Fulltelling

Fulltelling is a term used in discussions of narrative practice to describe an approach that prioritizes the exhaustive disclosure of events, perspectives, and contextual details by the narrator. It contrasts with selective or filtered narration where the storyteller omits or glosses over awkward or conflicting information.

The term is a neologism in literary and media criticism. It is used across fiction, memoir, oral history, and journalism to characterize attempts to present a story with maximal transparency, including internal thoughts, motives of participants, and competing viewpoints. Some proponents argue it promotes trust and complexity, while critics warn it can overwhelm readers or undermine narrative focus.

Core features commonly associated with fulltelling include multiple voices or viewpoints, explicit acknowledgment of narrator bias, extensive contextualization of events, inclusion of counter-narratives, and meta-textual reflections on the act of storytelling. It may involve direct address to the audience or critique of traditional storytelling conventions.

In practice, fulltelling appears in novels that reveal inner monologues for several characters, memoirs detailing research and decision-making processes, or journalistic and documentary projects that present corroborating documents and timelines. It is also discussed in scholarly debates about narrative ethics, truth-telling, and transparency in media.

Critics argue that fulltelling can reduce dramatic tension or violate privacy, while supporters contend that it better accounts for bias, power dynamics, and uncertainty in how stories are constructed. See also: narrative ethics, documentary storytelling, transparency in journalism, omniscient narration, testimonial literature.