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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/24430
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I began writing a novel. It's something I'm preparing for a long time and I now have enough material. Given the fact that I will concentrate on my main character's poitnt of view, and that I want to show his toughts on a daily basis, I decided that the better form should be a fictional diary.

As I said, I know (most of) what the main character will have to say. For each Chapter / Day, I tried to see what could compose the text : the easisest part is the sequentials events : Where the MC will relate his interactions with other characters (or between the other characters) : _A_ did something to _B_ in day 1. _B_ spoke to _MC_ on day 2. _D_ decided to ask _MC_ what _B_ said to him in day 5. etc — It's the easiesst part.

The problem lies in what remains :

**Descriptions :** The MC will describe a part of his environment in each chapter.

**Flash-backs :** The MC will remember what led him to this place, everything that happenned and that is related to his present situation.

**Stream of consciousness :** Here we go deep in the MC's toughts (feelings or general ideas about life, love, death in his actual context)

These three parts are not bound by any chronological or "cause and effect" rule in the diary ! So, nothing can decide that you have to write this part in that chapter.

So, my quetsion is : Is there any method, advices or guidance to help me stucture this in a less arbitrary way ? (like alternating flash-backs parts and descriptions parts from chapter to chapter, things of this kind)

Original score: 3