For anyone new to Adam’s story, here’s an introduction.
Up to this point, I have spent the Adam’s Story series discussing elements of my story project. Today’s post, the last of the series, is a little different. It discusses not a planned element, but a possible one: a shift in the story’s point of view.
The Lance Eliot saga is framed by another story. A frame story is a narrative that sets the stage for another narrative. It’s a story within a story. (Cue the “BWAH” sound effect from Inception.) The Lance Eliot saga is presented as a manuscript written by Lance himself shortly before his death, and published posthumously. His fantastical adventures are framed by the story of Lance trying feverishly to finish his account of them.
Lance shall remain the author of his own story. What may change—I haven’t quite yet made up my mind—is not who tells the story, but when he tells it.
Shall Lance’s story remain a memoir, or become a journal?
Journals can be a great storytelling device.
In previous versions, Lance’s story was a memoir written entirely during his last days. It occurred to me recently that I might make it a journal kept during his adventures. Instead of writing three novel-length narratives at the end of his life, Lance could spend those final weeks compiling, editing, and organizing notes and journals that he had previously kept throughout his travels.
Changing the point of view offers potential benefits. It might make the story more immediate and immersive. It would no longer be the reminiscences of a man safe in his own home—it would be the writings of a man on a perilous adventure. The reader would be right there with Lance… in theory, anyway.
This change would also explain how Lance remembers word-for-word conversations and other details so perfectly: when he writes them down, the memories are days, not years, old.
On a more pragmatic note, I think it would be easier for me to write Lance’s story as a series of journal entries. It would help keep me immersed in his travels. Besides, keeping a journal, even a journal of fictional events, isn’t that different from blogging. I have a little experience blogging.
I’m attached to the old point of view for the Lance Eliot saga, but intrigued by the possibility of a new one. What do you think?
How do you think Lance should tell his story? Let us know in the comments!
Typewriter Monkey Task Force 
Hmmmmmm…
Well, I suppose I’m as torn as you are. On the one hand, the idea of you being more immersed in the story directly equates to the increased possibility of you finishing the three books and me getting to read them, which is something I very much want to do. So anything that boosts the chances of that I (selfishly) root for.
On the flip side, there was a certain amount of tension immediately thrust upon me when I read those first few lines of the original book. Knowing that Lance was doomed made me hope that there would be a surprise outcome and he would not, in fact, be doomed. There is a fine line between foreshadowing that causes me to stop caring (aka knowing a certain character will die, so not investing in them) and building suspense, and the Trials of Lance Eliot managed – for me – to lean towards the suspense side. By the time I was fully a fan of Lance by the end of the novel, I wanted him to avoid his untimely end some way, some how. It made me anxious to get to book 2 and 3 (hence my first point!).
So that’s probably not helpful in any way, but there you are. Good luck deciding! (Just keep writing, that’s what I would say…)
I appreciate the feedback. 🙂 I’m leaning toward the journal approach… I think it definitely will be easier for me to write. I’ve gotta finish this flipping blog first, though!