Glossary term

Chronology

Chronology is the order and timing of events in a story, including dates, ages, travel, recovery, flashbacks, and elapsed time.

Definition

What chronology means

Chronology gives the manuscript a coherent sequence. It can be explicit through dates or implicit through meals, seasons, injuries, travel, and character memory.

Why it matters

A broken chronology can weaken stakes, alibis, relationships, and cause-and-effect logic.

Example

A letter arrives after three days in one chapter but is answered the same evening in another.

Wise Wombat

Wise Wombat checks timeline sequence and duration so authors can review likely chronology conflicts.