narration- Narration is the act of telling a story, usually in some kind of chronological order. Making up a scary ghost story and relating it around a camp fire is an act of narration. Narration generally means any kind of explaining or telling of something. It is usually used in reference to storytelling.

backstory- Definitions of backstory. circumstances and events leading up to a real-life situation. the history of a made-up character in a drama, film, or book. a creative work that relates events taking place before those of an existing work.

flashback and flashforward- For example, a character might have a flashback to their childhood to explain why they have a fear of dogs or why they have a strained relationship with their father. Flash forwards are scenes or events that occur later in the story’s timeline than the present moment of the narrative

linear and non-linear- A linear plot has a beginning, middle, and end and is constructed chronologically. A nonlinear plot contains the same components (beginning, middle, and end) but is not chronological. Toni Morrison’s A Mercy is a nonlinear plot narrative format. The events are sporadic and without any chronological order.

ellipsis- Elliptical storytelling involves omitting or withholding part of the events or aspects so that the viewer (or reader) will fill in the gaps

framing devise- A framing device is like a picture frame or a window frame, providing structure and context for the central story. Examples of framing devices are ubiquitous in literature and entertainment. A tale told by a narrator to a group of listeners, as in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, is a classic framing device.

cliffhanger and closed endings- A cliffhanger is hoped to incentivize the audience to return to see how the characters resolve the dilemma. The 1914 film serial Perils of Pauline was shown in bi-weekly installments and ended with a cliffhanger.

McGuffin- A MacGuffin is a plot device used in films or books that sets the characters into motion and drives the story. A MacGuffin is an object, idea, person, or goal that the characters are either in pursuit of or which serves as motivation for their actions. Usually, the MacGuffin is revealed in the first act.

foreshadowing- Foreshadowing is a literary device used to give an indication or hint of what is to come later in the story. Foreshadowing is useful for creating suspense, a feeling of unease, a sense of curiosity, or a mark that things may not be as they seem.

POV- Point of view shots give audiences a view from a character’s perspective by positioning the camera right where the character’s eyes would be. These shots cast an illusion of access to a character’s inner life, which makes POV shots very popular in TV and film.

casualty- Like “victim,” “casualty” means someone who has been hurt or killed, but the difference is in the cause. If that person has been harmed in a war or accident, then they are a “casualty.”

in media reis- In medias res is a latin phrase meaning “in the midst of things.” It’s used as a literary term to describe when a story opens with the character already in the middle of things—whether it’s a high octane car chase or a group of friends’ discovery of a dead body, this narrative technique captures the audience’s 

masterplot- A classic reference work for more than sixty years, Masterplots analyzes the most important works in all genres-long fiction, short fiction, poetry, drama, and nonfiction-throughout history and around the world, helping to define and critique the literary canon.

narrative hook- A hook is an opening statement (which is usually the first sentence) in an essay that attempts to grab the reader’s attention so that they want to read on.

plot twist- A plot twist is a sudden and unexpected change in the direction or outcome of a story that surprises and challenges the reader.