Ask the editor: Constructing the “narrative arc”
Q:My writers group thinks I need to strengthen the narrative arc in my novel. How can I do that?
A:The “narrative arc” is a fancy way of saying that every story needs to have a beginning, middle, and end. Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, you need an act one, act two, act three, right?
Take for example a coming-of-age novel or memoir. The 13-year-old hero starts out an innocent lad, poised on the brink of challenges, opportunities and choices.
But in many proposals and draft manuscripts I see, the poor boy is in much the same place by page 476. Not enough has happened to him.
A successful narrative arc requires action
If there had been the necessary narrative arc, our hero would have been tested and endured a series of adventures, symbolic actions and meaningful experiences that would have left him more mature at the climactic epiphany. Like Aeneas or Ulysses or Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye or Harry Potter.
In a successful narrative arc, the hero or heroine is confronted with dangerous threats, seductive choices, major decisions, necessary feats of physical bravery, or emotionally powerful assaults from family or social pressure.
Editor & writer go scene-by-scene to find the holes
When I’m working with a writer who needs to strengthen the narrative arc, we go through the story scene by scene and find the holes, the moments in time when something needs to happen to get the central figure to the next level.
We brainstorm specific scenes to insert that target the character’s weakness or dramatize the symbolic threats from rivals, challenges from mentors, dangerous social stressors within the political or cultural context of the situation, opportunities to succeed or fail.
A good story needs to:
- start with a bang
- quickly accelerate to a level of action
- have moments of drama and suspense that keep rising in intensity
- sustain a high pitch
- level off
- gradually come down to earth in an emotionally satisfying closure and denouement
Constructing such a narrative arc is not easy but it is mandatory. If you’re having a problem, I suggest first writing a rough chapter outline to chart out the geometric rise and fall of your arc.
Take a look at the 2nd piece in this series, Ask the editor: 6 steps to writing a memoir, which also touches on issues related to the narrative arc in a work of non-fiction.
And for more on the narrative arc in the broader context of developing a coherent and compelling story, look here at Ask the editor: 7 techniques for a dynamite plot.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Having done a multitude of revisions on my narrative memoir about living with a Mother who was mentally ill and how her illness devastated our family, I worry that over the course of time that I will edit out the passion and emotional impact that I initially wrote with. Is this something to be concerned about or, if done correctly, will those same emotions be better defined?
July 30th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Dear Janelle,
Writing is rewriting. Every good writer does draft after draft until it sings, and flies, and slides down smoothly into your reader’s consciousness. And even then you may come back to it for another pass. I’m sure that such an effort will build the passion and intense emotions of the story of living with your mother. And if it doesn’t work the first time, take heart and try again.
You might want to take a look at my most recent post on what to include and what to leave out when writing a memoir.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
September 23rd, 2008 at 6:56 pm
hi
I am writing about a “unique” subject… I know everyone says that, but I know that there isnt even a little known book about the subject yet. How can I make sure the subject will really interest the reader? Are there any taboos that a publisher looks at?
sincerely
Suneetha
May 2nd, 2009 at 9:54 am
Dear Mr. Rinzler,
Thank you for all your useful advice. However, I seem to be facing a different challenge as a result of the style of my memoir. It consists of vignettes, much like Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street, and while my agent is receiving very positive responses to the writing itself, editors seem to be nervous about the style and want a more traditional narrative. I’m hoping to find a way to add to the manuscript without having to tear apart very carefully and chronologically constructed vignettes.
I’d love some advice…
Respectfully,
K. Levy
May 19th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Hi Karen-
I can’t offer any iron-clad advice without reading your manuscript but I would say this:
a. Editors often write hurried rejections that should not become guidelines for a specific revision. Does being “nervous about the style” really warrant tearing apart your unique narrative structure?
b. There’s no one formula or literary style for a memoir. But always try to make your story more clear, understandable, and inspiring. If what you’ve written is the form of vignettes, take another hard look and ask yourself: is this coherent and easy to follow?
c. Are there too many confusing flashbacks, flashbacks within flashbacks, awkward leaps in time, shifts in point of view or narrative voice, like from first person to third, to second, back and forth? Can you insert any glue or new transitions that would help?
These are some of the issues I would look at if I were working with you as a developmental editor.
Good luck!
-Alan