It’s inevitable: at the beginning of every month, I wonder, “How did it get to be [fill in name of month here] already? I am constantly marveling at (maybe more like lamenting) how fast time passes. I mean, summer just started, and now my kids start school next week? Or, harder still, my oldest was just entering kindergarten, and now she’s a senior? How did that happen?
But if you think time flies in real life, you should try being a book character! I mean, have you ever noticed how time moves in books? You might have one day that stretches across chapters and chapters. But then, a few chapters later, a month goes by without a word. How are those poor story characters supposed to keep up!
To be honest, keeping track of a story’s timeline is no easy task (for the writer, that is…if we’ve done everything right, it should be simple for the reader). I once wrote a first draft of a book that had only a week between Thanksgiving and Christmas and then five weeks between Christmas and New Year’s. Let’s just say it took some wrestling to get that manuscript back under control and make my story follow the real-life rules of time.
But I really do love the ability to manipulate play with (that sounds better) time in my books. To linger over really important events (i.e., the meet cute, the conflict, the kisses). And to skip the more boring parts of everyday life (I really don’t need to see a character brushing their teeth…I’m content to trust they do).
Thinking about how time moves in stories also made me think about how much time passes in the course of a single book—and how that varies a lot from one book to another. Some books take place over a couple of weeks—or even a single day! And other stories might extend across months or years or even generations. Just thinking about my own books, I would say they usually unfold over several months to a year, sometimes a little longer if you include the epilogue, although I don’t usually set that too far in the future, since it’s often the proposal or the wedding. Sometimes my characters wait a year between the proposal and the wedding—but in my upcoming release, Not Until Then, it’s only three weeks from proposal to wedding!
And then, of course, there’s the time that passes in the story world between books in a series. Sometimes my books pick up only a week or two after the previous one ends…and sometimes a whole year or more has gone by and some of the characters from previous books may even have new babies for readers to meet!
So I’d love to know: How much time do you prefer a book to be set across? How long do you like characters to be together before there’s a proposal or wedding? And do you have a preference for how much time passes (in the story world, not in real life) between the end of one book in a series and the beginning of the next?
Oh, and speaking of timing, if you want to get caught up on the Hope Springs series before the next book releases, now is the perfect time! Not Until Forever (book 1) is on sale for 99¢ and Not Until You (book 3) is on sale for $1.99 (both deals are US and Canada only, my apologies).
COMING AUGUST 31!
Neither is looking for a new family. But that may be just what they find in Hope Springs…
After surviving a brain aneurysm, Bethany is happy to simply get through each day without forgetting to pack her daughter a lunch or pick her up from school. She’s been a single mom since Ruby was born, and that’s the way she likes it. She’s found family in the large group of friends who have welcomed her and her daughter in Hope Springs. She doesn’t need a special someone. Especially not one as grumpy as James.
Five years after losing everything, James is perfectly fine. Too bad his boss doesn’t see it that way. When he’s forced to take some time off, James goes to help his sister at her stables in Hope Springs. He has no intention of getting to know anyone else there, least of all the forgetful—albeit intriguing—Bethany and her daughter Ruby. They remind him too much of everything he’s lost.
But between his sister’s matchmaking efforts and Ruby’s hints that she thinks James would make a great dad, both start to long for something more. When a new tragedy looms, they have to decide if love is worth the risk—or if they’d be better off forgetting they’d ever met at all.
Valerie M. Bodden has three great loves: Jesus, her family, and books. And chocolate (okay, four great loves). She writes emotion-filled Christian fiction that weaves real-life problems, real-life people, and real-life faith. Her characters may (okay, will) experience some heartache along the way, but true to her tendencies as a hopeless romantic, she will always give them a happy ending. Valerie is living out her happily ever after in Wisconsin with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-husband and their four children. Visit her at www.valeriembodden.com to get a free story.
I think that time does need to be manipulated sometimes in books to help the story along.
The time in a book really isn’t important to me. I always enjoy your books.
