The 2 W of narration, a perspective matter
At its core, writing is a straightforward activity. An idea comes to mind, and that idea is then written down. As time progresses, more thoughts and concepts are transcribed to ultimately form a story, simple as that.
However, before placing the very first letter, the writer has to wonder the way his story will be told. Writing and telling are two different things although close to each other. While writing is about materializing ideas into the shape of a textThe content, telling is about communicating this text to someone. Now telling is defined as a vocal action, but in literature it can be referred as narration.
Narration is the process of describing events, emotions, and opinions of any content. It is a set of rules that the author dictates the flow of information, so that the story can be shared the best way possible. And to do so, the writer must ponders on 2 questions. They are known as the 2W of narration:
- Who is telling the story?
- When is the story being told?
Those two queries are to be answered before starting writing because it creates the perspective. The perspective is a symbolic position to where the reader receives information. Once established, the perspective cannot be change and the reader is then restricted to what this perspective bringsBecause the writer is the one who limits the information from this perspective.. As such, establishing the perspective have important consequences on how the story is presented.
– Who
The first W is Who, as in “Who is telling the story?“. All information is discovered from the point of view. This point of view is brought by the narrator, the one who is telling the story.
The narrator can assume two identities, the first is of a character. If so, the viewpoint will then be from a participant of the story. The narrator will describe what he sees, does, and fells. This allows for the story to have a focus on the narrator psyche and become more personal.
It is important to understand that the tone of the writing is given by a narrator and not the author. And if the narrator is indeed a character, some work will be required to make his personality logical enough, that the reader can empathize on the character feelings and actions. Not to obligatory agree, but to understand.
Unless the narrator isn’t a character, and is simply the author, the one writing the story. The narrator is then an outsider and not an actor of the events, he explains what he imagines and not what he witnesses or experiences. The writing will ultimately have a more neutral and perhaps less engaging tone, but easier for him to handle. The author doesn’t need to create a character for emotions to be expressed in the story; their own feelings are enough.
– When
With the narrator decided, the writer now needs to answer “When is the story being told? “. Some would think the « when » is about defining a period in the story. However, that would be a matter of context and not of perspective.
The “When” interrogates on “Is the narrator describing events that are happening or is he remembering what has already occurred “. To simply put, “Is the story written in the present, or in the past? “
If written in the past, then the story has already ended. Meaning the narrator potentially knows everything. This can be useful when there is a need to do an explanation or exposing the lore. However, tension and intrigue can become less impactful as everything has already occurred. The narrator found himself in a position where he knows the outcome but still needs to express emotions and surprise as a proxy for the reader.
On the other hand, a story written in the present has its events unraveling. Like the reader, the narrator is in the dark, and not knowing can be an advantage. Ignorance is a factor anticipation and suspense. It helps to create honest reactions from the heat of the moment. With that said, the narrator is limited to only what has transpired. The narrator needs to be careful not to reveal something he shouldn’t have known yet. An information put too soonInfo Dumping can create confusion for the reader.
– Conclusion
“Who” and “When” are essential component of narration. They allow to build the perspective from which the story will be presented. Ultimately the choices regarding those questions are limited (character/author, past/present) but heavy in consequences. The tone and flow of the information depends on it, and it is the author who decide which will be the best way to tell his story.