Some of the best stories aren’t told in order. They jump between timelines, show the end before the beginning, or blend memory and present like a dream. This is called non-linear storytelling, where writers break the rules and where stories don’t follow neat patterns.
What Is Non-Linear Storytelling?
Most stories you’ve read or watched follow a linear structure. That means the story starts at point A, moves through B, and ends at C. Events unfold one after another. This makes things easy to follow and builds tension naturally.
Non-linear storytelling breaks that line. Instead of telling the story in order, you jump around. You might begin in the middle, flash back to the past, then skip ahead to the future. You might run two timelines side by side. Some stories even loop back to where they started.
But it’s not just about time. You can bend structure in other ways, too.
You can shift perspective between characters. You can show the same event from different viewpoints, each with their own version of the truth. You can weave memories and present-day scenes together until they blur. Multiple events can be shown that eventually converge.
The point of a non-linear story is to break the rules. You reshape the narrative to serve, emphasize, or highlight emotion, theme, or character.
This isn’t a new technique, either. Modern storytelling simply gives it more space. You see a lot of flashbacks, flashforwards, in media res, frame stories, unreliable narrators, and stream of consciousness being used to change a story’s direction.
Examples of Non-Linear Storytelling
Here are a few famous examples of stories that don’t follow the normal rules of writing.
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
In this book, six stories are told spanning the 1800s to an apocalyptic future. Each story is connected, with each character being the same soul experiencing a different life.
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Billy Pilgrim becomes “unstuck in time” and starts experiencing his life out of order. He jumps between his youth, his time as a soldier in World War II, and his post-war years.
This non-linear structure mirrors Billy’s fractured view of reality and reflects the lasting impact of trauma.
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
World War II unfolds through a chaotic mix of characters, events, and timelines. At times, a single event is retold from different angles, each version adding new layers of meaning or contradiction.
Its structure is meant to examine the absurdities of war, and trying to make sense of it only leads to madness.
Pulp Fiction
Multiple, interlocking stories are told out of chronological order. All are connected through recurring themes of crime and violence.
Memento
Told in reverse, this movie puts you in the shoes of a man with short-term memory loss as he hunts his wife’s killer.
How to Write a Non-Linear Story
Here are a few tips for writing an effective non-linear story.
Create a chronological outline first.
Things need to make sense first before you break them. Map out events in order before scrambling them around.
It’s crucial to keep track of the sequence of events and which characters are involved at each point. If you don’t, you risk creating fragments that will only confuse your readers. Even if they manage to piece things together, the story will feel disjointed.
For example, if you’re shifting between timelines, be sure you know what each timeline reveals and how they intersect or contrast. You can’t reveal a secret in the past and not have it affect the present.
Use clear markers.
Non-linear stories get messy when readers don’t know where or when they are. Use clear markers to guide them. If your readers need to keep on guessing what story they’re witnessing, you’ll lose them fast.
This can be as simple as chapter headings with dates, changes in tense, or visual cues like scene breaks. You can even use stylistic cues such as changes in speech patterns and fonts.
Use repetition or echoes.
Revisit events from different angles or perspectives. This creates layers that redefine the story for your audience as they catch on to patterns or discrepancies.
For example, a single event might be told multiple times, but each time it’s revealed, new information is added. Make sure each visit adds value; otherwise, you risk boring your readers.
Use suspense or misdirection.
Non-linear storytelling excels at withholding information. Since you’re not following a straight path, you get to withhold information, drop surprises, and shift expectations.
You can open with a dramatic scene, and then immediately jump back to explore how it happened. That’s instant tension because your readers want to know why and how things reached that point. You can also show an event one way, then circle back later with new context that changes its meaning.
What you want is to give your readers pieces of the puzzle and let them figure out how they fit together. Offer them enough intrigue to make them want to see the full picture.
Build your world.
Think of non-linear writing as taking a walk. There’s a straightforward path you can follow, but you choose to take detours and side roads instead.
This gives you a chance to explore parts of your world that a linear story might skip over. You can dive into a character’s backstory, explore another perspective, or show events from multiple angles.
Layers like these reinforce each other. Showing a character’s past gives context to their current actions. Events happening elsewhere expand the scope of the dangers your main characters are facing. Differing viewpoints challenge how readers interpret the truth.
Establish patterns.
Patterns are a great way to emphasize your message. They also add a sense of connection between seemingly unconnected events.
For example, revisiting the same setting across time can highlight societal changes. Or, a recurring item might tie characters or moments together. Even a parent’s abuse, passed down to their child, shows the effects of generational trauma.
Conclusion
Non-linear stories can be a headache to write and read. But done right, they can deliver the hardest-hitting messages. Even simple stories feel fresh when you break the rules.
By making readers piece together the narrative, you transform them into active participants. This creates an immersive experience where they’re invested in uncovering the truth. And because non-linear stories can be unpredictable, they’re always on edge.
What is your favorite non-linear story? Share your thoughts below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- The Story Spine: Pixar’s Storytelling Structure
- Using the Seven-Point Story Structure To Build Your Narratives
- Using the Dan Harmon Story Circle to Structure Your Narrative
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
