Social media messaging is part of everyday life – so using it gives a very contemporary edge to your epistolary writing. Novelist L.C. North looks at writing mixed media in fiction
The use of mixed media in novels isn’t new. Even a hundred and thirty years ago, Bram Stoker wrote an epistolary novel in Dracula, including ships logs, journal entries and newspaper clippings to heighten the impact of the story. But in recent years, the use of mixed media in fiction has been on the rise. Taylor Jenkins Reid had phenomenal success with Daisy Jones & The Six – an entire novel told through interview transcripts. Beth O’Leary used the ingenious form of Post-it note messages in The Flatshare, and who can forget Jane Hallet’s The Appeal – another novel told exclusively through emails, texts and voice notes where the reader is asked to piece together evidence and solve a murder.
It’s easy to see why mixed media is growing in popularity. It’s pacey, fun and relatable. It’s also my favourite format to read and write in. Here, I share my advice for using mixed media in fiction writing.
What is mixed media?
Mixed media (also called epistolary) refers to the use of different forms of communicating a story outside of the character narrative. The list of examples is long, especially with so many forms of communication at our fingertips, but examples include text messages, emails, articles, and social media posts.
FOUR REASONS TO USE MIXED MEDIA IN NOVELS
1. It’s relevant – The majority of us have the latest smartphone rarely out of reach. We see social media posts, WhatsApp messages and emails daily, so of course our characters should experience the same.
2. It adds pace – Breaking from lengthy descriptions to include a text exchange can speed up pace. Mixed media is quick and easy to read and can provide a welcome change for the reader.
3. It can convey a lot without saying anything at all – Many of us understand the frustration of being added to yet another WhatsApp group.
4. It’s fun – OK, so this might be my personal tastes jumping in, but it can be fun to see a character get their wires crossed in a text conversation. We’ve all been there!
Four top tips for using mixed media in your writing
1. Keep it short – A snappy burst of texts can show the urgency of a character desperately trying to find someone to collect their child from school because they’re stuck in traffic, but a long email exchange between a boss and an employee can bog down a story.
2. Keep it relevant – We might all be able to relate to checking our phone and finding 139 WhatsApp notifications about what a group of peopl
