This week marks the end of the character introduction phase of the Fables From the Morning After. I've got a few more characters to introduce, to be sure, and some of them quite soon. But the core twelve characters and the main six locations are now out there for the world to see. Not bad; it only took a month and a half.
So, from here on in, it's pretty much about the story. But the thing is, there's a lot of story. More to the point, there's a lot of different stories that all build up to a larger story. After all, I'm dealing with twelve main characters here (some of whom I have more to say about than others, of course); that really adds up.
I've got two options for dealing with this. One, I could make it linear. That is, I pick one story and run with it until it's done and then start on the next. The flaw here is that I'll end up with long periods of time before we even see certain other characters again. Also, linear storytelling can be boring. Option two is that I make it non-linear; I intertwine stories together, skipping from one to another, thereby making the whole more complex. This is good and it's what I'm going to do.
Where I run into trouble, though, is figuring out how many stories to keep going at once. It's like juggling. You toss a knife in the air, then follow it with another and a third. If you're a good juggler you can juggle more than that, maybe fix or six or seven, and your routine becomes more interesting. But if you juggle too many, you can't keep track and you drop them all, possibly through your hand. As a result, a certain judiciousness is called for on the part of the juggler.
So, given that I update three days a week, how many knives do I keep in the air at once? How many is enough for variety but not so many that each individual story gets lost in the flash of aerial steel? I'm not sure yet, though I need to figure it out soon. I welcome opinions and suggestions on the subject.
And remember, kids, if your parents don't give you at least five dollars for the juggler, it means they don't love you.
Comments (7)
Three at a time in dynamic order:
A1, B1, A2, C1, B2, A2, C2, B3, AX, C3, D1, B4, C4, D2, BX, CX, E1, D3, F1, E2, D4, F2, etc.
Posted by Erik (not the roommate) | November 9, 2004 1:09 PM
Posted on November 9, 2004 13:09
Uhm... Would you care to expand on that in a way that is not as confusing to me? Please?
Posted by Jason | November 9, 2004 2:06 PM
Posted on November 9, 2004 14:06
I'd just like to point out that nonlinear storytelling can be boring too.
i'd say 3 or 4 tops if you are looking to weave them into a single narrative. if you are more interested in the individual parts then do as many as you want.
Posted by ogre | November 10, 2004 6:32 AM
Posted on November 10, 2004 06:32
Rank stories by letter, rank episodes by number 1-X. 1=first in the series, X=last in the story arc. Start with stories A and B alternating, then introduce C.
Keep 3 stories in play at any one time, but don't fall into a static pattern. When one arc ends, start a new one, but juggle the order where thematically appropriate. The list above was just a suggestion for a possiple layout, assuming arcs of varying lengths.
Just an idea. You will also no doubt end up with one-offs and back to back two-fers here and there.
Posted by Erik | November 10, 2004 6:52 AM
Posted on November 10, 2004 06:52
3 i think is a good nunmber
since you update 3 times a week.
on an unrelated note have you visited the old unitarian shelter board? is it still alive?
Posted by gus | November 10, 2004 7:26 AM
Posted on November 10, 2004 07:26
After thinking on Erik's original comment, I think I worked it out last night. Thanks for the morning input, though - you all did help me cement my late-night thoughts.
Gus: I'm pretty sure that board was down by the time I left NB. If it's not, I've long-since lost the url for it. Sorry.
Posted by Jason | November 10, 2004 11:09 AM
Posted on November 10, 2004 11:09
Its ok i guess i was just curious to see if any of our work survived our departure
Posted by gus | November 10, 2004 3:36 PM
Posted on November 10, 2004 15:36