Planning
Story timeline: how to review continuity
Separate world chronology from scene order and track participants, knowledge, and consequences without filling an entire calendar.
Inkthar · Published · Updated · 7 min read
Separate event from revelation
World chronology and the order in which readers receive scenes are different. An event may happen Monday and be revealed Thursday. Flashbacks, prologues, and alternating narrators make the distinction essential.
Use exact dates only when duration, travel, age, or a calendar affects the plot. When the exact date does not matter, relative or undated events keep the plan flexible.
Record verifiable consequences
For every critical event, note cause, participants, witnesses, and consequence. Compare those facts with scenes to find useful problems: someone knows too early, a journey ends too quickly, or an object appears before it is obtained.
Open Timeline and choose New event. Record a point or range, add participants, and use the description for the narrative consequence. Relative or undated events remain in a separate group until you place them.
- When it happened
- When it was shown
- Who participated
- Who learned about it
- What changed
Review by character and sequence
First check location, injuries, objects, and available knowledge by character. Then read scenes in book order. A correct chronology can still confuse readers if transitions are unclear.
Add major events before travel and fine detail. A timeline should answer manuscript questions, not compete with it.