When crafting a story, the starting point is often understanding the chronology – that’s the fancy word for what’s happening.
For any aspiring writer aiming to enhance their writing skills, understanding the story’s chronology is key to creating a compelling narrative.
In the chronology is temporal distance, which is the length of time between a scene and the telling of the story.
So the most important part of the story, as far as I’m concerned, is what’s the story’s present storyline.
Sometimes writers might use flashbacks – you might have a chunk of information that clues us in on something – but the story’s present storyline is what happens at the beginning, and as we go through that story there should be a series of events that go forward. This writing approach strengthens storytelling and keeps readers engaged.
Some stories have multiple story lines going on at the same time. So you might have one in the year 2000 and another storyline that goes on in the character’s life in 1990, and those might be paralleling going back and forth. But generally a story will have at least one beginning storyline that tells us a huge amount about what the writer has chosen to make the story out of in terms of this person’s life.
You have a character, what’s going on in this character’s life that you’ve chosen to make the story about and tells us everything about what the
story is.
When you think about the first few pages of your story, this can feel a bit paralyzing. You might wonder how you will fill the first 500 words. Many aspiring writers end up front-loading with background information or unnecessary details.
Here’s some essential writing advice: focus instead on writing in scene. Set up the place and the setting and then create a chronology.
Instead of cramming in backstory or information you think the reader needs to know, stay in the present scene and let the story unfold naturally. Emphasizing this single, present chronology can strengthen your storytelling. As a book coach, I recommend this technique because it allows the story to develop organically, keeping readers engaged from the start.
If you’re looking to enhance your writing skills, remember: focus on the moment, stay in scene, and let the story evolve through a well-structured chronology. By following this approach, you’ll be on your way to creating a memorable story that resonates with readers.
