The Tarantino approach/ non linear storytelling for opening chapter/chapters?

[MadmanRB]

As I am writing my story, I cannot help but notice it's a bit slow for the genre I am aiming for.
After all, my story is action/science fiction based and so far my opening chapters are almost nothing but dialog.
My story needs its hook to pull my audience in, and well I am thinking about taking a page from Quinton Tarantino, at least for the first four chapters of my story and doing some non-linear storytelling.
I am debating that maybe to get my audience hooked I skip to the events of my planned chapter 10 where my action kicks off in full.
It's not like there isn't action beforehand, but so far my first three chapters are all character setup and universe building and there's little action at this stage.
Chapter 4 was my first real action chapter, but then it cools off again for another 5 chapters or so.
There's just so much dialog in my opening chapters, while I do think I have some decent dialog and character interaction, the pacing still doesn't feel right as my characters are mostly sitting down at a desk or something more mundane.
The more I think about it, the more I favor the non-linear format, as it could help solve the slow pacing issues I am facing.
Once I go past a certain point, I can go back to a more linear path, but my story so far still feels a little static despite me attempting to build my characters via dialog.
But what do you think? I mean, I don't want to do a total rewrite as I do like a lot of what I have written, but it does come at the cost of slow pacing in contrast to my desired genre.

 

[CL]

I'd say go for it. None of us are going to know how well it's executed until, well, it's executed.

 

[Lloyd]

Only if you are a good writer.

 

[CL]

Only if you are a good writer.

I think that would depend on the response from readers. I've seen authors who would be considered horrible writers, but their stories were good (just severely unpolished).

 

[K5Rakitan]

If you can build the characters through their actions, go for it!

 

[MadmanRB]

Only if you are a good writer.

Well I would say I am "mostly competent" at my writing.
I know I still have far to go in my writing skill, but I do think I can pull it off without it being jarring.

 

[LostLibrarian]

While Tarantino loves to do such stuff, it's picked because it makes sense as part of the story. He has a story that is crafted around that idea and the storytelling reinforces that theme.
If you force stylistic choices because they are cool, you might end up like Shyamalan instead.

The more I think about it, the more I favor the non-linear format, as it could help solve the slow pacing issues I am facing.

Honestly, from only reading this post I got the feeling that it's less an issue of "style against slow pacing" and more of "avoiding work". Those slow pacing issues won't go away, if you don't rework all those chapters. Even if you start with a non-linear beginning, the moment you return to those chapters, the pacing will be off once more and the readers will get annoyed and/or lost.

In the end, you won't get around rewriting those chapters if they don't fit your targeted genre. Because time won't change the genre and "maybe they don't drop it during five boring chapters when they had some great action before" isn't great writing either. It's the best way to reader frustration and bad ratings if you promise them something at the beginning just to deliver something else...


I would recommand what I also did with my story. Accept that you wrote something that doesn't work in its current form. Try to take all you can from those hours. Get a long list of ideas an how to improve. And then rewrite the beginning. If those chapters helped you find the problems with the pacing, that was already worth it. In fact, it's already great if these problems could be found after 10 chapters and not after 100...

Back to the drawing board, think about how to start with the right pacing (maybe even starting inside the action like you wanted to do) and just write it. The harder you try to save the invested time, the more time will be wasted doing "half-assed" work...

 

[SakeVision]

yes

 

[MadmanRB]

While Tarantino loves to do such stuff, it's picked because it makes sense as part of the story. He has a story that is crafted around that idea and the storytelling reinforces that theme.
If you force stylistic choices because they are cool, you might end up like Shyamalan instead.


Honestly, from only reading this post I got the feeling that it's less an issue of "style against slow pacing" and more of "avoiding work". Those slow pacing issues won't go away, if you don't rework all those chapters. Even if you start with a non-linear beginning, the moment you return to those chapters, the pacing will be off once more and the readers will get annoyed and/or lost.

In the end, you won't get around rewriting those chapters if they don't fit your targeted genre. Because time won't change the genre and "maybe they don't drop it during five boring chapters when they had some great action before" isn't great writing either. It's the best way to reader frustration and bad ratings if you promise them something at the beginning just to deliver something else...


