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How to create the feeling that time has passed?

fantastic

Minstrel
I have a character who is in a certain organization. He just joined. There he meets new people, gets new skills, does missions.

How can I write that the time passed and that character completed various missions, became stronger and developed good friendships?

I could simply write everything that happened but I doubt it would interest the reader and it would be most likely be too long to write it all.

How can I write that time has passed and that character is now different, relatively experienced member?
 

kayd_mon

Sage
You could write a scene where the character reminisces with another character, and maybe you can show how the character has changed physically, compared to the last portion of the book. Maybe if they have completed missions, you can show that character being recognized for accomplishments or something.
 

JRFLynn

Sage
First, I'd note how much time has passed. Like Kayd said I'd go into how they're physically different, maybe he has a few scars, maybe a badge or something from all his accomplishments. With friendly relationships, during their interactions have them seem closer, more trusting of each other, maybe they have an inside joke that comes up often. They could also reminisce and share memories of their young and foolish days. Rivals too could be a little more comfortable with each other, but still a little competitive. Those sorts of things.

Don't worry if you leave things out in their training or early missions if it's not that important. Personally I love those kind of stories, seeing the hero come into his own (a big Naruto fan here). It sounds interesting, I wish you luck.
 
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Svrtnsse

Staff
Article Team
One way of doing it would be showing how he behaves differently to other characters he meet regularly. Let's say there's a chef, or a serving girl or a quartermaster or something. The first time they meet, they introduce themselves with full name and everything and they're all very polite and orderly.
Then later on, a year later or however long you want it to be, they're much more familiar. They greet each others with nods and smiles, they use nicknames and your guy orders up a portion of "the usual" instead of making a detailed order from the chef/serving girl.
 

Malik

Auror
Skip the joining. Start where the action starts. Cut out that whole section about him joining and file it away; use it later to flash back to how he joined the organization if it's important to the plot somehow.

EDIT: The book Starship Troopers does this, and takes it to the extreme. The first chapter is in the present, with Rico getting ready for a drop. The entire book until the last chapter is a flashback. The last chapter picks up where the first chapter ends. (The movie, by the way, is one of the worst pieces of **** ever made, and completely misses the point of the book. The book isn't about one guy winning a war on giant space bugs; it's about what makes a man decide to spend his life as a soldier. It should be required reading in school. But I digress.)

As to showing the passage of time: if you want to go this route, there are, literally, a million ways to do it if not more. You should read more than you write. Find a successful author who has solved this in a way you think is brilliant, and do your own take on their idea.
 
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fantastic

Minstrel
You could write a scene where the character reminisces with another character, and maybe you can show how the character has changed physically, compared to the last portion of the book. Maybe if they have completed missions, you can show that character being recognized for accomplishments or something.

That is a useful advice.

First, I'd note how much time has passed. Like Kayd said I'd go into how they're physically different, maybe he has a few scars, maybe a badge or something from all his accomplishments. With friendly relationships, during their interactions have them seem closer, more trusting of each other, maybe they have an inside joke that comes up often. They could also reminisce and share memories of their young and foolish days. Rivals too could be a little more comfortable with each other, but still a little competitive. Those sorts of things.

Don't worry if you leave things out in their training or early missions if it's not that important. Personally I love those kind of stories, seeing the hero come into his own (a big Naruto fan here). It sounds interesting, I wish you luck.

That is interesting. Are you saying you would prefer these stories actually being written? I have been searching for writing advices. And usually they say to leave out such stories that are not directly connected to the main story. Though some of these stories would help create atmosphere and show character development.

One way of doing it would be showing how he behaves differently to other characters he meet regularly. Let's say there's a chef, or a serving girl or a quartermaster or something. The first time they meet, they introduce themselves with full name and everything and they're all very polite and orderly.
Then later on, a year later or however long you want it to be, they're much more familiar. They greet each others with nods and smiles, they use nicknames and your guy orders up a portion of "the usual" instead of making a detailed order from the chef/serving girl.

You made your point by using a very simple example. Thank you.

Skip the joining. Start where the action starts. Cut out that whole section about him joining and file it away; use it later to flash back to how he joined the organization if it's important to the plot somehow.

