Narrative is the new frontier.

More thoughts on narrative.

I feel like I've been neglecting narrative, but I can go back to my first book (on this go-around) "Led to the Slaughter" and find a fair amount of narrative. I'm sure all my books have had narrative.

But I do think in my later writing I got to a very scene oriented approach.

What does narrative provide?

It allows for the mundane. For the fact that life is going on. That amidst all the drama and action, normal life continues. But you don't have to detail the mundane in a scene, you can paraphrase the passing of time. This is the reality of most people's lives and if you leave it out completely, in a sense you aren't reflecting the substance of day to day life.

It allows for the author's voice. Narrative is natural for 1st person storytelling especially.  I think "Deadfall Ridge" doesn't have enough of the narrator's voice. Hart is recounting what happened by way of scenes. I should have relaxed a little more there, let him spin out the story.

It allows for information and description. It allows for observation. It allows for pacing.

It allows for perspective. If I show something dramatic happening and just leave it hanging out there, it doesn't stand out the way it should. By talking about it, by bracketing the action or conversation with the weather, the miles traveled by car, the shopping and exploring done by the character, you make the scene stand out all the more. You place it in context.