In a post on Writer’s Digest, Liz Keller Whitehurst says writers can add layers to their novels by using multiple narrative forms within one work. In her novel, Whitehurst used conventional first- and third-person narrative, journal and composition book entries, posts, lists, interview transcripts, and letters. In retrospect, she identified several advantages to this approach.
As her protagonist was a journalist, it was natural for the story to include story notes and other written communications, including blog comments and interview transcripts. Whitehurst used these forms to convey her character’s thoughts, emotions, backstory, opinions, and motivations.
The use of multiple forms also helped Whitehurst create dramatic irony and drive. In the novel, one character’s journal is revealed to the reader but not to the protagonist, giving the reader more information about the first character’s goals and intentions.
