Using Interludes

Literature & Writing I'm a writer!
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Morning, writers.

I trust you’ve all had a great week and you’re looking forward to the weekend!

Something has been on my mind, for a while now: should I use an ‘interlude’ in my novel. I would like the thoughts of my fellow writers. Here’s some background for you:

  1. My novel consists of Chapters and Parts;
  2. Each Chapter is a 24-hour period in the story;
  3. In the first chapter, part 1, I want to include a section that is a critical part of the story, and takes place in the past between two of the main characters;
  4. I didn’t include the ‘interlude’ in this part (chapter 1); I just included the scene in the part;
  5. I was reading (actually, listening to an Audible) book: Matthew Perry’s autobiography, and in that book he used interludes to inform the reader of something that happened in the past that formed part of what was happening at a particular point in the story. I thought this was interesting, and I’d never come across an ‘interlude’ in a novel; and recollect that they may be used in a play (or is that ‘intermission’?).

Any thoughts on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

TAHAGW Writers, AWT.

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so, you,ve set up a clear approach, but it,s already proven impractical for your story by the first chapter of part one. this might be a sign that your story isn,t quite right for this approach.

there,s nothing wrong with including flashbacks or asides as long as it’s done well and you make it part of the ,language, of your book. for example, if once per chapter you had two characters have a conversation along the lines of…

then you,re in trouble. but if, for example, every chapter starts with an extract from an old newspaper…

Daily News - Aug 2019
puppy army defeated!
terrifyingly cute but deadly puppy army finally defeated yesterday by the local superhero known as main character. after what proved to be their closest battle yet, main character finally emerged triumphant when he was able to take advantage of an unexpected thunderstorm.
speaking with us afterwards, main character,s long time sidekick, sidekick, said ,i sure hope we never have to face a military force made predominantly of adolescent pets again.,

…then you could just about get away with it.

just remember that every time you take the reader out of the main story, you take them out of the main story.

i have no idea what this means and don,t care enough to look it up. if it,s offensive then wycgfy but if not ihyhald.

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Thanks for your reply and notes, @Floss, much appreciated. So you don’t need to look it up: TAHAGW = Thanks and Have a Great Week … so, not offensive. AWT = my initials.

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