Time Markers

I wish this were a post about a fantastic set of felt-tip markers that, when used, could manipulate the fabric of space and time.  Sounds like a great children's independent reader series, actually.  However, when devotees of art say that great art is transporting, I don't think that's what they mean.

I'm writing, of course, about the little signals that show us the passage of time in a film, TV show, or piece of writing.  People talking about back-to-school shopping indicate that summer is ending (no!) and that autumn is on its way.  Jack o' lanterns, cornucopias, lawn Santas, Christmas trees, and pink doily cupids give away similar clues about the time of year in which a story takes place.

When you write, and your story takes place over the course of several months (or years), how do you convey that information?  Do you use the holidays?  Do you simply state the day of week or time of year?  Do you describe your characters' (hopefully weather-appropriate) clothing or mention the meal they are eating?  If the time of day or year isn't important, do you forgo time markers completely?  Human life is so inextricably linked to the passage of time that we often use time markers without even noticing or thinking about it.

Time is important to the characters of The Fracture of a Dream.  It takes place mostly across a timespan of one year, so descriptions of the seasons were my method of marking the time.  Dek is a character with a strong affinity for nature, so this also followed quite logically.  I also wanted to avoid the assumption that my characters might celebrate any religiously linked holiday.  Dek and his friends are solidly American, but they may not share all aspects of the culture that the majority of Americans consider to be a given.  Trust me.  With what Dek's going through in his life, remembering holidays is not high on his list of priorities.

And on that note, I wish you a happy new year, fellow readers and writers.  May your 2013 be everything you dream it will be.

Ren D.