Multiple Stories in one Novel?

[Addison]

I've hit a serious speed bump here. There's so much going on in the world of my story and I want to cover it all. The way I'm thinking is that it's sort of like a soap opera. If you look at any good soap opera you'll find there's more than one character, more than one plot, in action in a single episode. True they're connected in some way, setting, past event, lover (ex or present) whatever. But what about that format in a novel? Like part of the story in one character's POV and then changing POV every chapter or so. True my current story is sort of long already (first draft is 520 pages) but just the soap-opera ish format. What do you guys think?

 

[Patchwork_Turtle]

Do the stories all come together at some point?

In high school, one of the books I was assigned to read was The Joy Luck Club. It had seven main characters, and each one told 2 chapters. Though the characters all knew each other, and some were more interrelated than others, it bothered me that the stories never completely came together. They were more about revealing the backstory as to how each character got to where they were.

If it were me, I would be slightly frustrated if the side plots never weaved back into "one" story. If they do, however, I think it would be a very intriguing way to tell it. I like stories told that way.

 

[Penpilot]

Every book has multiple plot threads, but those plot threads must relate to one another and help in driving the book toward the ending. If you can remove a plot and the ending doesn't change, then the plot probably isn't important and should be axed.

 

[Addison]

Hmmm....right now it's centered on kids, one, two or three groups of kids. One or two in junior/high school and one in college. At least one character from each grade is related in some way or both groups have a hang out. I'm thinking of making one of the teachers at the junior/high school is a student-teacher or such still learning at the college. I think while each group has their own plots and conflicts that one will help the other in some way, however big of vague. Would that be connection enough?

Like Phineas and Ferb. The A plot is Phineas and Ferb making whatever invention or exciting idea for the day and Candace trying to bust them. The B plot is their pet platypuss ducking to his secret agent career against a nincompoop evil genius. They often connect by Candace meeting the villain's daughter or such, mostly its that during perry's battle with the villain whatever evil invention that blows up abolishes all evidence of Phineas and Ferb's invention.

 

[Penpilot]

I think it can work. But if the stories are only loosely connected, then it's not really a novel in the traditional sense. It's more of a series of short stories loosely connected by over lapping characters and a shared world. Reminds me a bit of the movie Pulp fiction. So I think the key to it may be how to weave everything together in an interesting way.

 

[BWFoster78]

I think you need to set expectations.

If you have a series of loosely connected stories, then it may be better to present it as an anthology. If I picked up what you are describing thinking it was a novel, I'd be quite disappointed if I made it to the end and the stories didn't tie together.

 

[JCFarnham]

You know... again it seems I have a high tolerance for this kind of thing.

About a year and a half ago I was reading Absorption by John Meaney, the first in a trilogy. It seems to be playing on this same idea. There are MANY plot threads, across MANY time periods, from following ancient Norse tribes, to the world wars, to waaaaay into the space opera future. There is an ever so slight promise of the threads tying together at the end of the trilogy, and I mean, it was only the first book. So it didn't really annoy me all that much, considering.

Another book that plays strongly on B plots in this is Surface Detail by Iain M Banks.

So no, I don't think it's right to say that this idea can't ever work. Iain and John certainly tried (and I suppose taste should have something to play in whether you think it did or not).

However, big however, I do think what people saying here in this thread is very telling. I'm probably in the minority.

 

[Helen]

I've hit a serious speed bump here. There's so much going on in the world of my story and I want to cover it all. The way I'm thinking is that it's sort of like a soap opera. If you look at any good soap opera you'll find there's more than one character, more than one plot, in action in a single episode. True they're connected in some way, setting, past event, lover (ex or present) whatever. But what about that format in a novel? Like part of the story in one character's POV and then changing POV every chapter or so. True my current story is sort of long already (first draft is 520 pages) but just the soap-opera ish format. What do you guys think?

Just that is confusing.

I think you should work out the main character's story completely and then weave the others around that. A bit like OZ is about following Dorothy's journey and solving her problem, but then the other characters come into it. What actually happens is that the other characters help Dorothy's problem solving, which in turn helps solve their own problems.

 

[Addison]

With the plot A and plot B, would it matter how big or small one of the plots are? Like plot A is Derek trying to return the stolen dragon egg before mama dragons destroys the country and plot B is his parents discussing divorce. Or would it be better or such if plot B was from the mama dragon's POV or about a mythology professor hoping to find a dragon to save his mythology department at the college? Or maybe plot B is just a friend of the protag whom he sees in a bar and helps in the right direction emotionally?
I know that it depends on the overall plot really. As stated above if it can be removed and doesn't effect the outcome then it wasn't worth writing about. But how else do you tie in these plots about the characters? What if the plots are more internal than external?

 

[Addison]

This just occurred to me. What if, as all books are stand-alones even in a series, in one book there's hints of something going on with the side characters, tension, dirty looks, not answering phone whatever, and in the next book it covers that plot? As I said there's two or three groups. So book 1 follows group A and book 2 follows group B etc. These plots take place at the same time, number 2 extending a little further than book one and number 3 extending farther than book 2 so there's not a lot of time loss when group A comes back into play.

 

[JCFarnham]

This just occurred to me. What if, as all books are stand-alones even in a series, in one book there's hints of something going on with the side characters, tension, dirty looks, not answering phone whatever, and in the next book it covers that plot? As I said there's two or three groups. So book 1 follows group A and book 2 follows group B etc. These plots take place at the same time, number 2 extending a little further than book one and number 3 extending farther than book 2 so there's not a lot of time loss when group A comes back into play.

I really like that idea.

There was once a piece of literary/mainstream fiction that I became aware of, I forget the title, but it was set in a hotel. With the story of the inhabitants of each room being told (and by different authors, but for this discussion that doesn't matter). I don't believe there was much if any tying together at the end (aside from perhaps them leaving the lobby at the same time and shooting each other looks, I don't know. My Mother read it and loved the gimmick. There was even a sequel. So yeah, this kind of multiplot idea does work, has worked, and has even been received well enough that a second book was requested.

You would have to make sure that your readers love all the characters equally mind you. As skipping someones favourite might turn them off the series. It's a risky move to make... but if you go into the project (and sell the product at the end of it) making sure that people understand what will happen if you get picked up for a second. Well you might be fine. It could be a lovely USP (unique selling point) to help you stick out through the noise

 

[OnumVeritae]

What does the end look like? Do all of these scenarios serve the ending for the overall arch you have in mind for your story?

 

[Addison]

Think of it in a Phineas and Ferb light. Perry saves the day and destroys the boys' event which keeps them from being busted.
.....here's something else I've thought about, maybe I'm thinking too much into this. The ideas and format will come naturally in the flow of the writing.
And there was a Circle of Magic book which did this. One story was about a murder mystery. The other part followed Tessa, a weather mage and her new pet magic glass dragon. I wish I had one of those.
Back to the original idea. Lets say that group A needed one of their friends to do this but he refused because of something he believed in. Group B was doing something smaller, a charity event, and one of the characters didn't want to do a certain task because of his beliefs as well. Group A comes to the charity event and the reluctant charity character does the task anyway with a true smile. Afterward he talks to the reluctant A party member and tells him that he thought it was belief but it was really pride. This is true for A party character, realization strikes, and he does the task asked of him. Is this clear? Cause when the head ache goes away and this thought is still here then that's how the story will work.