1. DaveLu

    DaveLu Member

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    How to handle a character moving to a completely new location within the first few chapters?

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by DaveLu, May 2, 2016.

    Such as in the case of Narnia, I am number four or (forgive me) twilight.

    My MC has what he thinks is a normal life, then something (the antagonist) forces him to move out of town, so he has to run away, as he's done before. He has friends and a normal job, but I'm trying to make the transition to his new friends, to his new job, and to his new town as smooth as possible. I want to avoid awkwardness in terms of plot.

    I've thought about beginning the story when he's just moving in too town, but that caused a lot of flashback exposition.
     
  2. ChickenFreak

    ChickenFreak Contributor Contributor

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    What would the flashback exposition need to communicate?
     
  3. DaveLu

    DaveLu Member

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    Basically, why they are moving to the new town and what caused them to, how the MC feels about moving (clueing us into his psyche and why he feels the way he does I guess). They are essentially being hunted by an organization of people, so it would also explain who they are and what not. Not all at once, but generally I think that's what would be in there off the top of my head.
     
  4. IHaveNoName

    IHaveNoName Senior Member Community Volunteer

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    That could work - it's been done before. Start the story with them settling in to the new house or whatever, have them complain about having to move, drop a few hints about the whys and wherefores, and go from there.
     
    Feo Takahari likes this.
  5. Gareth MH

    Gareth MH Member

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    Yeah I agree with Ihavenoname. Its a common and effective story telling trope. Essentially, the real challenge would be doing it interestingly.

    But something like that is best handled right at the beginning of a story for a couple of reasons. One is that you don't want to waste words and chapters describing a setting if we're moving away from there almost straight away. Two is that its a slick way of describing the setting that we're in when the character is exploring the new place. So its all new to both the reader and the character, that way you can use the exposition of the new setting to reveal things about the character.

    But if you're dead set on having the first few chapters in the first place then I'd put off the move to the new location till at least then end of the first act (I know 'acts' are not really a novel writing convention but you get my drift) That way its less jarring for the reader and it can be used to build tension.
     
    IHaveNoName, DaveLu and Feo Takahari like this.

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