Nested Loops
By Joe Donahue
My wife and I watch a TV program from Ireland called "Ballykissangel". It is a story..really a soap opera..... about a town (which is in reality Avoca). The author spins several story lines one after another all eventually occurring at the same time but starting one after the other. The connection between one story and another may not have any relationship to the main story other than the subjects of the story interact in or near the town. He is a skillful writer. Just as one story begins to 'pull' you into its web of suspension of reality another story is introduced. There is quite a rhythmic affect to this although it is not in conscious awareness. There might be a 'snippet' of a prior story or a snippet of a story to come, which you will not attach relevance until it's own story is introduced.
Like most skilled screenwriters you are pulled forward and relax, pulled forward and relax, pulled forward and reach back, then pulled forward again. It is not unlike music which develops a theme. Think of a wave at the beach slapping in toward the shore, big wave.. bigger wave... little wave...pause little wave.. big wave... little wave... little wave. HUGE wave.