A while back I did a post on using sensory details to hypnotize your readers and pull them deeper into your story. Recently, I’ve been analyzing what else makes me feel immersed in a story, and I’ve discovered another way I’m pulled into a book. I’ve tried to research the concept online, but no one seems to be talking about it. Today, I want to present what I’m calling Layered Narrative, and I hope it’s as enlightening for you as it has been for me.
Layered Narrative Definition
My current working definition of Layered Narrative is: the phenomenon of pulling a reader deeper into a story by making it more complex with multiple storylines. The more focus a task requires, the more consumed a person is with it. There’s a reason most chess matches are silent while a game of luck like Yahtzee is full of conversation. If you find ways to layer your plot so the reader has more information to remember, they will use more of their brain to focus. The more concentration they need to track the plot, the more likely they are to block outside distractions and get lost in the story.
Just to clarify, this is not the same as a Broken Narrative or a Nonlinear Narrative. Broken Narrative is when you are telling a story chronologically and then pause to explain some history or key concept to the story. An example is Enola Holmes where she stops the narrative to tell the viewer important information. A Nonlinear Narrative, also called a Fractured Narrative, is when you tell one story out of chronological order. Cloud Atlas is an example of a Nonlinear Story. While both of these narratives can be useful, they are not Layered Narratives since they focus on one story from one viewpoint.
How To Write Layered Narratives
There are multiple ways to write a complex plot that divides the reader’s attention between multiple storylines. Today, I’m only going to list the top three methods I’ve seen most often in books.
1. Multiple POVs
Writing a story from multiple Point of View characters is an easy way to create complexity in your plot. You can write Parallel Narratives where the story follows two or more characters’ stories until their plots coincide at the end of the book. An example is Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey. We follow a detective looking for a missing girl and an XO who accidentally discovers a deadly secret, and we watch their stories converge. By making the reader focus on two or more plots, you demand they designate more brainpower to following the story.
Another way you can use multiple POVs is to write one story through different characters’ viewpoints. Since this is one story, it does not add overt complexity to the plot. However, you add complexity by giving the characters layered internal arcs that complicate the main plot. You show one character’s internal goals and fears, and then switch to another who has different ones. An example of this is the Matched series by Ally Condie where she adds more POVs as the series goes to show different sides to the story. Keeping up with each character’s internal arc while following the plot will demand more focus from readers.
2. Multiple Timelines
Writing multiple timelines is an easy way to add complexity to your story. There are several ways to do this effectively. The first is by doing a continuous flashback intermixed in your current story. In The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, Scott tells the story of young Locke while also telling about his present day adventures. In The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, the story starts in present day with Kvothe in his Inn and then Kvothe tells the story of his past, making the reader keep up with both timelines.
A different way to do multiple timelines is telling two stories with a common factor. Holes by Louis Sachar tells a story of a boy in present day who’s cursed and the story of his ancestor who brought the curse upon his family. Another example is The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton. This story is rooted to one house and follows a group of young artists in 1862 and a young archivist in 2012. You watch one character unravel a murder mystery that happened in the past while also watching the events that lead to that death. By using multiple timelines, you split the readers’ attention between the two stories while also making the main plot feel more developed.
3. Stories Within Stories
If you don’t like telling stories with multiple POVs or timelines, then consider putting stories within your story. This can be accomplished by having a storyteller as a character. You can educate your reader on the world’s folklore or history by having a character tell a story. Brandon Sanderson does this in his Stormlight Archive series by having a character named Wit who likes to teach other characters through storytelling. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir also includes storytelling as a way to teach the main character and readers about how the world’s corruption came into being. Storytelling will make your world seem more complete while also creating more complexity for the reader.
Final Thoughts
I’d like to caution you as you set out to create a Layered Narrative. Too many layers that are not well developed will confuse your reader more than immerse them. If you have tons of POV characters, your reader may not care about any of them because the story bounces around too much to fully develop any character. If you have another timeline or storytelling in your book that doesn’t relate to the overall plot, your readers will be annoyed by the distraction. As with everything, balance is key. The best way to know if you’re doing it right is to get beta readers’ feedback.
Layered Narratives are not for everyone. Some readers just want an easy read. I enjoy epic fantasies, which often combine all of these methods to create a deeper story, but not every genre employs Layered Narratives. Yet even if you don’t write super complex books, I’d suggest you still find ways to layer your narratives so your readers get pulled deeper into it. Something as simple as layering subplots will create a similar effect without being quite as complex. Just remember, the more attention you demand of your readers, the more immersed they feel in your story.
Thanks for reading!
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