Talking about chapters and stories - a response

In a guest blog, Alison Messom responds to Talking about chapters and stories

I've never liked the concept of a chapter 2 as it suggests the only thing important in your life is a relationship, but I don't have an issue with the concept of chapters per se. I see our lives as a complex novel with multiple chapters, each adding to the whole story.

Some chapters introduce new things or reveal something that we only recognise as being important later, or help us realise that something we thought was important really isn't.  However, no matter how well written it is, no single chapter is complete on its own.  You need all of them to understand and enjoy the whole story.  

There are threads that run through the novel.  Some threads have a key role in a single chapter, others are a constant feature. Some feature in multiple chapters and some play a critical supporting role that may not be immediately apparent.

My life has many chapters. Some relate to activities that were really important, some to places I've lived or have significance. There is an extensive cast list and various characters appear at different points. Some characters only make a fleeting appearance, others form key pillars on which the story builds. The key is that nothing is irrelevant. All of these things add to the picture and a theme or thread doesn't end as a chapter ends; it may well have a role to play in a future chapter.

I like to think that my current chapter is pulling together various threads and characters that were introduced much earlier and is also adding some new characters to move the story in a new direction, building on what came before.