Perhaps one of the most overlooked forms in the novel-writing genre is the epistolary novel. The word epistolary comes from the ancient Greek word epistolos, meaning “letter.” Hence, an epistolary novel is a novel consisting of letters. Usually, only the protagonist writes letters to one or more people (monologic). Sometimes multiple letter writers are involved (polylogic). But the story is told without a “narrator persona” (aka, the author directly telling the story) and strictly relays what the main characters want the letter readers to know.
As a side note for writers in the modern age, epistolary novels today often include other communication modes than just letters, such as emails, texts, memos, and the like. Although these can be woven in skillfully, maintaining plot continuity and reader engagement across so many moving parts can be difficult. Also, my opinion remains that epistolary novels are just that—novels made of letters.
The classical champion of this epistolary style must be Anne Brontë’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. When I started the book, I was curious how long it would hold my interest when I realized it was constructed as a letter that its main character, Gilbert Markham, addresses to a friend who is never talked about in the story except when he is mentioned in Markham’s letters.
However, I was swept off my feet and captivated by the book’s rhythm, rich detail, insightful lessons, and climactic storytelling throughout. In a word, the book taught me the value of a letter novel. To be fair, the middle portion of the novel is solely diary entries rather than letters, but the diary entries and the actual letters are so close in nature that they both hold true to the book’s overall epistolary feel.
But what are the advantages of an epistolary novel? Well, naturally, humans are curious. No, that is too kind. They are downright nosey. I think this is why epistolary novels work so well. Epistolary novels offer the reader an inside, intimate look at all the main character’s life, struggles, and emotionality in more than just a prose-ish way. The epistolary novel satisfies the reader’s natural curiosity precisely because it does not tell him a story but allows him to look over the character’s shoulder at a “private” conversation the letter writer appears to be having with a friend.
Further, epistolary novels have all the advantages of being first person and all the mystery of an unreliable narrator, the letter writer who guides the reader’s perception of the situation. And, really, these novels allow for just as much immersive narrative style as any other novel.
Finally, the epistolary novel is excellent for creating a sense of mystery because the letter writer assumes that the person they are writing to understands and takes some facts or previous events for granted. Thus, the epistolary novel requires that the reader often piece together what is happening and can be great for a thriller or mystery plot or for a character with an interesting background story.
Epistolary novels include all the difficulties that come with writing in first person. For one thing, you must maintain, for an exhaustingly long time, one person’s perspective and character voice. My advice would be not to attempt this form of novel unless or until you are thoroughly comfortable with first person writing.
Perhaps a unique disadvantage of epistolary novels is the very thing that can be turned to an advantage, if done properly. As stated above, the writer of the letter would not naturally overexplain things for the recipient of the letter. However, the reader cannot be left completely in the dark. Thus, you must write an entire novel without giving away tidbits the reader does not need to know while giving ones they do need to know without sounding preachy.
Another unique disadvantage to an epistolary novel is that the author could get carried away just stating events, making the letter writer feel impersonal or somehow detached from the story’s plot. You can avoid this by including the letter writer in as many related scenes as possible so that it feels as if they are recounting true events from their own lives.
Finally, you may find it difficult to maintain continuity and logically lead from one plot point to the next when switching between letters (although, Brontë avoids this in her book by writing the letters close to each other in time). Leaving gaps of time, however, is not impossible. Maybe map out the entire plot (even if you are not one of those people who usually do that) and pencil in even those blank places you have no intention of covering in the book. This way, you can visually keep track of your progress and not forget to tie up loose ends. The system may especially benefit you if you decide to write from multiple points of view (polylogic).
Epistolary novels deserve a place among their fellow fiction works. I think that the process of writing an epistolary novel is a good challenge for young authors as well as a good exercise in the long-lost practice of letter writing itself. Once you have clear characters in mind and a solid plot that keeps your letter writer from wandering in all directions, you will be well and truly ready to embark on this writing journey!
About the author
Alaina Suttles is a senior at Pensacola Christian College where she is studying for a bachelor's degree in professional writing. When she was still in high school, Alaina discovered Write the World and fell in love with its welcoming community. She won runner-up for a Write the World fantasy competition and later won first place for her college's creative fiction competition. As a young writer, Alaina was grateful to discover Write the World's community of fellow writers, where she could share her work and experience constructive and kind criticism that helped her grow her writing skills. Now, as a summer intern, she hopes to build that same confidence in other young writers and to encourage them to put their talents to the best use.