across
your two timelines.
Now, with all of that being said, writing a dual timeline story
is going to present its own setof challenges.
Of course, it will right, it'sa lot harder to craft a story
with dual timelines than it isto craft a story with one
(26:06):
timeline.
But if this type of setup fitsthe story you want to tell, then
the possibilities and theoutcome will be worth the effort
.
By purposefully structuringyour narrative, creating
meaningful connections betweenyour timelines and working hard
to balance reader investmentacross both timelines, you'll be
able to create that kind ofmulti-dimensional reading
experience that keeps yourreaders engaged from beginning
(26:28):
to end.
Now, before I let you go, I wantto recap the three most
important points from today'sepisode.
Key point number one is thatstructure is essential.
So remember that each timelineneeds its own complete narrative
arc with a distinct beginning,middle and end, while also
working to serve the overarchingstory.
This means that each timelineneeds its own plot, its own cast
(26:48):
of characters, its own conflict, its own stakes.
Essentially, it needs to bedeveloped like its own story,
and then, when you combine itwith that other timeline, that's
where the magic happens.
Now, speaking of that magic,key point number two is that
meaningful connections betweentimelines are everything.
So we talked about somespecific techniques you can use
for connecting your twotimelines, either through shared
(27:09):
themes, symbolic objects,mirroring characters across your
timelines or settings you knowthings like that, and all of
this will help you create acohesive narrative where each
timeline really helps toilluminate the other and provide
readers with that really nicereading experience they're
looking for.
Key point number three is thatyou can use character voice and
setting to distinguish yourtimelines.
(27:30):
So ideally, you want to giveeach timeline its own unique
feel through distinctivecharacter voices, atmospheric
differences and really clear andconsistent transition
techniques.
The goal is to prevent readersfrom feeling confused and
maintain their engagementthroughout the entire story.
Now, with all of that beingsaid, if you are going to write
a dual timeline story, bepatient with yourself and your
(27:52):
process.
As I mentioned earlier, thistype of story requires
additional planning, additionalorganization and an even higher
attention to detail.
But if this type of structurefits the story you want to tell
and if you execute your storywell, then readers will
appreciate the depth andcomplexity that you bring to
your story and they'll feel thatemotional payoff when your
timelines connect and it'll makeall this extra work worthwhile.
(28:16):
Payoff when your timelinesconnect and it'll make all this
extra work worthwhile.
Now one more thing before I go.
If you want to see how a dualtimeline story works in real
life, abigail K Perry andI did adeep dive into the invisible
life of Addie LaRue for one ofour book club meetings and in
this two-hour deep dive wetalked about things like the
difference between literary,upmarket and commercial fiction.
We talked about how to write adual timeline story and showed
(28:38):
an act-by-act breakdown of eachtimeline.
In the Invisible Life of AddieLaRue.
We talked about how to writeimpactful dialogue and subtext.
We went over why the InvisibleLife of Addie LaRue is a
fantastic example of a lighthorror story and how you can
write the same kind of storyusing the horror genre framework
.
We talked about how to revealyour character's inner life on
(28:59):
the page, aka how to show, nottell, your character's thoughts,
and so much more.
I will put a link to this inthe show notes.
You can get access to it andwatch it right away for just $47
.
So one more time, that is thereplay of the deep dive that we
did on the Invisible Life ofAddie LaRue by VE Schwab, and I
will put the link to that in theshow notes for you for easy
(29:19):
access.
So that's it for today's episode.
As always, thank you so muchfor tuning in and for showing
your support.
If you want to check out any ofthe links I mentioned in this
episode, you can find them inthe show notes listed in the
description of each episode,inside your podcast player or at
savannahgilbocom forward slashpodcast.
If you're an Apple user, I'dreally appreciate it if you took
(29:42):
a few seconds to leave a ratingand a review.
Your ratings and reviews tellApple that this is a podcast
that's worth listening to and inturn, your reviews will help
this podcast get in front ofmore fiction writers just like
you.
