Buzz
Metaphors, foreshadowing, and young wizards are familiar to many readers. However, authors often employ a vast array of techniques to enhance their storytelling, some of which are so intricate that they are seldom used. Chances are, you haven’t encountered these methods in recent popular novels—though their inclusion might have made the stories more intriguing.
The Omniscient Narrator
Also referred to as an intrusive narrator, this third-person voice goes beyond simply recounting events. They offer personal commentary, sharing subjective opinions about characters and situations. In Jane Eyre—a story told in the first person—Charlotte Bronte occasionally steps in to describe settings, hint at future events, and even speak directly to the reader. In The Princess Bride, William Goldman introduces two such narrators: the fictional S. Morgenstern and Goldman himself, who claims to have shortened Morgenstern’s original manuscript after hearing it as a child. “This is my favorite book in all the world,” Goldman admits, “though I have never read it.”
Amanuensis
While literacy is typically a prerequisite for writing, some ancient authors bypassed this requirement by relying on an amanuensis, a person who transcribed their spoken words. Modern writers often avoid this method—now achievable through software—preferring to see their words materialize on screens or paper. However, literary giants like Henry James and Dostoevsky utilized female assistants who not only transcribed but also provided feedback, influencing the narrative. Dostoevsky even referred to his typist (and eventual wife) as a “collaborator.”
Charactonyms
Frequently seen in cartoons, a charactonym is a name that blatantly mirrors a character’s traits. Examples like Dudley Do-Right and Snidely Whiplash are straightforward, but most authors avoid such obviousness. Charles Dickens excelled in crafting names that doubled as descriptors: Mr. Gradgrind, a strict schoolmaster, and Mr. Jaggers, a relentless attorney, are prime examples.
Reverse Chronology
Reversing the timeline, novels that start with the conclusion and conclude with the beginning replace surprise with a gradual revelation of backstory. In Martin Amis’s Time’s Arrow, the story begins with an elderly German Holocaust doctor in the postwar era and traces his life backward, culminating in his birth. Similarly, Rebecca Makkai’s Hundred Year House opens in 1990 and concludes in 1900, unraveling the dramatic history of a Chicago mansion’s inhabitants in reverse order.
The Second Person
Though occasionally used in short stories, the second-person narrative is a challenging technique for full-length novels. While it aims to immerse the reader by directly involving them in the story, it can also feel disorienting. Jay McInerney’s Bright Lights, Big City stands out as one of the rare modern novels to employ this style, drawing readers into a tale of excess and indulgence. The Choose Your Own Adventure series is another notable example, empowering young readers to shape the narrative through their choices.
Poetic Novels
When readers call a novel poetic, they rarely mean it literally. However, poetic novels are entirely composed in verse. Don Juan exemplifies this, recounting the escapades of its infamous protagonist through over 16,000 lines of poetry. Karen Hesse’s 1997 work, Out of the Dust, which portrays a family’s hardships during the 1935 Oklahoma Dust Bowl, is written entirely in free-verse poems.
The Book-Length Sentence
Among literary techniques, crafting an entire book as a single sentence presents a formidable challenge—likely why so few authors have attempted it. Bohumil Hrabal’s 1964 novel, Dancing Lessons for the Advanced in Age, stands out as a prime example, featuring a talkative shoemaker’s tale that The New York Times praised as “an unbroken highway of text.” Given Hrabal’s intent, this description is undoubtedly a testament to his success.