EDIT: The book Starship Troopers does this, and takes it to the extreme. The first chapter is in the present, with Rico getting ready for a drop. The entire book until the last chapter is a flashback. The last chapter picks up where the first chapter ends. (The movie, by the way, is one of the worst pieces of **** ever made, and completely misses the point of the book. The book isn't about one guy winning a war on giant space bugs; it's about what makes a man decide to spend his life as a soldier. It should be required reading in school. But I digress.)

As to showing the passage of time: if you want to go this route, there are, literally, a million ways to do it if not more. You should read more than you write. Find a successful author who has solved this in a way you think is brilliant, and do your own take on their idea.

Well, I am aware of certain stories with such structure. But in a way I think it is too extreme. It is almost like having a spoiler before the story begins. Though it does have its advantages.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
Malik's example is an extreme one, as he says. His point, however, is solid.

Why do you need to start the story at the point where the character joins the organization? Why begin just there? Why not begin with his decision to join? Or even earlier?

Conversely, why not begin later? (Malik's suggestion) Start where the action starts. Ian Fleming does not start Bond out with him joining the secret service. He starts him on a mission, filling in where necessary, including what is surely the longest essay on baccarat ever to appear in fiction. But now I digress.

Let me say it again: start where the action starts. What is the story you have to tell? Surely it's not a biography of a career, right? That would be your backstory.
 

Malik

Auror
It is almost like having a spoiler before the story begins. Though it does have its advantages.

Again, it depends what the story is about. The book of Starship Troopers is not an adventure yarn. It's a coming-of-age story in which a young man decides whether or not to devote his life -- and possibly his death -- to a larger whole that might accomplish the thing that no one can do, alone. (Of course, that runs counter to most heroic fantasy written in the age of FPS video games, which is why the movie sucked so bad. Although the MST3K treatment of the movie was amazing.)

In the beginning scene, he's having second thoughts. You don't know what his decision is going to be until the very last line. :cool:

I'm not saying you have to do it this way. But start where the story starts. No sooner.
 

JRFLynn

Sage
That is interesting. Are you saying you would prefer these stories actually being written? I have been searching for writing advices. And usually they say to leave out such stories that are not directly connected to the main story. Though some of these stories would help create atmosphere and show character development.

For me, character development is just as important as the story. Characters are what make the story interesting, they breathe life into it...Sub-plots are great, if you can tie them to the main plot.

Yes, I do prefer stories like this. My own WIP has weak/damaged characters facing trials and tragedies that later shape their roles as leaders, warriors, villains, etc. So, these sort of transformations take years. For me, I'd say it's the journey that matters, not the destination...It's like in Naruto, you KNOW from the very start he's going to be the hokage one day. Watching Naruto grow with experience is really what the show is about.

I'm not sure what goal or message you have in mind for this book but just go where it takes you, don't get hung up on "advice". Write what's burning there inside you, or you'll go nuts. That, or lose your passion for writing a story you're constantly unsure about...which is doubly maddening.
 

Penpilot

Staff
Article Team
There are infinite ways to indicate the passage of time. Which you use is dependant on your needs. It can be as simple as having a section start with, "Six months later, blah blah blah... they could now shoot the ass of a fly at 1000 paces."

Look at film and tv. They sometimes use a montage to segue from one part of the story to the next. In writing you could do sort of the same thing. Just have a brief section stating the highlights of what happened within that skipped time period. "Over the next six months... they learned this, they did this, and now they were awesome at another thing." Then make sure you show the character being different/better at least one thing. It doesn't necessarily have to be getting better at a skill. It could be that everyone drinks coffee black at the place and so now the character does the same compared to before where they had milk and sugar in it.
 

Addison

Auror
If the part where we see the character is experienced is a new chapter then you can start each chapter with a date. That can show time has passed. You can have your MC go into work, in the organization, and talk to his boss and the conversation reveals that he's been working a long time, they can talk about a case, or a recent case that might have been the apex of all his years.
Or you can use the character and setting itself. If the story starts with the character maybe dorky looking or with some physical appearnces (long hair, no facial hair, wearinga simple, plain wardrobe) and his apartment is scantily furnished and plain, the next part can have him with a buzz cut, starting the morning shaving and dressing in a leather jacket and jeans with holes.
 
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