And while you're there, goahead and hit that follow button
, because there's going to beanother brand new episode next
week full of actionable tips,tools and strategies to help you
(30:03):
become a better writer.
So I'll see you next week anduntil then, happy writing.
No matter how you look at it, the key to creating
this sense of meaningfulconnection between your
timelines is to look forparallels between each of your
timelines and then harmonizethose parallels to create an
overarching sense of meaning andconnection.
This connection is always goingto be part of the meaning of
your story, and so the way youconnect your timelines says
something in itself.
(00:20):
And remember, it's only whenthe timelines affect each other
and connect that youroverarching story becomes
complete.
Welcome to the Fiction WritingMade Easy podcast.
My name is Savannah Gilbo andI'm here to help you write a
story that works.
I want to prove to you thatwriting a novel doesn't have to
be overwhelming, so each week,I'll bring you a brand new
(00:42):
episode with simple, actionableand step-by-step strategies that
you can implement in yourwriting right away.
So whether you're brand new towriting or more of a seasoned
author looking to improve yourcraft, this podcast is for you.
So pick up a pen and let's getstarted.
In today's episode, we're goingto talk about writing a novel
(01:02):
with more than one timeline, andI wanted to tackle this topic
today because it's somethingthat's come up in my Notes to
Novel course quite a bit overthe last few weeks.
I have a handful of studentsright now who are working on
dual timeline novels, and I knowfrom talking to them and other
writers who listen to thispodcast that writing a dual
timeline novel can be prettyconfusing and overwhelming.
(01:24):
So in this episode, I reallywanted to talk through the
essential elements that makedual timeline stories work, some
common pitfalls to avoid, andI'm going to share some
practical strategies you can useto write a dual timeline story
that truly resonates withreaders.
So let's dive right in, shallwe?
And we're going to start with adefinition.
So what is a dual timelinestory?
(01:46):
A dual timeline story is a storythat has two separate but
parallel storylines set indifferent time periods.
Usually, one timeline is set inthe present and the other is
set at some point in the past.
Now, this is not always thecase, nor is it a hard and fast
rule.
I'm just saying usually this ishow these stories appear, and
the key thing I want to drawyour attention to is that dual
(02:08):
timeline stories feature twodifferent yet connected plots
that each have their own set ofcharacters, their own conflicts
and their own specific settings.
So, in other words, they are,on all accounts, two stories
that are distinct yet somehowconnected, and it's this
connection between the twotimelines that is the defining
characteristic of what it meansto write a dual timeline story.
(02:31):
Now, technically, you couldhave more than two timelines.
You could have some set in thepast, present and future, but of
course, the more timelines youadd, the trickier things get to
manage.
A great example of a story withmore than two timelines is Cloud
Atlas by David Mitchell.
In this book, there are sixinterconnected timelines, each
told from the perspective of adifferent character.
(02:52):
Each character has acomet-shaped birthmark, and
names, dates and referencesreoccur, hinting at a greater
connection between the sixcharacters and their timelines.
Now, something really importantto note is that a dual timeline
story is not the same as astory with a lot of flashback or
backstory scenes.
You can definitely includeflashbacks within your scenes in
(03:15):
either of your timelines, forexample, a flashback where a
character is rememberingsomething about their past, but
that is not the same as a storywith dual timelines, where the
events in each timeline unfoldwithin their own scenes or
chapters.
So, in other words, flashbacksor backstory should act as
context, woven into a scenewhere dual timelines need to
(03:37):
show events unfolding in realtime in each timeline.
Okay, so I'm going to say thatone more time, because that's
really important.
Flashbacks or backstory shouldact as context that gets woven
into a scene.
Dual timelines, on the otherhand, need to show the events of
the story unfolding in realtime in each timeline.
Okay, so, really importantdifference Now.
(03:59):
That being said, you can usethe dual timeline structure to
avoid too many flashbacks inyour present day timeline if
you're writing a story that isheavily reliant on backstory.
An example of this is in whenthe Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
.
