A non-linear narrative is a storytelling technique in which the chronological order of events is disrupted, meaning the story doesn’t progress in a straight line from beginning to end. Instead, the narrative might jump back and forth in time, or it might start in the middle and then reveal earlier or later events through flashbacks or future speculation. This technique is often used to create suspense, build character depth, or reveal events from different perspectives. Read more to discover the advantages, examples, and purpose of this storytelling technique.
A nonlinear narrative moves back and forth through time in a way that allows you to add depth to your story. The most common type of nonlinear narrative is the flashback, where you shift the focus of the narrative to an earlier point in time. Or you may encounter flashforwards or imaginings in nonlinear storytelling that break out of the current time of the narrative. Things like time travel and clairvoyance can also be used to jump back and forward in time, or even enter entirely new timelines (in a parallel universe, for example). Or you can have a story within a story – or multiple stories – that serve to enhance the main story. This has many advantages because you can move scenes around and don’t have to put all your scenes in one order.