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ApK · 12-24-2011, 01:39 PM

Temporal discontinuity, as I call this stuff, is a very powerful device, and can be used, as can most powerful devices, for good or bad.
At it's best, it really heightens the sense of expectation, and the feeling of puzzle pieces falling into place, leading to a satisfying "aha!" moment when you see how threads eventually come together.
When not at it's best (and there is very little grey, IMO, it's either great or terrible) it's a jarring mess that leaves you with no idea what's going on, and no way to immerse yourself in the story.
My advice would be, if you can pull it off effectively, great. But listen to your editors and early draft readers if they tell you it's confusing. If so, it's probably worth a try to simplify to a more linear narrative.

ApK

12-24-2011, 01:39 PM	#15
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,393 Karma: 68715774 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	Temporal discontinuity, as I call this stuff, is a very powerful device, and can be used, as can most powerful devices, for good or bad. At it's best, it really heightens the sense of expectation, and the feeling of puzzle pieces falling into place, leading to a satisfying "aha!" moment when you see how threads eventually come together. When not at it's best (and there is very little grey, IMO, it's either great or terrible) it's a jarring mess that leaves you with no idea what's going on, and no way to immerse yourself in the story. My advice would be, if you can pull it off effectively, great. But listen to your editors and early draft readers if they tell you it's confusing. If so, it's probably worth a try to simplify to a more linear narrative. ApK Last edited by ApK; 12-24-2011 at 01:41 PM.