That story reveals theprotagonist's backstory in the
past through a secondarytimeline.
(04:19):
This timeline has a beginning,middle and end, and it unfolds
through real-time scenes thatjust so happen to be set in the
past.
Okay, so, with thisunderstanding of what makes a
dual timeline story differentfrom a regular narrative with
flashbacks, now I want to sharethe three essential tips that
will help you craft a compellingdual timeline novel.
(04:40):
Tip number one is to structureyour dual timeline story with
purpose.
The way you structure your dualtimeline story is one of the
most crucial decisions you'llmake during the writing process,
and this goes beyond simplydeciding that you will include
two timelines.
It's about how you structureand then arrange your timelines
to create the best readingexperience possible.
(05:01):
Now, the most important thingyou need to know is that each
timeline must have its owncomplete narrative arc, while
also serving the overarchingstory.
This means that each timelineneeds to have a clear beginning,
middle and end, its own centralconflict and resolution,
character development that isspecific to that timeline and
stakes that matter within thattimeline's context.
(05:23):
So, although each timelineneeds to be distinct and work
independently, they should neverbe able to stand entirely on
their own, and that's becausewhen they have a reason to be
told side by side, they're goingto become stronger, more
meaningful and more impactfuland they'll add up to that
really nice, cohesive,overarching story that you're
going for.
(05:43):
Okay, so let's talk about how toconnect your timelines, and
there are really two mainoptions for you.
So option one is you canconnect your timelines by
writing timelines that converge,and in this scenario, at the
beginning of the story, thesetwo timelines and the plots and
the characters don't seem tohave anything in common.
In fact, most of the time, thecharacters in each timeline
(06:04):
don't even to have anything incommon.
In fact, most of the time, thecharacters in each timeline
don't even know, the othercharacters in the other
timelines exist.
The story might even take placein two totally different
locations or time periods andfor most of the story the two
plots and each cast ofcharacters will move forward on
their own as if the otherdoesn't exist.
But at some point they willconverge and when they do
(06:25):
converge the reader willunderstand the bigger reason or
the bigger meaning behind theirconnection.
So a great example of this is inthe book the Hours by Michael
Cunningham, which uniquelyfeatures three timelines rather
than two.
This story opens with Virginialast days before her death in
1923.
In the second timeline,clarissa Vaughn is a book editor
(06:46):
.
She's living in New York Cityin the late 20th century and
when we meet her she's on herway to a party for her poet
friend, richard.
In the third timeline, lauraBrown is a housewife living in
1949 who is bringing up her onlyson, richard.
The narratives converge in anunexpected way during the party
held for Richard and thisconvergence reveals the
(07:07):
connections between these threeseemingly separate stories.
So in this type of structureit's only when the timelines
converge that readers fullyunderstand the meaning behind
each timeline and theiroverarching connection to each
other.
Option two is that you cancreate parallel timelines or
stories that are mirrored acrosstime.
So another structural approachyou can take is to craft each of
(07:30):
your timelines with similarpacing and parallel developments
to create a sense of a biggeroverarching connection.
In this scenario theprotagonist arc will be similar
in both timelines and thesimilarities and differences
between each timeline willcreate that overarching meaning.
So a great example of this isin Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover,
(07:51):
and in this book we see thestory unfold from the point of
view of both main characters,tate and Miles.
In the present timeline we arein Tate's point of view and
we're watching the romanticrelationship develop between her
and Miles.
In the past timeline we're inMiles's point of view, watching
his last romantic relationshipdevelop.
So in both timelines we see thedeveloping romantic
(08:13):
relationship and the key plotpoints that mirror each other in
terms of when they unfold.
So they might unfold indifferent ways, but the timing
is pretty consistent and becauseof how the past timeline
unfolds right alongside thepresent, as readers we get
insight into each relationshipand point of view character at
the same time and in thisscenario, what the author
(08:34):
reveals in one timeline helps toshow us the truth in the other
timeline, which is pretty cool.
So that's option two.
