Do you like to write letters to those who have meant
something to you? Do people like receiving your letters? Have others said they
always look forward to your letters?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions you could
be an Epistolary Novelist.
This novel approach to fiction writing is unique in that the
entire novel is composed of letters written between main characters or a
solitary writer.
One of the classic Epistolary Novels in Christian fiction is
the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. In this work, two demons are conversing by
letter to learn ways to frustrate Christians. These letters provided a unique
insight into the lives of Christians and how we respond to the world around us
and the frustration we sometimes feel when dealing with other Christians.
One element that is totally removed from an Epistolary Novel
is the narrator. Each chapter is composed specifically of a letter from the
novel's main characters and presents a perspective unique to that author. There
is no tool to lead the reader in any particular direction; they are influenced
only by the words of your fictional character.
Another benefit of an Epistolary Novel is that you can
present many unique points of view because each letter contains a prospective
unique to the fictional author.
It may be difficult to think about how to manage a series of
letters, you must learn how to take your plot and direction through the use of
one or more voices. You have to work at keeping the characters and voices
separated so each letter (chapter) bears the unique stamp of the character you
have developed.
It is possible to develop an Epistolary Novel using only one
character. In this scenario, the novel may read much like a journal with an
entire series of events being passed along in a time-stamped dateline.
You will find there are several issues in the story that may
not be resolved in subsequent letters. It may be several letters before an
issue addressed in one letter is finally clarified. The intent is to present a
realistic representation of the manner in which letter writing takes place.
A few authors have used the Epistolary Novel approach using
email correspondence instead of standard form letters, but the truth is you can
set your work of fiction in virtually any time period you choose.
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