I would recommand what I also did with my story. Accept that you wrote something that doesn't work in its current form. Try to take all you can from those hours. Get a long list of ideas an how to improve. And then rewrite the beginning. If those chapters helped you find the problems with the pacing, that was already worth it. In fact, it's already great if these problems could be found after 10 chapters and not after 100...

Back to the drawing board, think about how to start with the right pacing (maybe even starting inside the action like you wanted to do) and just write it. The harder you try to save the invested time, the more time will be wasted doing "half-assed" work...

Well, my approach to this will be something in the middle of your examples of the Shyamalan and Tarantino approach.
As I do think both have their drawbacks and merits, sure the Shyamalon approach lost its luster but if I go by the Sixth sense/Unbreakable route I could make something great.
After all unbreakable is still one of my favorite superhero films and my story has superhero elements in it.
One can take the better elements from that story and roll with it.

 

[LostLibrarian]

As I do think both have their drawbacks and merits, sure the Shyamalon approach lost its luster but if I go by the Sixth sense/Unbreakable route I could make something great.

But those worked because they complemented the storytelling. The story was build around that.


And I won't say "don't do it". If you want to do it, then go for it. But "I don't want to rewrite chapters that don't work" isn't a good reason. It's the opposite of "trying to make something great". That was my point.
If your chapters have a problem with the pacing, you'll have to rewrite them. Even if you like them. No "here is some fancy time jumping" will avoid that. Therefore, embrace the fact and start with a clean slate.

If you want to use non-linear storytelling, then go for it. But think beforehand what the revelations in your story are. "Here are some slow-paced worlbuilding chapters I thought were too boring to be the start of my story" isn't that. There needs to be something in the "earlier" chapters that re-contextualize the events of the "later" chapters.

Again: using stylistic approaches like that can be great, I agree. But not when it is used to justify the "wrong" starting point of the story. Based on your opening post, the question of "did I start at the right point of time" seems more important than "how can I present it with a nice wrapping".
But those are only my thoughts based on my first impression... so either way, good luck with your ideas! =)

 

[MadmanRB]

Well, it's not like the entirety of what I have I think might be boring, I do have some good character moments and settings for my audience to invest in.
It's just that I have so much to set up, it's not just the characters I need to establish after all.
I have a lot of universe building to do here, as not only is my story not set on Earth, but its main characters are all aliens with not one human within a billion light years.
They have different cultures, history and mythology.
All this ties directly to my characters, as I didn't want my mythology and world building to be an afterthought.
I set my characters up to be integrated into my setting fairly well, but still there's so much I need to do.
And it's not like my characters are kids, they are full-grown adults at the start of my story and already know much about their world.
This means I have to tell my audience things about my world they need to know in another way.
I am honestly trying not to do exposition dumps mind you as that would be even more boring.

 

[BenJepheneT]

Well, it's not like the entirety of what I have I think might be boring, I do have some good character moments and settings for my audience to invest in.
It's just that I have so much to set up, it's not just the characters I need to establish after all.
I have a lot of universe building to do here, as not only is my story not set on Earth, but its main characters are all aliens with not one human within a billion light years.
They have different cultures, history and mythology.
All this ties directly to my characters, as I didn't want my mythology and world building to be an afterthought.
I set my characters up to be integrated into my setting fairly well, but still there's so much I need to do.
And it's not like my characters are kids, they are full-grown adults at the start of my story and already know much about their world.
This means I have to tell my audience things about my world they need to know in another way.
I am honestly trying not to do exposition dumps mind you as that would be even more boring.

All of that is cool and all but from all I've read of your previous post, what I think you lack is a throughline and frankly, some creativity. What I mean is that even if you're establishing characters and events and world-building with dialogue, you can still make it interesting and, well, not boring. You don't need to restructure how your story goes. In fact, you can simply just restructure your dialogue in the chapter itself to keep things fresh.

