Let's Talk Narrative

I enjoy it when author's do things differently, I enjoy expanding the realms of the written word, I enjoy making stuff up - and I think that's what we writer folk live for.

But in this context, what do I mean by 'do things differently'?

Well I could say that writing of any form is valid, writing poetry, long prose, short stories, micro horrors to fill an instagram post, lyrics best served with music, and everything in between. Even how that narrative writing is consumed is expanding; books, magazines, podcasts, storytellers, audiobooks (of which I am a big fan), all the way up to stage, television, and film. The limits are endless when it comes to words on a page, on a screen, on a rough sketched napkin in a bar at 3pm on a Thursday, next to a dew soaked beer bottle.

Are you getting my meaning?

Push the boundaries of what's already been done. Build on the old ways of doing things, recycle things, test them out, have fun with it.

The narrative framing of Frankenstein was my first plunge into the world of the interesting technique - and I know it's not unique, please don't @ me, this is where I first discovered that writing didn't always have to be 'In the Beginning' - PLOT - 'The End'.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley not only utilises letters to tell the story - interesting storytelling techniques - but also poses a great framing of the narrative from One narrator writing a letter, down to the next narrator, and then down to the last, and right back up again; sort of like inception storytelling to twist it into modern day language.

I like to play around with my own prose - King's Reach as an example, utilises five Points of View, though two aren't main parts as they only feature in the Prologue and Epilogue. But the three others each have their own voices, which helps the reader (I hope) grasp the switching back and forth between the POVs mid-chapter.

I think that's going to be my style. Or sort of style for the main story I'm telling. Each Chapter is set on a particular day, or part of a day, and the relevant plot points from each character are made, to move the plot along.

It all sounds very boring when you write it down, but I hope it's an interesting way of writing, and gripping enough to keep the attention of readers.

Another technique I use, as I've already mentioned, is Voice. Each POV should sound different, as they are all different characters with different backgrounds. It's something I'm most proud of I think. Adder, speaks like you or I would, no rules, just fluid speech, and a few stuttery moments.

Forb has some rules; he's a bard with a great sense of self (massive ego), so naturally I wanted him to sound a little stuck up - as such, Forb never abbreviates his speech, and if I have slipped up, it'll all come out in the edits.

And finally Lunn - if anyone's read the way Lunn speaks, firstly I'm sorry, and secondly I hope you enjoyed it. Lunn has a thick accent, Dwarven (though in a twisted Irish/Scottish broad stroke if you want to slap a title on it). As such his speech is phonetically spelt, along with his slang and slurs. He's a gruff trader, travelling here and there. There's a lot about him. But I think I do his speech justice, and I especially think readers who've read him, enjoyed their time.

Example below:

“I bet you dwarves even f*** your own mothers, pound that gaping hole you fat f***s gushed out of!” The Elderman’s Son thrust the air with his hips, biting his lips into a smirk. The crowd laughed louder.

“Yee call me a mudda-fu*’r?!”

(And of course I had to add context to the swearing, but that's Lunn's bit. Also, sorry if you hadn't realised how graphic or insulting my writing can be.)

So what do you think? Should we play around with writing a bit more in blogs to come? And do you utilise any unique techniques in your writing that you'd like to share? - let's start talking in the comments!