Experimenting with formats

Many authors are drawn to the idea of including letters in fiction as a way of a change from the more conventional forms of narrative.  In fact, there’s even a name for it: epistolary fiction.

Some definitions of this term stretch to include diary entries and other forms of correspondence, such as email and telegrams, and, increasingly, texts.  For example:

 

In Tim O’Brien’s novel In the Lake of the Woods, the unfolding action is interrupted by chapters called “Evidence,” which include documents

Rosellen Brown’s short story “Inter-Office” is written as one long memo to the mayor. It begins like this:

TO: The Mayor
FROM: Sid R.
These are not the promised notes form the Transit Authority meeting—sorry. I will not give them to Gail to type. She shocks and worries and mothers me enough already.
I have a couple of stories to tell you, Mr. Mayor, to drink down with your morning optimism. I am not going nuts. I am not trying to extort more pay or make the evening headlines or any damn thing.

Alice Munroe’s short story “A Wilderness Station” is written entirely in documents, many of which are letters. From these, the reader can piece together the events

Lauren Groff’s novel The Monsters of Templeton includes letters as well as newspaper clippings, a family tree that’s revised throughout the novel and images

 

Definitely worth a try if you feel your want to have a go at something different

John Dean