Take the opening for Pulp Fiction by the aforementioned Footman™ Tarantino, for example. It starts off with a conversation that begins with "no, it won't work". In an instant, we're drawn to the conversation with the throughline that something doesn't work. Then it's slowly revealed that they're talking about robbery jobs. The conversation goes on as they discuss the various ways shit could go right or wrong in a step-by-step fashion that hooks the reader in not only with its content, but with the setting the dialogue is taking place in. They're serious about their talk, so they might be getting ready for a job in the diner as they eat. Instantly, you have an underlying stake that's brewing with implications, and now everyone's on the edge of their seat. Suddenly, Tim Roth mentions robbing diners and taking wallets, and that brings everything full circle. That's why they're talking about robberies in the diner. Even if we didn't hear the start of the conversation, we can infer that Hunny Bunny probably had doubts about this job, and asked her husband about the legitimacy of the plan.

In a mere 3 minute talk, we got a contained rising stake, a full-circle conversation, insight into the two characters' mindset, and enough implications to keep watchers engaged even after the conversation is finished.

You can build your dialogues to be inherently engaging in its own right. Hell, you can construct one similar to an action scene. All you need to do is understand what your dialogue needs to establish.

Say for example, you want to introduce a giant mecha in your story which is fragile but powerful; a glass canon. You also want to introduce a character that's smart but short-tempered, with his attitude always clouding his judgement. You can set a scene where it's building said mecha, and the aforementioned character is the mechanic, since he's the only one smart enough to build it. You can draw parallels between the mecha and the character, and show off how powerful the mecha in tandem with the character's smarts. You can have inferences instead of straight up, objective explanations to engage the readers. In the end, you culminate the scene in the character's short temper messing up the build and nearly causing a localised implosion within the warehouse. That would leave enough of a lasting impact to show how dangerous the mecha is, and how volatile the character is.

It's not that you're forced to structure your story in a way that grabs attention by action. Action is just a very easy medium to grab attention. In the end, what action needs are stakes, goals, and purpose. If you can infuse those into mere dialogue, you already have as good of an attention grabbing scene as you'd get.

 

[MadmanRB]

Actually creativity is one thing I am not lacking, I got creativity up to wazoo.
My issue is more utilizing said creativity and expressing it in a comprehensive way.
One that doesn't bore nor confuse my potential readers.
I have one of those minds that runs at the speed of light, always thinking and active.
It's controlling it where my main issue lays.

 

[BenJepheneT]

Actually creativity is one thing I am not lacking, I got creativity up to wazoo.
My issue is more utilizing said creativity and expressing it in a comprehensive way.
One that doesn't bore nor confuse my potential readers.
I have one of those minds that runs at the speed of light, always thinking and active.
It's controlling it where my main issue lays.

well there you have it.

you identified the issue, and now it's time to deal with it. you got to organize your thoughts and apply some structure/theory to that raving madness.

it doesn't matter if your creativity is banging if you can relay them as comprehensive as a stuttering toddler with dyslexia. like I said above, give some stakes to the convo, and make it engaging for the readers with just enough said for them to get an outline and fill in the blanks themselves.

 

[MadmanRB]

Well there lies another issue of mine, I actually do have a minor form of dyslexia, and I am on the autism spectrum.
Minor form, of course, but it did come at the cost of me not graduating from high school until I was 20.
Puts it into perspective, doesn't it?
Sure, I am mostly caught up with the adult world but still feel maturity wise I am still in my teens in certain matters.
These are not excuses of course but does shine light on some of my issues.

 

[BenJepheneT]

Well there lies another issue of mine, I actually do have a minor form of dyslexia, and I am on the autism spectrum.
Minor form, of course, but it did come at the cost of me not graduating from high school until I was 20.
Puts it into perspective, doesn't it?
Sure, I am mostly caught up with the adult world but still feel maturity wise I am still in my teens in certain matters.
These are not excuses of course but does shine light on some of my issues.

you certainly put a high bar on yourself given your circumstances

all I can say is good luck, and hope you succeed in your endavours. if I have to give an anecdote, write yo shit down in a notebook. if you're already doing that, keep doing it.

and with your conditions, try to get an editor or a beta reader on payroll to read your story firsthand and make adjustments. 2nd perspectives help a fuck lot in these situations.