narrative vs. non-narrative plotting (the non-A-B-C-D plot Q)

[verushka70]

Firstly, my apologies on the tardiness of this piece. I was supposed to go a week or two after nos4a2no9. Riiiight. *sigh* Anyway, here we go!

The original question was:

“What's the best way to structure a story that doesn't use a conventional A-B-C plotline? I want (desperately) to write a story that manipulates time and incorporates a lot of

Comments

[custardpringle]

AND HERE I AM A MILLION YEARS LATER to say

a) I still cannot get over being used as an example in your essay, because it is an utterly brilliant essay :D :D

b) yes, those parts are in fact taken straight from House of Leaves. Sorry if it's confusing. *goes to clarify in case of lawsuits-- what, it's only been up for over a year*

[shayheyred]

Just this minute read your post for the first time, and the squee you may have just heard comes from me at being included as an example. Interestingly "Stop Me If You've Heard This One" probably would never have been written if I'd paused to plot it out carefully. It was a "Stop, Drop, Porn" entry and I literally wrote it in a kind of stream of conscious way. Thus I am delighted and amused to find your deconstruction of it. Apparently I do well as long as I don't think too much about what I'm doing!

Thanks again for a wonderful, and I must say, rather brilliant essay.