In my current work, I'd like to divide it up in 3 parts. The first, in the eye of one protagonist, happens at the same time as the 2nd part, from the eye of the other protagonist. They are far away while the events happen and each has their own storyline. (They meet in Part 3) Will it be too confusing to do this? It's a fantasy novel, so I can't just put a date in the corner and leave it at that. Any suggestions?
I think readers will be able to get it if the events are clearly the same things being seen/described at different angles (or even if they aren't, but it ties together neatly at the end). Why do you say that just because it's fantasy you can't put a date? Couldn't the fantasy world have its own calendar system? Bottom line - whether it's confusing depends on how well you write it. But this is the case 100 percent of the time.
I could put a date, but I've always seen that as a cheap cop-out. I've gotten some ideas of how to do it, but you're right, it's about how well I do it.
It's only a cop-out if you're careless in the writing with the attitude that "oh, I've got a date posted." Sort of like how it's bad when people say "oh, I don't need to worry about suspension of disbelief or maintaining the rules of the universe, it's only fantasy." Write well and it can be your friend, not your enemy.
This should work out, as long as you have a few events in common to show that the stuff really is happening at the same time.
Use a landmark event maybe ? I have written my first novel from two different POVs - it is obvious they are the same time because big events take place in both.
it's often done... just make sure you let the readers know in some way that the events are concurrent...
This may be your best bet. Something like this will ground the reader in the plot's timeline, so if it happens again, in a very similar matter, the reader should know what's going on and that the second plot is happening at the same time. Time markers help too, depending on how they're placed in the narrative.
