Thread: Is it ok to jump forward in your story ?

what i mean is, at the moment in my novel, i've come to a point where i feel it would be unceccesary to right about what happens next as it would be very monotonous. basically a space crew are leaving a shuttle in groups of three for safety purposes (you'd have to read it to find out why). now there's like 18 people in the shuttle, and obviously i don't want to write about every single group of three leaving the shuttle.

SO, i was thinking writing about the first group, and maybe the second group. and then starting a new paragraph where they are all down on the surface and the story is ready to carry on from that point.

is this acceptable ?

I'd do something like saying "The first group of three entered the disembarkation chamber and air hissed ....", write it up for the first three and then say something like "The process repeated five more times before all eighteen of them had reached the planet's surface, meanwhile the first to arrive had been ...". Then there isn't actually a jump, you are simply condensing a boring bit of the story but providing continuity by talking about what the others are doing meanwhile. Of course that may not be the first ones out, it could be the last ones holding back the flames/poison/enemy. I don't know why they are leaving or what they are going to, but you get the drift.

Sure skip over the boring part.

Unless it's all boring, anyway. If that's true, skip everything.

JohnB

Originally Posted by Olly Buckle

I'd do something like saying "The first group of three entered the disembarkation chamber and air hissed ....", write it up for the first three and then say something like "The process repeated five more times before all eighteen of them had reached the planet's surface, meanwhile the first to arrive had been ...". Then there isn't actually a jump, you are simply condensing a boring bit of the story but providing continuity by talking about what the others are doing meanwhile. Of course that may not be the first ones out, it could be the last ones holding back the flames/poison/enemy. I don't know why they are leaving or what they are going to, but you get the drift.

thanks for that, never actually thought of doing it that way for some reason. thats seems the best option though.

I'm sorry for butting in, but doesn't this scene have potential for dialogue between the passengers? I don't know the circumstances but I know that you could definitely get some insightful or somewhat useful dialogue out during a very boring time in the story. You could pass the time by having them talk about, say, where their going, or their plans for the future. I don't know, but I know that many boring, monotonous scenes in a story have been made into interesting, insightful passages by the use of dialogue and conversation. Just my two cents...

AaronTP:-

I'm sorry for butting in,

Don't be, that is the idea of the place, especially when it is a helpful and intelligent comment.

Originally Posted by AaronTP

I'm sorry for butting in, but doesn't this scene have potential for dialogue between the passengers? I don't know the circumstances but I know that you could definitely get some insightful or somewhat useful dialogue out during a very boring time in the story. You could pass the time by having them talk about, say, where their going, or their plans for the future. I don't know, but I know that many boring, monotonous scenes in a story have been made into interesting, insightful passages by the use of dialogue and conversation. Just my two cents...

I agree with this, I think there is a lot of possibilities there for unexpected things to happen, as well. Maybe introduce some complications, make some characters make themselves useful, and overall bring some exposition to their personalities.

I'm sorry for butting in, but doesn't this scene have potential for dialogue between the passengers? I don't know the circumstances but I know that you could definitely get some insightful or somewhat useful dialogue out during a very boring time in the story. You could pass the time by having them talk about, say, where their going, or their plans for the future. I don't know, but I know that many boring, monotonous scenes in a story have been made into interesting, insightful passages by the use of dialogue and conversation. Just my two cents...

I actually try to plan in a few dead periods in my writing because it gives a chance to explain the characters a bit more. Its an opportunity for the reader to learn more about the character. One of them looks out at the stars and thinks longingly of home, remembering when he/she was a child on the farm in kansas and would look up at the stars.... Another is twitchy because he doesn't like small spaces, and you can tell the story of why. I've found these lulls in the action to be great opportunities for character development.

Originally Posted by Once_more

I actually try to plan in a few dead periods in my writing because it gives a chance to explain the characters a bit more. Its an opportunity for the reader to learn more about the character. One of them looks out at the stars and thinks longingly of home, remembering when he/she was a child on the farm in kansas and would look up at the stars.... Another is twitchy because he doesn't like small spaces, and you can tell the story of why. I've found these lulls in the action to be great opportunities for character development.

What he means is that a boring moment is boring because you are writing it that way. Basically, a lot of interesting things can happen within that shutter, if you know what I mean.

Originally Posted by elite

Basically, a lot of interesting things can happen within that shutter, if you know what I mean.

I know what you mean

SO, i was thinking writing about the first group, and maybe the second group. and then starting a new paragraph where they are all down on the surface and the story is ready to carry on from that point.

Actually what I meant was to take advantage of the space for foreshadowing, but if you are at a loss for the moment the other to do might be to bookmark it and come back later. give yourself somewhere to come back and reinforce your story line.

Originally Posted by Once_more

I actually try to plan in a few dead periods in my writing because it gives a chance to explain the characters a bit more. Its an opportunity for the reader to learn more about the character. One of them looks out at the stars and thinks longingly of home, remembering when he/she was a child on the farm in kansas and would look up at the stars.... Another is twitchy because he doesn't like small spaces, and you can tell the story of why. I've found these lulls in the action to be great opportunities for character development.

I like this idea, i have just introduced a new character and could use this scene to explain more about her and how she got to where she is today. i'm gonna have to sleep on this ! thanks.

and cheers to everyone else for your help. you've all given me great advice.

Just remember: every scene in your story needs to move the story forward or reveal character.

Also remember: every scene should have conflict.

Best: Every scene should have conflict and move the story forward and reveal character.

If it does none of that, cut it.

Want to reveal someone's slightly twitchy in small places? Make that person the ship's mechanic who's small and the only person to fit into a tight space to fix a necessary piece of equipment or the landing timetable gets screwed up. Then have that person start to go in, freak, and decline to do the job without saying why and get into an argument with the landing crew leader then be reprimanded. Even better, make that person our main character and put us in their head as they go through this and when they get reprimanded, it stings them to the core because they really can fix that equipment problem.

Except for their little problem.