Writers of memoir and historical fiction know that setting up a timeline is a good way to ground your characters in the story. Knowing what happened when gives the writer a way to enter into the character's mind – what they might have found … | Lani Longshore April 8 | Writers of memoir and historical fiction know that setting up a timeline is a good way to ground your characters in the story. Knowing what happened when gives the writer a way to enter into the character's mind – what they might have found frightening, amazing, or delightful. The same holds true for other genres, even science fiction. Creating a timeline gives you a chance to experiment with your characters' expectations. If it has only been six months since the aliens blew up the Aswan Dam, your characters may still be in a state of panic. If it has been ten years since the aliens took over the Las Vegas strip and turned it into an eco-friendly theme park, your characters may be commemorating the event with a non-stop blitz of documentaries and tours (complete with cute toys and collectibles). Think about how you feel when you realize you are coming up on a milestone memorial, and channel that for your heroes and villains. Don't forget the sidekicks – they're the ones who will celebrate the most bizarre of events, which is also fun for plot development. Luck and wisdom! | | | | You can also reply to this email to leave a comment. | | | | |
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