You can structure your story asparallel timelines or storylines
that mirror each other acrosstime.
Now, once you've determined howyou're going to connect your
timelines either by structuringthem in similar ways or by
having your plots converge it'stime to think about how you're
(08:57):
going to arrange the scenes andchapters in your dual timeline
story.
And there are severalapproaches to how you can do
this.
So the first and most commonapproach to structuring the
chapters in a dual timelinestory is to alternate chapters
between your timelines.
So in this scenario, onechapter is dedicated to timeline
A, the next chapter isdedicated to timeline B, and so
(09:19):
on and so on.
This kind of setup will createa consistent rhythm that your
readers can easily follow.
A great example of thisapproach can be seen in the
Nightingale by Kristen Hanna.
In this book, the authoralternates fairly consistently
between the primary World War IIstoryline and the more
contemporary 1995 timeline.
Neither timeline dominates thestory and the author maintains a
(09:42):
really nice back and forthrhythm that keeps both
storylines moving forward inparallel.
Now the second way you can dothis is you can group several
chapters from one timelinetogether as a section and then
switch to the other timeline forthe next section of chapters.
An example of this setup can beseen in the Historian by
Elizabeth Kostova, because shegroups multiple chapters within
(10:04):
the same timeline together,creating these really nice and
distinct sections.
So this story moves betweenthree main time periods one in
the 1930s, one in the 1950s andthen one in the 1970s, and each
section or groups of chaptersfrom that timeline allows
readers to really sink into thattime period and become deeply
(10:25):
immersed in that timeline for alittle bit.
Sink into that time period andbecome deeply immersed in that
timeline for a little bit longerof a period of time before the
author switches us to anothertime period.
Now the right choice for you isoften going to depend on the
type of relationship you havebetween timelines.
So, for example, a story inwhich both timelines contain
equally important narrative arcsthat gradually illuminate each
(10:46):
other might be best told throughalternating chapters.
A story that spans generationsor has significantly different
narrative styles in eachtimeline might be best told
through a section-based approach.
There's not really a wronganswer here.
It just depends on what you'retrying to do with your story.
But whatever pattern you dochoose, just remember that
consistency is key.
(11:07):
Once you establish a rhythm,you will want to maintain it
throughout your entire story,and that's just so that readers
can sink into your story andanticipate the structure without
becoming disoriented.
Okay, so that's tip number one.
You will want to structure yourdual timeline story with
purpose.
Tip number two is to createmeaningful connections between
(11:28):
timelines.
So we just talked about howimportant it is for those two
timelines to connect, and nowwe're talking about how to make
those connections meaningful.
And this is really importantbecause the power of a dual
timeline story lies in how thetwo narratives inform and
enhance each other.
Without some kind of meaningfulconnection between the
timelines, you are essentiallywriting two separate stories
(11:50):
rather than one cohesivenarrative.
Now, one of the most powerfulways you can connect your
timelines is through sharedthemes.
And this is powerful becausewhen both timelines explore
similar thematic questions fromdifferent angles, then each
storyline deepens the reader'sunderstanding of the other one.
So a great example of this isin the Seven Husbands of Evelyn
(12:11):
Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid,where each timeline explores
themes of identity, fame,sacrifice, love and the price of
success.
The contemporary timelinefeatures journalist Monique
Grant and it provides contextand perspective for Evelyn
Hugo's more glamorous butcomplicated past.
So, again, all the timelinesare exploring these different
(12:33):
themes of identity fame,sacrifice, love and the price of
success and in doing so, theyadd up to this really nice,
cohesive whole.
Okay, so you can connect yourtimelines through shared themes.
Like that, you can also connectyour timelines through physical
objects.
Now, physical objects cancreate powerful connections
across your timelines,especially when they hold
(12:54):
different meanings or servedifferent purposes in each time
period.
So what I mean by physicalobjects is something like a
family heirloom, a mysteriousletter or an artifact that might
appear in both timelines orthat maybe evolves in
significance as the timelinesprogress things like that.
