In what ways can storytelling in a novel be complex/problematic?

Answer 1

Below is my response as I understand you question but I don't think your question is clear.

Storytelling is a painstaking process that an author creates to take the reader through the highs and lows of the characters as they pursue a goal, often an unconscious and conscious desire, that reveals deep subtext and meaning in between the lines of dialogue and action and most clearly reveals itself at the last act's climax. All of this is the author's view of how "life is like that!". Successful authors do this with great skill and as a reader we will barely notice the effort that went into it.

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Answer 2

MANY ways. It can be complex or problematic when you write in first person. Then you can only be a reliable narrator regarding things the narrator actually sees, hears, knows, thinks, etc. You cannot report on the actions of characters that occur elsewhere or what goes on inside other people's minds. That often leaves you with the problem of getting information out. Your narrator has to be in virtually every scene.

There are two solutions to that. 1) You can use different chapters to change POV's - which is commonly done these days. I use it myself. or 2) You can use the third person omniscient narration where the narrator is basically a "fly on the wall" who knows everything about everyone. This is written in past tense - so basically your narrator is an unknown person relating a story that has already concluded to an unknown audience (or basically to the readers)

Storytelling can also be problematic in that it can be dull as dishwater at times. It can become a LONG narration that I refer to as "giving the play by play". By that I mean it sounds like - he did this, she did that, he did this, she did that. SO much of what people consider "erotica" is written in this way and it can be hilarious. You feel like you need a scorecard to keep score.

The solution here is what is called "showing not telling" or focusing on NOT storytelling but rather showing the action that is taking place. It is not always an easy thing to do, so most authors try at least to vary showing and telling.

These are the two most common problems. There are many others. Pax - C