How to not confuse readers with simultaneous events?
In an omniscient third person, I have 8 (practically unrelated) events going simultaneously in different parts of a large mansion. I want to present these events as they happen, but I feel jumping around every two sentences is bound to cause confusion!
Are there any prose or typographical tricks I could use to make this easier on the reader? The idea is to preserve a sense of hectic momentum, so a little confusion would be fine.
Thus far I have tried taking the perspective of an inanimate object that naturally passes through these events at a rapid pace (An overly-aggressively thrown bouncy ball), but I found the scene(s) quickly became about the object rather than the events.
I suppose the exact feeling I want to elicit is a prose equivalent of, in film, the variable time single-shot scene. I realize this is impossible, but I think exploring the options I have would at the very least be educational.
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This rapid scene-switching works in film because you can establish exactly where you are and who you are with in an instant, with a framing shot or something else that recalls one.
In a novel, you either have to re-describe the setting or you need shortcuts for recalling it.
Lauren Ipsum's example of starting each short scene with the primary character's name (or occasionally, the room), and keeping each scene separate from the other, works very well.
You have two basic approaches as options here.
- Tell a normal narrative, perhaps moving from setting to setting as an investigating person does, or not. But every-so-often, have a set of short scenes.
In this case, I would also set aside the sequence of short scenes (the "check-in bits") from the rest of the narrative. Either in a separate chapter or in a sub-chapter with a divider of some sort (one more substantial and different from the dividers between the short scenes themselves).
- Have short scenes throughout the story and intersperse them as needed.
In this case, you'd have longer scenes taking up most of the space, but you'd throw in short (or medium) scenes when important to do so. Simply set them apart visually with a divider of some sort (it can be subtle) and always "frame your shot."
Even a film would not keep up the rapid switching for too long, and your novel shouldn't either. It's wearying on the eyes.
Adding in short scenes so the reader knows these things are happening simultaneously and gets a sense of what other characters are doing? Very possible. Just make all transitions crystal clear. Both in the fact that there is a setting switch and where you are switching to.
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If your goal is hectic momentum, then two-sentence paragraphs with a visual indicator of "scene change" might work.
Colonel Mustard frantically wiped up the table. No one would believe he hadn't done it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Miss Scarlett straightened her dress, patted her hair, and checked her makeup in her compact. She had to look impeccable or the detective would see right through her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Detective Black charged up the stairs. If she was fast enough, she might catch him in the act.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Colonel Mustard stuffed the towels in the laundry chute and threw the pipe out the window. He fussed with the curtains far too long. Someone was coming down the hall.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
In the kitchen, the timer rang.
And so on. It's a little obvious, but it might work.
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