Writing Roots12 Aug 2021

S23E4 – Structure with Recursion

One way to play with structure and step outside the normal bounds of linear storytelling is to consider the recursion structure. You may know this best from the film Groundhog Day. Recursion is when at least one character relives the same day (or other period of time) again and again.

This structure really lends itself to a story focused on the character development and story arc. Outside conflicts are usually secondary to the need of the main character to change in some way. The recursion storytelling technique is incredibly flexible, which makes it perfect for nearly any genre.

It’s not, however, a simple and straightforward structure. There are a lot of things to consider and include, like making sure your readers are following easily when the timeline resets. Listen to this episode for suggestions and a full breakdown of what recursion can mean for your story.

First aired August 12, 2021.

We’re still buying your books to celebrate our two-year anniversary and thank all of you listeners for your support! Hosts Leigh and Ley are buying self-published books from our listeners and followers. We’ll keep buying until our fund runs out. Find out more on our Facebook or Instagram. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter (found on our homepage) while you’re here.

The post S23E4 – Structure with Recursion appeared first on Writing Roots.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(591)

S60E4 - FAQ 2024: How Do I Format Weird Numbers?

The answer to the question about number formatting will largely depend on what style guide you've chosen to use. Most narrative fiction will use the Chicago Manual of Style, but not all answers are in...

12 Des 202411min

S60E3 - FAQ 2024: How Do I Format Weird Text?

Standard paragraph formatting doesn't always cut it. Whether you're writing contemporary fiction with text messages or a steampunk novel with newspaper clippings, you'll likely run into times where yo...

9 Des 202411min

S60E2 - FAQ 2024: How Do I Describe Different Body Types?

While Ley might tell you that physical descriptions are entirely unnecessary outside of maybe basic identifiers, there is some importance to providing a description for your readers. It helps anchor t...

5 Des 202412min

S60E1 - FAQ 2024: Asking Questions

Questions are the never-ending well of inspiration for writers across the world. It can feel awkward or intimidating to ask sometimes, especially when it comes to craft questions. But we want you to k...

2 Des 202411min

S59 Bonus - Creating Numbered Rules in Your Story

We've talked all month about numbers. How to use them in your story, common tropes associated with them, and more. But what about creating numbers within your world that mean something? This episode, ...

30 Nov 202421min

S59E8 - The Chosen One

The Chosen One is a well-used trope throughout all kinds of fiction, but particularly science fiction and fantasy. There are many ways to proceed with this kind of story, and not all of them work out ...

28 Nov 202411min

S59E7 - Two Sides of the Story

It's often said there are two sides to a story in our lives. The same goes for the stories we write. This can include creating a villainous reflection of your hero, or simply having two point of view ...

25 Nov 202411min

S59E6 - On Three

The infamous countdown can be found in all kinds of stories across genres. This is the moment characters are trying to sync actions, issue a threat, or creating mini ticking clocks in a scene. Listen ...

21 Nov 202411min