So a great example of this isin the Cottingley Secret by
(13:14):
Hazel Gaynor, and in that storythere's a manuscript that
details how two girls, francesand Elise Wright, somehow
convinced the entire town theylived in that they had
befriended fairies.
So the first timeline takesplace in 2017, and in this
timeline, the main character,olivia, finds the manuscript in
her grandmother's bookshop, soshe reads the manuscript and she
(13:36):
tries to figure out whyeveryone believed these two
young girls when their storiesseem so outlandish.
Then we have the secondtimeline, in which we see
Frances and Elise's story unfoldin 1917, in real time, as it
happens.
So this manuscript is theobject that connects both
timelines.
Now, another way you can createconnection between your two
(13:57):
timelines is through yourcharacters.
So characters in differenttimelines can reflect or
parallel each other inmeaningful ways as well.
They might face similarchallenges, possess
complementary traits or evenrepresent different approaches
to the same fundamental humanexperience.
So consider how you can useyour characters to explore
things like similar lifedecisions from different
(14:19):
historical perspectives,generational patterns in
families, historical impacts onindividuals and their psychology
, and even how societal changesaffect human relationships.
A really great example of thiscan be seen in the Thirteenth
Tale by Diane Sutterfield.
In this book, the protagonist,margaret, has been asked to
(14:40):
write a biography about a womannamed Vito Winter.
As the story progresses, we seea lot of parallels between the
two women.
They both have childhood trauma, they both struggle with
questions of identity, they'reboth haunted by missing family
members and they both facesimilar decisions about whether
to confront or escape theirpainful.
This creates a nice sense ofresonance by showing how these
(15:01):
two women, despite living indifferent eras, respond to
similar challenges.
Okay, so you can definitely useyour characters to create that
sense of meaningful connectionbetween your timelines.
Another option you have forcreating this connection or this
resonance between timelines isto use information asymmetry, so
in other words, you can usesomething like a revelation in
(15:22):
one timeline to completelyrecontextualize events in the
other.
For instance, maybe you have apresent-day character who
discovers information about thepast that changes their
understanding of their familyhistory, or maybe you have a
past timeline that reveals theorigins of a mystery being
solved in the present.
Either way you look at it, thistechnique can help you create
(15:43):
dramatic irony, and dramaticirony basically means the reader
knows something the charactersdon't, and because of this,
tension is built as theyanticipate how this knowledge
will affect your characters.
Okay, so that's another greatway to create connection and
resonance is to use informationlike this.
Now, the last thing I want tobring up here is that you can
find connections between yourtimeline via setting, and by
(16:07):
setting I mean both time andplace.
So on one hand, your story cantake place in the same setting
but in different time periods.
A nice example of this can beseen in the book the Forgotten
Garden by Kate Morton, and thisstory centers around Blackhurst
Manor and its fairy tale gardenon the Cornish coast, so the
garden itself appears inmultiple timelines in the 1900s,
(16:30):
when it was created, in 1975when one of the characters, nell
, discovers her connection to it, and then again in 2005, when
Nell's daughter, cassandra,inherits the cottage.
So this garden serves as areally nice physical link
between the generations, andwhat's really fun about it is
some of the features aremaintained over the course of
(16:50):
time, while other features havechanged over time, so you can
definitely play with that kindof stuff as well.
Okay, now, on the flip side ofthis, you can have a story that
takes place in the same timeperiod but in different settings
.
So an example of this is in Allthe Light we Cannot See by
Anthony Doerr, and in this storythe first timeline takes place
on the coast of France.
(17:10):
The second timeline takes placein a small mining town in
Germany.
Now, I do believe there'stechnically 10 years between
each of these timelines, butcompared to some of the other
books we've talked about, theyare pretty close in time to each
other.
The two timelines just takeplace in very different
locations.
Okay, so no matter how you lookat it, the key to creating this
sense of meaningful connectionbetween your timelines is to
(17:33):
look for parallels between eachof your timelines and then
harmonize those parallels tocreate an overarching sense of
meaning and connection.
