V.E Schwab talk - structure advice for writing

I went to a talk on the 7/11/23 by author V.E Schwab and asked her a question about story structures and advice she had for non-linear stroytelling.

Her answer:

Understand the difference between narrative timeline and chronological timeline. When you. have a solid handle on the stories chronolgy then you can start playing around with the narrative and what order you tell the story in.

See how it slots together with how you're framing the story.

Specific for character stories: story needs to be rooted in that character's persepctive to ground them. Give your characters quirks - linguistic, physical etc. It helps give them their voice and their perspective. Think about how you can make the sentences mimic how the character thinks.

Plan the entire plot before you write the script! Writing should be the last step once you have constructed the narrative structure. It doesn't have to be in depth but the main bullet points should be mapped out.

Plot backwards, know your ending. Scaffolding is so important and essential in making sure the story holds together. Make sure the plot is grounded. Know what is going to happen before writing the script, writing by the seat of your trousers will not help you, it will only hinder your progress.

Structure is your friend. Have all the pieces and then assemble - eg. practicewriting scenes to help figure out what you want to achieve. Have the basic plot overview then assemble into the order you want.