The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: Writing Multiple Storylines.

Ann Brashares, author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, uses multiple storylines in her young adult novels. The Traveling Pants books switch perspectives between the four main characters - Tibby, Lena, Bridget, and Carmen - in short two to three page sections. Generally, each chapter focuses on two “sisters” switching between their storylines. But Brashares also includes about one or two sections from the other two girls who the chapter does not focus on. This means that the reader does not forget or get too involved in the other characters.

Often when stories are told using multiple storylines readers can become attached to one character and dislike the others so they start skipping parts of the story and jumping ahead to the character that they like reading. Even when there is only a slight preference for one character, reading the other character’s stories becomes a chore because it does not provide the same enjoyment as reading the other sections. This is a problem and a challenge for the author. For advice about writing multiple storylines to create suspense in genres such as thriller, crime or mystery look at this blog post .

However, using multiple storylines when the storyline in character driven and not driven by theme. Multiple storylines where the reader does not have a preference for a particular character are really difficult to write and I would argue that in the Travelling Pants series Brashares has done this. I think the factors that contribute to this are numerous. Having short snippets from each characters perspective is good because it does not allow the reader to become too attached to a character for too long a period of time. This is also helped by having soap-operaish storylines for each character so that the reader actually wants to continue reading to find out the latest installment.

Brashares maintains the same voice and style throughout the novels, no matter which character is speaking. This continuity enables the reader’s ease in switching between different storylines. I think another big part of this, is the character’s likeability. All the girls personalities are type-cast and fairly rigid, but they are also non-descript in that they are equally as likeable and as unlikeable as each other. One thing I have always found fascinating about this series is how the girls like each other equally despite being so different. From an astrological point of view, I have always thought of them as elemental characters; Tibby is earth because she doesn’t like change; Carmen is fire because she is passionate and firey; Lena is water because she is a romantic and emotional; and Bridget is air because she is detached and unemotional. This makes the fact that they get on so well with each other intriguing.

Another thing I like about Brashares is that she doesn’t use the technique of multiple storylines primarily to switch perspectives on the same situation and continually rehash what the reader already knows. In one sense I think this technique is a cop-out, much like the surprise ending, it allows the author to capitalize on the readers surprise and humor if there are contrasting views about the storyline. It shifts the reader’s attention from the essence of the storyline. Brashares effectively uses multiple storylines to connect the four main characters so that they appear as a cohesive sisterhood.