This connection is always goingto be part of the meaning of
your story, and so the way youconnect your timelines says
something in itself.
And remember, it's only whenthe timelines affect each other
and connect that youroverarching story becomes
(17:54):
complete.
Okay, so that is tip number two.
You want to find ways to createmeaningful connections between
your two timelines.
The third and final tip I havefor you is to do your best to
balance reader investment acrossyour timelines.
So one of the greatestchallenges in writing a dual
timeline story is maintainingequal reader interest in both
(18:15):
timelines.
I see a lot of writers who tryto tackle dual timeline stories
and what often happens is that,naturally, one timeline
generates more tension oremotional investment than the
other, and this is really common.
So the first thing you'll wantto do is you'll want to work on
crafting compelling stakeswithin each timeline.
So you want to make sure thateach timeline has its own
(18:36):
compelling stakes and conflicts,rather than relegating one to
more background information.
And this goes back to what Isaid earlier about making sure
that each storyline is fullyfleshed out and fully developed
as if it was its own story.
So let's say that you've donethat, and let's say that you're
still coming up with onetimeline that feels less
engaging.
Let's talk about what to do ifthat happens.
(18:58):
If your present day timelinefeels less engaging than your
historical timeline, thenconsider raising the emotional
stakes or adding complicationsthat echo themes from the more
compelling timeline.
So look at your more compellingtimeline and say what are the
emotional stakes there, what arethe physical stakes?
And then how do I take what'sworking there and possibly
(19:19):
mirror it in my more historicaltimeline?
Now, on the flip side of this,if your historical timeline lags
, you can look at that timelineand just see if there are any
ways you can make it moreimmediately relevant to your
contemporary story.
So go back to some of thethings we talked about earlier
in the episode and see if youcan find opportunities to create
those meaningful connectionsand the parallels to your more
(19:40):
contemporary storyline.
A great example of this is inthe Lost Apothecary by Sarah
Penner.
In this story there are twotimelines one in 18th century
London that follows a characternamed Nella who runs an
apothecary and essentially helpswomen poison the men in their
lives who have wronged them, andthe other timeline happens in
present-day London, followingCaroline who finds a small blue
(20:03):
apothecary bottle that triggersher investigation into the past.
In each timeline there are somepretty big stakes.
So in Nella's timeline, ifshe's found out for providing
poison to her customers, toessentially murder other people,
she's going to be in bigtrouble.
Right In Caroline's timelinethere are similar, yet different
stakes.
So a great example of storiesthat have compelling, engaging
(20:25):
stakes and conflict in eachtimeline.
Now the second thing you canplay with here is how and when
you shift between each timeline.
So, for example, when a readerreaches, let's say, a dramatic
high point in one timeline, youcan consider switching to the
other at that moment.
That's going to leave themeager to return.
So you're essentially creatinga cliffhanger in one timeline
(20:47):
and then flipping to the othertimeline, and this will help you
create a natural rhythm that'sgoing to pull readers through
your story and it's also goingto help prevent either timeline
from feeling like an unwelcomeinterruption.
Now, on that note, how youtransition between timelines can
make or break your reader'sexperience.
A good rule of thumb is toalways be as clear as possible,
(21:08):
so clear chapter breaks offerthe simplest approach to this
right, dedicating entirechapters to one timeline before
you switch to another and thenmaking it crystal clear that you
have switched to anothertimeline.
If you prefer more frequentshifts, you can consider using
visual markers like sectionbreaks, graphic symbols or any
other kind of clear formattingto signal that you've
(21:31):
transitioned to your readers.
Okay, so, super important, youwant to create seamless shifts
between your timelines, becausethis really does affect how
readers experience your story.
All right, now the third thingyou can do to help create
engagement in both timelines isto make sure that you're
properly characterizing each ofyour timelines.
So, beyond structuraldistinctions, you will need to
(21:55):
give each timeline its ownunique feel, and this is
important, just so readers knowwhich timeline they're in and
they can become emotionallyinvested in both timelines.
