Writing.Com General Discussion

To paraphrase advice I've heard from multiple 'expert' sources:

Story is the journey the character makes on the way to their evolution. Plot is the sequence of events that trigger the character's internal struggle, escalating it at every turn to a point of crisis where the character is forced or must choose to resolve their internal struggle. Resolving that struggle is key to the character achieving their desire (or at least have a decent shot at it).

The different 'timelines tale' is one I would approach by writing each timeline as a separate story. Generally, the story of the past would be a shorter one - but not always. Having written both stories, it is then simply a case of taking your in-the-present story, and interspersing scenes from the other story. By treating them as two different stories, but with a common thread and (obviously) the same lead character, you can ensure the two stories complement each other.

Peter F. Hamilton, in his Void trilogy, took a slightly different tack. The earlier timeline was of different characters in the deep past and long dead, and this was almost pure fantasy. The present timeline was set in the distant future with new characters and was pure science fiction. Part of the puzzle that the reader and the characters (of the future) have to resolve, is how these two threads are in any way related - which of course they are. Moreover, the 'past' is the key to resolving the problems of the future (the future is presented as the present).

While you may not be a fan of either fantasy or sci-fi, the story shows, with great skill, how two very different stories can be interwoven to create a much larger story (in every sense). It is one the finest and most well crafted stories of modern times.