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Chronology

JP Harker

Scribe
OK, this may have been asked before, but how important is strict attention to chronology when writing a multiple POV book?

My problem is that I have a character fall into a river late at night, then some stuff with other characters in another city which takes place during the day, and then a chapter of the first bloke swimming to safety. It's all still a work in process but I just wanted to ask how much that would annoy any of you if you were reading it.

The timeline mix doesn't effect anyone but I've got nothing happening with the other characters during the night and I need a gap between the man falling in (and being presumed drowned) and swimming to safety.

opinions please?

thanks,

James
 
I've just been revising a novel with three POVs, and I had a big chronology knot in the middle of it, where my beta-readers noted that they were confused about when things were happening in relation to each other. That said, those events were all happening around the same time, and in the same place, with intermingling of characters. So what happened when to whom was important. In your scenario, JPT, it seems a lot less important for readers to know whether the guy falls in the river before or after or during the events in the other city. Similar to Game of Thrones, it's more a broad sense of continuity and development that's important, unless events are related or being referenced in other POVs.
 

Svrtnsse

Staff
Article Team
The main alarm that rings out to me is that the reader might miss that there's a jump back in time. You'd have to make it real clear that it is, or they might think that he spent a full 24 hours in the water or so. They'll probably pick up on it soon enough anyway, but it'd be good to avoid confusion.
 

Penpilot

Staff
Article Team
The main alarm that rings out to me is that the reader might miss that there's a jump back in time. You'd have to make it real clear that it is, or they might think that he spent a full 24 hours in the water or so. They'll probably pick up on it soon enough anyway, but it'd be good to avoid confusion.

I agree with this. You can do it, but you have to be absolutely clear the next scene takes place in the past. Because if you have something like this it will be confusing as heck.

Chapter 4

Thursday night Bob fell into the water.

Chapter 5

The sun shone over the city on a beautify morning.

People will assume the next chapter is in chronological order unless you state other wise.
 

JP Harker

Scribe
Much obliged all,

Advice is appreciated.
I'm pretty sure it's made clear - one chapter ends with the character being pushed from the wall, then we have a couple of interim chapters, and the next time we see him he's swimming to a pier and looking about because he's afraid the pusher is still watching him.

If that sort of thing wouldn't irritate you as a reader then I'm OK to keep it as is. If you've any other comments do let me know - thanks for the feedback!
 

K.S. Crooks

Maester
When I switch POV and then come back I like to have a little time pass. In your case I would have the person recovering from being in the water. Perhaps think of an event for your character before they do what you had planned next.
 
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