Oct 26 2008
Step in Time
Time waits for no man - or woman, especially when they are shopping.
The hours tick by, seasons change, clocks fall back and spring forward. But how best to show this in a novel? In a film, you can show time elapsing by your characters wearing different hairstyles, clothing changes. Even something as simple as season change can be easily shown.
In a novel, it appears that it is a more delicate approach required to not confuse your dear reader. Is it the right or wrong thing to do to refer to a current event - therefore dating the story? Would that help people relate to what is happening, A lot of people buy historical novels but the history is further removed than five to ten years. There is of course the longstanding conversations - people know where they were when JFK was shot (I don’t - before my time) or when John Lennon was killed by Mark Chapman. Maybe it is a good thing to have a international - or even national event referred to. Or does it simply detract from the story you are telling - do they become lost in personal reverie? Is that a positive thing or negative?
Maybe just a vague referrence is enough. I trust that my readers can make as much or as little of it as they like.
I’ll wait and see
