Chapter timing

[Netardapope]

This is a question about whether or not I can make a chapter that takes place right before the events in its predecessor occur? If so, are there any subtle methods to show it takes place in the past? Are there any do's or don'ts?

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[Demesnedenoir]

Sure its possible. Can you pull it off? That depends a lot on the plot. Are they from the same character view? So many variables. Best bet always seems to me to be try it and then ask if it works, and how to make it work if it doesn't.

 

[FifthView]

If these are from two different POVs, you can introduce some sort of indicator of the time in both chapters. For a quick example, if events in Chapter 1 are through the eyes of Jord and begin just as the new king is being crowned, then in Chapter 2 the POV character named Mikal could be thinking about how the king will be crowned "tomorrow." A more subtle example could be Jord stepping out into the first rain after a long drought and then Mikal in the next chapter marching through a dry expanse and thinking about how he can't remember the last time it had rained. You can use multiple indicators. So Jord steps out into the first rain in two months right after seeing the new king crowned, and Mikal is marching through the drought-dried plains with his regiment trying to make it to the coronation.

 

[Helen]

This is a question about whether or not I can make a chapter that takes place right before the events in its predecessor occur? If so, are there any subtle methods to show it takes place in the past? Are there any do's or don'ts?

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Hateful Eight does this. You could watch how Tarantino does this.

 

[Addison]

It's definitely do-able, it really depends on the story and how the time-jump is presented. If there's no indicator then the reader will be confused. Starting the chapter with "2 Hours before (event in last chapter", or with a different POV which clearly starts with something prior to the last chapter's event can accomplish a smooth transition.

 

[Caged Maiden]

I did it like this:

“Tell Avery I’ll be back soon, if he asks. I’ve got to find a wizard.”
Raisa exited, with Cherie still sputtering her protests.
She was less interested in actually locating the wizard than in finding out what happened after she’d seen him. All she knew was that when she tried to leave Shadow’s manor the previous night, someone interrupted them. And that someone was a wizard that always found trouble.

Part 4

“I should really leave, Arras,” Raisa said. “You know he watches me. I told him I was meeting with a card-dealer who could promise us impossible odds. How long should it take me to determine it’s a scam and get home with the bad news?”
“One ****ing minute,” Shadow growled, straightening his waistcoat and the front of his trousers. “We…we weren’t supposed to be disturbed.”

Hope that helps you with your transition.