Good morning, it really doesn’t matter to me, I always love reading a good book. Have a great week and stay safe. I enjoyed your post.
Can’t wait to read Not Until Then!! I like months in books, and I like longer times between proposals and weddings. However, I don’t need weddings in books. I’m honestly happy just knowing they’re going to get together. If it’s a series, their wedding can happen in the next book, and I’m fine with that. I’m also fine if the wedding is between books, and not described at all. As long as major holidays fall when they’re supposed to, I don’t bother with time much. There are a couple of books I’ve read that took place over six months, and some over a year. Some have been over a longer period. It all depends on the story, to be honest, and how it’s written, and how believable I find it! Also, depends on how long the characters have known each other. I just finished a book this morning that takes place over about a week, maybe two, but the couple has known each other for years, and just reconnect in this book, so it moving faster was fine. If they’d just met, I’d question it!
Agreed! It would get pretty tedious to read about every moment of a character’s life. :)
Aww, thank you, Mary!
True! As long as the book is good, it doesn’t matter so much how much time it covers.
I can’t wait to get Not Until Then to you! :) And I agree that how long the characters have known each other plays a big part in how fast it’s believable for them to get together. I think second chance romances have the benefit of the characters already having that background so their relationship can develop much faster and still be satisfying. If they just met or if they initially don’t like each other, I definitely want them to take time to get to know each other first.
I think at least a month, if not 2 or 3 since there’s going to be a declaration of love towards the ending, and if it’s been less, it doesn’t seem real. Maybe that was my issue at the beginning with novellas, but when they’re done right, even if it all happens within a week or two, I’m rooting for and celebrating with them. For a proposal, I’d say at least 3 (and that’s pushing it). Maybe 6 months? Again, it’s all about the balance between believable and what works for them as a couple. And I’m also OK with the next book in series starting 2 weeks/1 month after the last one, or even a year after it. Whatever works for that new story. :)
Thanks for your input! I agree that I don’t usually buy a declaration of love if the couple has known each other less than a couple of months–although you’re right that if it’s done well, I can cheer even for those couples who get together faster. And I’m the same with proposals too–unless the couple already has a history, which can make it easier to speed things along. :)
Hi Val! Wait until you kids are over 30 and your first grandchild is a teenager! Time sure doesn’t slow down!
I think the timing depends entirely upon the book. The last couple I worked on was a full length novel with a companion novella. The novel took place over about a year while the novella was one day pulled out of the book that needed a book’s worth of attention all on it’s own. To explain better without giving too much away (they haven’t been released yet), the novella was just on Easter day. The book was written about a faith based center where the main goal was obviously to bring resident’s to accepting Christ as Savior. This was the first time many of these people had ever learned what the true meaning of Easter was so that specific day needed far more attention. This is the first time I remember reading two books like this but it does show how easy it is to have good reasons for varying time spans in the course of one book.
I’m looking forward to your new book! Enjoy (and keep!) your Texas heat in August! Personally, I’m ready for a frost.
I think that most of the stories I read are set over a period of months. However, the amount of time that passes in a book isn’t very important ( or noticeable) to me. I prefer the next book in a series to take place within 3-4 months of the previous books ending.
Hi Deb! Oh, I know, time just keeps speeding up! That novel and companion novella sounds like a really interesting idea! And I like how they have the varying timelines.
Don’t worry, I’ll happily keep the heat here…I don’t even want to think about frost, lol.
I think several months is a pretty common timeline, especially for romance. And you make a good point that the time span isn’t super noticeable–unless there’s something wrong with it that makes it stand out. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Valerie!! It is always wonderful to be with you. I really do not have a preference. It all depends on how the book is written. As long as the storyline is smooth and makes sense, that is all that matters when I read a book. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
no preference
I agree that the most important thing is that the story flows well and makes sense. :) Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for reading! :)
Hi Valerie,
The time doesn’t matter to me. I just love to read a good book. Thanks for your post!
Thanks for your comment, Janet! I agree that a good book is enjoyable no matter how much (or little) time it covers. :)