A Break from School, but Not a Break from Narratives

This spring break, I went to my friends’ wedding in Ocala and visited Costa Rica with my boyfriend. I spent a lot of time in cars, planes, and shuttles. Because of this, I had time to read books and magazines. As well, I heard many people’s stories throughout my travels.

At my friends’ wedding, I heard them tell the story of their relationship. They started from the beginning when they first met and progressed to where they were today. They included relevant details but did not try to tell the guests every single thing about them. From this, I learned that chronological order can help an audience member better understand a narrative. Also, this helped show me that in my narrative, I only need to focus on the important topics. Sometimes when I write, I seem to get carried away in minute details; however, this narrative taught me to concentrate on certain topics better.

On planes and shuttles over the break, I read The Good Girl by Mary Kubica. This novel explores the story of Mia, a judge’s daughter, who is kidnapped for a ransom. The novel is written from three people’s perspectives- Mia’s mother, Mia’s kidnapper, and the detective investigating the case. I found it appealing that the author did not write any of it from Mia’s perspective. The viewer only saw Mia through other people’s eyes. As well, the story jumped between time periods- both before and after Mia was rescued. I found this non-chronological order to be an interesting way to compose the story. From this narrative, I learned that all stories do not have to be chronological or from one single perspective. This will help me think outside the box when designing my narrative.

In Costa Rica, I got to hear the stories of many locals. I heard about how they grew up and got to where they were today. At one shop, I met two sisters who had lived in Costa Rica their whole lives. My boyfriend and I started speaking to them and learning about their stories. The sisters both contributed different aspects to the narrative and expanded on each other’s ideas. This taught me that multiple perspectives can help develop a narrative better.

Overall, I learned a great deal from the narratives I encountered over spring break. Applying these lessons to my writing will help me become a more effective composer of narratives.