linear narrative
Story told forward
A linear narrative tells events in chronological order, moving forward through time from beginning to middle to end.
Most conventional storytelling follows this structure: The film unfolds as a straightforward linear narrative.
The term usually appears in contrast to nonlinear narratives, which use flashbacks, flash-forwards, or fragmented timelines.
- storylineSequence of fictional events
- chronologicalOrdered by time
- beginningInitial stage of something
- middleCentral point or position
- endFinal portion or cessation
once upon a time · plot · sequence · timeline · straightforward · traditional · three act structure · story arc · arc · progression · hero's journey · chapters · page turner · protagonist · journey · causality · cause and effect · flashback
- storytellingstorytelling, story, tale, storyteller, story time
- game narrativestory, plot, storyline, dialogue tree, branching story
- narrative elementssetting, scene, location, backdrop, flashback
- film timeflashback, flash forward, flash-forward, time lapse, time-lapse
- narratologyplot, story, character, protagonist, antagonist
- narrative voicefirst person, third person, POV, point of view, limited
linear, narrative, line, lines, lined, lining, liner, linearity, linearly