#Non-Linear Narratives

[ancientroyalblood]

Exploring Non-Linear Narratives: Writing Out of Sequence

In the realm of storytelling, the traditional sequence is but one path to follow, a well-trodden road where events unfurl one after another, much like dominos carefully aligned, ready to fall. Yet, in the shadows, there exists another path, a web of narratives intertwined, where each word, each sentence, is a piece of a puzzle not yet complete. This exploration seeks to dissect the notions of…

[cutter-kirby]

getting into both of these games at the same time is pretty funny

[shadystranger]

roadkill

[valartsstuff]

⚠️Blood!⚠️

Left -> right

[ena-113]

Humans can be heard yelling from one of the bedrooms. An alien crewmate, nicknamed Bob, goes to check it out, fearing the worst.

"plus 4, Uno."

"you bitch!"

the humans are gathered in a circle on the ground with colorful cards. one of them notices him.

"oh hey Bob, wanna join us? we're playing Uno."

Bob shakes his head and backs out of the room carefully.

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part2

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[conceptofjoy]

see i dont think you can blame meat dirk for killing candy dirk when they were both the same guy until 10 minutes before dirk went suicide mode. that being said we can probably blame gamzee for this

that one is tricky. dirk was so scared of existing on the same timeline as gamzee because of the pre retcon memories that he suddenly remembered of him getting his ass handed to him

[plounce]

tbh i dont need every important detail about a character to mentioned in the main story. im okay with certain details being "optional"/"missable" side content. does it break the flow of the story? does it fit in with the themes? is the creator willing to devote as big a pathway as certain stuff would need in a main narrative to be explored as seen fit? or - does the relatively greater obscurity of the character detail within the story allow the "missable" nature of the trait to connect the reality with the fiction? in a game, would you have to put a lot of work in to find out this trait because the character would never say it outright? is the character relatively minor? or - is this a great reward for people who seek out more things to learn about the story/characters/world? are you rewarding interested readers for caring and for reading? not everything has to be immediately accessible in the main text. some things are fun as optional content, and being so allows that and the main story to breathe easier.

[greenhousethree]

twenty-two

That year, the seventh month dies on a Wednesday and they leave town.

for dearest @turanga4, if a little belated. thank you for being so wonderfully you.

preview below the cut, full piece on AO3:

It has them both feeling like kids again, like sneaking out— stuffing his rucksack with shorts and sun cream after work in the dead of night, rolling the top to force it closed around a broken drawstring. By the time he’s shouldering the bag she checks her watch and it’s gone midnight. Twelve minutes into the thirty-first.

She doesn’t acknowledge it, but now he’s looking at her with his brow furrowed and a question forming on his mouth. She kisses it away, sweet and nutty from leftover Thai. Takes his hand from her hip, locks the flat behind them. She’s thinking they just might Apparate somewhere way out west this time— Charlie says California’s beautiful— they could nudge right up to where yesterday’s only half gone, buy him another day before he’s older than his parents ever got to be.

But they won’t. 

He leads the way down the steps and around the corner. There’s hardly a breeze, but the night is cool on the back of her neck as the street slumbers under orange lamplight. A block away, back doors of pubs are clanging open for closing staff, bin bags thrown in the skips, keys and change jangling en route to bus stops. The light over the mouth of their usual alleyway is burnt out, so they slip into the dark.

He’s looking at her now, tugging her close till she can smell the soap and linen from his shower, something a little richer in the crook of his neck like the cologne on his top shelf. He’s motionless, concentrating— it’s always like this for a second before Apparating so far. Last week for a laugh she offered to book a Portkey this time instead, something about him getting on in years. Earned herself a spatter of marinara flicked from a spoon.

“I can do it,” she offers now. She’s already picturing cobblestones and stucco and a blue door.

“S’fine,” he murmurs into her hair.

He twists, and for a long moment they’re somewhere between here and there.

[gallavichfanficlibrary]

any recs for fics with unique formats/elements (non-linear narrative, second pov, epistolary, etc) and fics with flowery language / good prose ? hope this makes sense lol

thanks for the work you do on the blog, i hope you have a great day!

