In writing, time skipping allows you to jump from one moment to the next. Time skipping allows you to move the story forward quickly and easily, without having to worry much about what happens in between. Time skipping is a great tool for authors who want to create a fast-paced narrative or for those who want to explore a particular moment without having to worry about the timeline of the story. Time skipping can be used to create suspense, as well as to provide additional information to readers. When used correctly, time skipping can help readers understand the story better and can help them form better connections with the characters. Additionally, time skipping can be used to provide additional information about the world in which the story takes place, or to provide a glimpse into the past. Continue reading for 5 critical tips for how to appropriately skip time in your fiction story.
Make Sure It's Necessary
Skipping time in a story can help keep your story moving and prevent it from becoming pulled down in unnecessary details, but it is important to make sure that you only skip time when it is necessary. If you skip too much time in your story, it can become disorienting and confusing for your audience and it can disrupt the flow of your story. Also, it can be difficult to keep track of your characters' development if too much time is skipped. Therefore, it is important to make sure that when you're skipping time it is an essential part of your story and will help move the plot forward.
Include Descriptive Details
When skipping time in your story, it is important to include descriptive details to fill in the gaps between the time jumps. This helps to create a clearer and more vivid picture in the minds of your readers of what has happened in the time that was skipped. By adding in descriptive details, your readers can better understand the story and more clearly follow the plot of your story. For example, you can use the sun and the sky to better illustrate the time skips in your story. For example, "Jenna glanced above her, noting how the sun had dipped beneath the horizon. The sky was now a blend of orange, pink, and purple." You can also use descriptive details to provide insight into all of your characters' thoughts, feelings, and motivations, allowing your readers to become more emotionally invested in the story. Plus, descriptive details can add a sense of realism and authenticity to the story, making it more believable and 3D for readers. Overall, including descriptive details when skipping time in a story helps to make the plot more enjoyable.
Use Flashbacks
Flashbacks provide much-needed context for your readers to better understand the plot line and the characters. Flashbacks can also help to provide a deeper, more detailed look into your character's past, allowing your readers insight into why characters act and think the way they do. Also, flashbacks can be used to create meaningful transitions and help to build tension and suspense. By using flashbacks, you can keep your story engaging by adding a sense of mystery and intrigue and providing readers with hints and clues that may only become clear later on in the story. Plus, it's easier for your readers to understand the time skips.
Utilize Short Time Skips
When writing time skips, it is also crucial to consider how to use time skips to progress the plot, and short time skips are the way to do so! Short-time skips are an effective tool in helping to move your story forward without overloading readers with excessive detail or getting them confused. By skipping ahead just a few hours, days, or even weeks, you can allow your readers to focus on the more important elements of the story, such as character development or plot twists. This technique also helps to keep the pace of the story moving steadily and engagingly, rather than becoming stuck and slow in unnecessary world-building or confusing time skips. Plus, short time skips can be a great way to transition between different plot points, allowing readers to get a quick glimpse into the future without bogging down the story with long, drawn-out scenes. In general, short-time skips can be an invaluable tool to keep stories engaging and dynamic.
Demonstrate Character Change
One key effect of time skips in a story is that they allow for characters to have meaningful changes over time. By jumping ahead in time, you allow readers to fully experience the character’s transformation, which can add depth and complexity to your story. By skipping time, your audience can see how the character has changed, and why they are the way they are. You can use this to create characters who are more relatable and believable since they have gone through the same experiences as the reader.
Even though skipping time can be confusing, it shouldn't feel impossible. By following the tips listed above, you can use time skipping to create a story that feels cohesive and that provides a rich and detailed experience for the reader. Time skipping can be used to enhance your narrative and to provide additional information about the characters and the world in which the story takes place, so good luck!