Time serves as a dynamic lens in storytelling, shaping characters and narratives in profound ways. The discussion covers techniques like flashbacks and sensory shifts that enhance emotional impact. Listeners learn how timing influences character behavior, builds tension, and deepens engagement. Practical examples highlight the manipulation of time in action scenes and quieter moments alike. A creative writing exercise challenges writers to rethink time settings in their scenes, sparking fresh insights for their storytelling.
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insights INSIGHT
Time as Emotional Lens
Time shapes character perception and story tension beyond just plot movement.
Anticipation and flashbacks enrich the narrative by reflecting a character's internal reckoning with past and future.
insights INSIGHT
Magnified Moments in Scenes
Magnifying moments like fight scenes lets readers experience seconds as intense, prolonged events.
Slowing time through detailed sensation and memory deepens engagement and heightens emotional impact.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Slow Time with Sensory Detail
Slow scenes by focusing on the character's sensory experiences and memories.
Choose the single most meaningful detail to highlight in slow moments to avoid bogging down the reader.
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Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution
Michel Pagel
Rebecca Kuang
In this novel, R. F. Kuang explores a fantastical version of Oxford in the 1830s where Britain's dominance is fueled by magical silver bars that capture the power of 'lost in translation' between languages. The story follows four students at the Royal Institute of Translation, their growing awareness of the imperialist system they are part of, and their eventual rebellion against it. The book delves into themes of imperialism, academia, and the moral dilemmas faced by those caught in the system.
Northanger Abbey
Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey is a coming-of-age story that satirizes the Gothic novels of the late 18th century. The novel follows Catherine Morland, a young and naive girl who loves reading Gothic novels. When she is invited to stay at Northanger Abbey, the home of the Tilney family, her imagination runs wild with expectations of mystery and horror. However, the reality of the abbey is far from her Gothic fantasies. The novel explores Catherine's growth as she learns to distinguish between fiction and reality, and it critiques the societal norms and expectations of her time. Written by Jane Austen, the book was completed in 1803 but published posthumously in 1817 along with Persuasion.
Dune
Frank Herbert
Dune, written by Frank Herbert, is set in a feudal interstellar society where noble houses control planetary fiefs. The story follows Paul Atreides, whose family is tasked with ruling the inhospitable desert planet Arrakis, the sole source of melange, a substance crucial for extending life and enhancing mental abilities. The novel delves into the intricate politics, religion, ecology, and technology of this futuristic world, as various factions vie for control of Arrakis and its valuable spice. Paul, with his unique abilities and training by the Bene Gesserit, becomes a key figure in this struggle and eventually assumes the role of a messianic leader among the native Fremen people[2][5][4].
Time isn't just a backdrop—it’s a powerful tool in storytelling. In this episode, we explore how time shapes narratives, beyond just plot structure. From magnifying moments in a fight scene to revealing a character’s morals through temporal shifts, we unpack how timing, pacing, and the passage of time can deepen emotional impact, build tension, and elevate a scene's resonance.
We discuss practical techniques like character memory, flashbacks, and sensory shifts, while also considering how time reveals inner worlds—through fear, anticipation, or even a late-night zoomie session with a talkative cat. Whether you're writing action scenes or quiet reflections, this episode offers practical insights for using time as a dynamic storytelling tool.
Homework: Change the time at which a scene takes place. Try to move something from day to night, or spring to fall. What do you notice?
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Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, and Erin Roberts. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.
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