Hi, this is a very interesting ask! We love unusual elements in stories and tried to put together some very different examples. Hope you have a great day too and happy reading 💕📖

what the night does to the day - Ian and Mickey have been best friends since childhood. Sometimes things just fit together perfectly.

Thicker Than Forget - Ian is a poet. Mickey is his recently-corporal muse. They eat an absurd amount of stupidly named ice cream, try to find beauty in things, and fall hopelessly in love.

Suncatcher - He grins. “Maybe, but you still wanna find out if it’s true.”

Unsent - Five emails that sit in drafts for over a year. One reply.

and all the moments in between - When people look back at the past, they're only seeing the standout moments, never the whole fucking picture.

a lot like love - Ian wants more than what Mickey is offering. Mickey doesn’t believe he deserves to be loved.

Minutes - A moment of life post S5, canon divergent.

There is no me (without you) - An exploration of Ian and Mickey's respective insecurities and past trauma as we follow them through a tough couple of weeks as newlyweds.

the sun, chasing the moon - Ian waits for Mickey.

The Art of Maintaining Moral Ambiguity - AU in which Mickey was raised in a shitty New Jersey beach town and Ian just wanted to see the ocean.

Postcards From Mexico - Everyone likes getting postcards.

Chapter 8: Hey Mick - A letter from Ian to Mickey in juvie (set between seasons 1 and 2).

The Buzz Under His Skin - Ian's manic thoughts, set in early S4 after he runs away.

[gaylactic-fire]

Ok last bit of TOTK saltiness for now but can we agree that trying to tell a linear story via the same collecting memories system was fucking dumb as hell

[dailysquiddo]

"the harsh sun beats down on dirt roads full of pebbles and dust.

its harsh rays peel the paint on the slowly decaying houses. all of the grass has long since died in the heat.

most of the houses are empty, and they have been so for a long time. some of the houses have sun-bleached curtains flapping in empty wind, shattered glass from once clean windows now littering the ground in thousands of dirty, yellowed shards like fallen, tarnished stars."

-

or, squiddo and ashswag go ghost hunting.

-

[voluptuarian]

[havin-fun-imagining-twd]

hi i just found your account and i want to read the slowpoke series but it feels a little daunting. would you be willing to make a masterlist thats chronological order? if you have already could you direct me to it?

Hi new friend, welcome to the (still a work-in-progress) Slowpoke Series!

Some of the stories are meant to be read out of order due to references, in which case starting from the top of the Masterlist and working your way on down would be the way to go because those are listed in order of publishing. The includes the first story 'Slowpoke' and second story 'Deal' that take place some time apart.

Non linear isn't everyone's cup of tea, though :)

Here's the list in order of when stuff happens chronologically so far in what's been published:

Quarter! S01, GN

How’s your head? Part 1 S01, F

How’s your head? Part 2 S01, F

The Chicken Swim S01, FI

“Deserved” Part 1 S01, GN

“Deserved” Part 2 S01, GN

It’s not the end of the wor - oh. S01, FI/GN

That mangy hick!   S01, GN

Southern Comfort, a Wii, and a big bowl of spaghetti.  S01, GN

Dead-end?   S01, GN

There’s also a bar.  S01, GN

Like a traditional Sunday dinner  S01, GN

Too much thinking before bed, Part 1  S01, GN

Too much thinking before bed, Part 2  S01, GN

Ain’t nothing...   S01, GN

Hell of a day  S01, GN

douche car.  Pre-S02, F

...but 'dirtbag car’ if the kids are listening  Pre-S02, F

Two idiots   Pre-S02, GN

What’s worth going postal  Pre-S02, GN

Bad things happen*  S02, GN

*in threes   S02, GN

Just one scrap, Part 1  S02, GN

Just one scrap, Part 2  S02, GN

Yesterday was rough S02, GN

White lies. S02, GN

It was a pragmatic cigarette   S02, GN

What were your nightmares about?  S02, FI

Better with a friend  S02, F/GN

Picking a flower = saving the day S02, F/GN

A cause for concern  S02, GN  

Oh my.  S02,  GN/FI

A mighty good team  S02, GN/FI 

A measure of reverence, Part 1   S02, F

A measure of reverence, Part 2  S02, F

souls stripped bare  S02, F

Invisible, tugging strings, Part 1 S02, GN

Invisible, tugging strings, Part 2 S02, GN

Spell your last name, please. S02, GN

He hasn't been himself S02, GN

Scary as a sleepy kitten S02, GN

"fondness" LOL S02, GN

Thank you, angel... S02, GN

Redemption Arcs S02, GN

That was it. S02, F

Stuck in a damn bed. S02, F

Shame on a plate S02, GN

Penance + (knock-off) Ambrosia S02, GN

Keep this dog asleep S02, GN

Onstage S02, F

A near-perfect Sunday S02, F <- new one!

Slowpoke  Pre-S03, GN

A fu---n’ great Christmas  Pre-S03, GN

The first Christmas “without,” Part 1  Pre S03, GN

The first Christmas “without,” Part 2  Pre S03, GN

I don't hate you Pre S03, GN

Deal  S03, GN

Happy 8th of July!  Pre-S04, GN

Every step.  S05, F

The Interview (story line no longer in limbo)   S05, F

After the interview   S05, F

Still beating Pre S09, F

The best kind of damn weird   Pre-S09, F

[wangxianficrecs]

💙 foliage by antebunny

💙 foliage

by antebunny (@antebunny)

G, 7k, Wangxian

Summary: Wei Wuxian surrenders in Nightless City. Jin Guangshan, knowing that he's coreless and weaponless, organizes a night hunt with 1,000 Jin disciples where Wei Wuxian is the prey. He shouldn't have underestimated Wei Wuxian. Kay's comments: This is the most BAMF Wei Wuxian story out there and I absolutely adore it. He surrenders and has to fight 1000 Jin disciples an then he comes out on top and vanishes. In the meantime, the world changes. The non-linear narrative worked really well in this story and I loved the shifts in perspective as you learn more about what happened after Wei Wuxian surrendered and why he surrendered. There's a second part too, about his return. Excerpt: “A-Xian, please…stop. Just stop,” Jiang Yanli begs, spending the last of her breath gasping out a barely coherent sentence to her little brother. “Okay,” Wei Wuxian says, desperate as always to make her happy. “Okay. If that’s what you want.” He raises his flute to his lips, calming the fierce corpses currently rampaging around Nightless City. Jiang Yanli feels the world going blurry, but forces herself to focus for her brother. Wei Wuxian gently picks her up and passes her to Jiang Cheng, who came running over as soon as he heard her. “A-Yuan,” he says to Jiang Cheng urgently. “Please, Jiang Cheng, A-Yuan–he’s just a child.” Then he backs away, hands at his side, and turns to face the assembled cultivators. “Wei Wuxian!” The sharp voice of Sect Leader Nie. “What is this? Are you surrendering?” Wei Wuxian looks back, once, at Jiang Yanli. No, she wants to say, don’t do it. A-Xian, I came to tell you that I don’t blame you. I know it’s not your fault. I know you would never. Don’t surrender to them, A-Xian, there’s something rotten in the heart of Jinlintai and they’re not interested in justice. But she can’t. She’s losing consciousness in her brother’s arms, and she can do nothing but watch as Wei Wuxian looks away with resolve on his face. She’s never hated herself more for being weak.

pov alternating, non-linear narrative, canon divergence, somebody lives/not everybody dies, angst, hurt/comfort, angst with a happy ending, jiang yanli lives, bamf wei wuxian

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for this hard-working author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)

[ena-113]

"that's literally impossible for me to pronounce, I'm calling you Bob now." The new human, Mia, stated looking at the repair man of the ship. "Y'know, like Bob The Builder?"

The newly dubbed 'Bob' did not infact know. Their technician, another human named Kaya, seemed to find this amusing.

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[shadystranger]

they look so mr. and mr. smith here rip frank you'd have loved red meat