So one of the ways you can dothis is by giving the narrator
in each timeline a distinctvoice, and this is going to be
especially important for storiestold in the first person point
of view, because each timelinewill use the I narrator.
So in this scenario, each firstperson narrator needs to really
(22:16):
sound unique and differentenough that readers always know
whose head they're in at anygiven time.
This also goes for storieswhere the narrator might remain
the same in both timelines.
So this isn't as common.
But a great example of a storylike this is the Invisible Life
of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab.
This story is written in thirdperson and it follows Addie in
(22:36):
both timelines, but eachtimeline still feels different
because Addie is different inboth timelines.
So in the past timeline Addieis a bit more naive, optimistic
and more future thinking.
Emotionally and mentally sheshe's younger.
In the present timeline, whichis about 300 years later, she's
emotionally and mentally older,she's more jaded and she often
(22:58):
speaks with hindsight.
So although we're in the samecharacter's perspective in both
timelines, the author makes itvery clear just given the
worldview and the perspective ofthat character in the different
timelines.
Now she also labels it veryclearly at the start of each
chapter.
So of course that helps as well.
Now something important to noteis that no matter which point of
view you write in, whether youchoose first person, third
(23:20):
person, whatever the maincharacter or the narrator in
each timeline needs to havetheir own language patterns,
their own worldviews, their owngoals, their own values, their
own fears, things like that.
Right, because that is going tocolor and affect how they show
up in their timeline and howthey interpret the events of
what's happening.
So something really importantto keep in mind.
(23:40):
Now, the other thing you can doin terms of characterizing your
timelines is to give eachsetting a distinct mood, vibe or
atmosphere.
I will say this is more easilyachieved in timelines that
happen in very differenthistorical periods, of course,
provided you do your research oneach time period.
But a great example of this canbe found in the book Next Year
(24:00):
in Havana by Chanel Cleeton, andthis book alternates between
one timeline in the 1950s CubanRevolution and another timeline
in modern-day Miami.
So I'm sure you can imagine thedifferences in mood and
atmosphere between these twotimelines.
It's super clear.
Now, something else important tokeep in mind is that when
writing a historical dualtimeline story, whether both
(24:21):
timelines are in the past orjust one the setting needs to
reflect the times and transportthe reader accordingly, and this
is not going to be accomplishedjust by using vintage language
or the occasional historicaldescription.
So in this scenario, you willneed to do some thorough
research.
But, as I always say, withresearch, this is not a first
draft problem.
(24:42):
So just something to keep inmind as you're revising and
rewriting your draft.
Now, either way, details aregoing to be really important in
terms of characterizing yourtimelines and keeping readers
engaged.
So some details, like the useof cell phones or other present
day technology can help youcreate a feeling of distance
between the past timeline andthe present right, because in
(25:02):
the past we might not have thistechnology and in the present
our casual use of it, will helpyou almost create that sense of
distance.
And then other details, like,let's say, warm beef stew on a
cold winter's night, that canhelp you create connection
between your two timelines,because some things never change
right In most cases.
We're going to think of thatwarm beef stew on a cold
winter's night.
That can help you createconnection between your two
timelines, because some thingsnever change right In most cases
.
We're going to think of thatwarm beef stew like a comfort on
a cold winter's night.
(25:23):
So all of this goes back to thekey point, which is tip number
three.
You want to make sure that yourreader is going to be invested
across timelines and probablythe most important way you can
do this is just by crafting eachtimeline as if it was its own
story, with compelling, conflictand stakes.
Now, of course, the otherthings I mentioned, like making
sure the shifts between yourtimelines are clear and
(25:43):
characterizing your timelinesappropriately.
Those things help with readerengagement as well.
Okay, so that's tip numberthree.
You want to make sure tobalance reader investment across
your two timelines.
Now, with all of that being said, writing a dual timeline story
is going to present its own setof challenges.
Of course, it will right, it'sa lot harder to craft a story
with dual timelines than it isto craft a story with one
(26:06):
timeline.
