Look. I don’t care whether you like Memento or not. If nothing else, you have to admit its structure is intriguing.
So, my dear writing friend, I have a challenge for you.
Write a short story/stageplay/screenplay that unfolds in reverse. Make sure to include at least three scenes, each taking place chronologically before the last one.
And that’s it!
But if that feels too open, use one of the following prompts for the first scene and then continue going backwards:
A character gets acquitted of murder charges.
A character finds their own message they have no recollection of writing.
A character sets fire to a place and walks away from it.
A character is trying to put together a broken object.
A character steals something.
Remember, the purpose of this exercise is to have fun and play around with a different way of writing. You do not need to create a perfect brilliant genius plot here.
That being said, if you do feel inspired to develop this idea further or if you’re working on your own nonlinear story, next week’s post will come in handy for you: We’ll take a look at a somewhat less successful example of “reverse” storytelling and with it, the two main issues you can encounter in nonlinear narration. See you there!
Stay creative ✨
Katja
p.s.: Have you read my deep dive into Memento yet?
Cover photo by Natalya Letunova on Unsplash