But if this type of setup fitsthe story you want to tell, then
the possibilities and theoutcome will be worth the effort
.
By purposefully structuringyour narrative, creating
meaningful connections betweenyour timelines and working hard
to balance reader investmentacross both timelines, you'll be
able to create that kind ofmulti-dimensional reading
experience that keeps yourreaders engaged from beginning
(26:28):
to end.
Now, before I let you go, I wantto recap the three most
important points from today'sepisode.
Key point number one is thatstructure is essential.
So remember that each timelineneeds its own complete narrative
arc with a distinct beginning,middle and end, while also
working to serve the overarchingstory.
This means that each timelineneeds its own plot, its own cast
(26:48):
of characters, its own conflict, its own stakes.
Essentially, it needs to bedeveloped like its own story,
and then, when you combine itwith that other timeline, that's
where the magic happens.
Now, speaking of that magic,key point number two is that
meaningful connections betweentimelines are everything.
So we talked about somespecific techniques you can use
for connecting your twotimelines, either through shared
(27:09):
themes, symbolic objects,mirroring characters across your
timelines or settings you knowthings like that, and all of
this will help you create acohesive narrative where each
timeline really helps toilluminate the other and provide
readers with that really nicereading experience they're
looking for.
Key point number three is thatyou can use character voice and
setting to distinguish yourtimelines.
(27:30):
So ideally, you want to giveeach timeline its own unique
feel through distinctivecharacter voices, atmospheric
differences and really clear andconsistent transition
techniques.
The goal is to prevent readersfrom feeling confused and
maintain their engagementthroughout the entire story.
Now, with all of that beingsaid, if you are going to write
a dual timeline story, bepatient with yourself and your
(27:52):
process.
As I mentioned earlier, thistype of story requires
additional planning, additionalorganization and an even higher
attention to detail.
But if this type of structurefits the story you want to tell
and if you execute your storywell, then readers will
appreciate the depth andcomplexity that you bring to
your story and they'll feel thatemotional payoff when your
timelines connect and it'll makeall this extra work worthwhile.
(28:16):
Payoff when your timelinesconnect and it'll make all this
extra work worthwhile.
Now one more thing before I go.
If you want to see how a dualtimeline story works in real
life, abigail K Perry andI did adeep dive into the invisible
life of Addie LaRue for one ofour book club meetings and in
this two-hour deep dive wetalked about things like the
difference between literary,upmarket and commercial fiction.
We talked about how to write adual timeline story and showed
(28:38):
an act-by-act breakdown of eachtimeline.
In the Invisible Life of AddieLaRue.
We talked about how to writeimpactful dialogue and subtext.
We went over why the InvisibleLife of Addie LaRue is a
fantastic example of a lighthorror story and how you can
write the same kind of storyusing the horror genre framework
.
We talked about how to revealyour character's inner life on
(28:59):
the page, aka how to show, nottell, your character's thoughts,
and so much more.
I will put a link to this inthe show notes.
You can get access to it andwatch it right away for just $47
.
So one more time, that is thereplay of the deep dive that we
did on the Invisible Life ofAddie LaRue by VE Schwab, and I
will put the link to that in theshow notes for you for easy
(29:19):
access.
So that's it for today's episode.
As always, thank you so muchfor tuning in and for showing
your support.
If you want to check out any ofthe links I mentioned in this
episode, you can find them inthe show notes listed in the
description of each episode,inside your podcast player or at
savannahgilbocom forward slashpodcast.
If you're an Apple user, I'dreally appreciate it if you took
(29:42):
a few seconds to leave a ratingand a review.
Your ratings and reviews tellApple that this is a podcast
that's worth listening to and inturn, your reviews will help
this podcast get in front ofmore fiction writers just like
you.
And while you're there, goahead and hit that follow button
, because there's going to beanother brand new episode next
week full of actionable tips,tools and strategies to help you
(30:03):
become a better writer.
So I'll see you next week anduntil then, happy writing.
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