Another drawback is that they can be difficult to remember. With so many details spread out over a long narrative, it becomes challenging for the audience to keep track of all the elements. This is especially true for oral storytelling, where the listener doesn't have the luxury of going back to review. As a result, the key messages or themes of the long drawn out story might get lost.
Epic. An epic often involves a long and complex narrative with many characters, events, and sub - stories. It can span generations and cover a vast amount of time and space. For example, 'The Iliad' and 'The Odyssey' are classic epics that tell long - drawn - out stories of heroes, their adventures, and the cultures they belong to.
Chronicle. A chronicle can be a long - form account of events over time. For example, a historical chronicle might detail the events of a particular era in great length. In modern writing, it can also be used to describe a fictional long - drawn - out story that is presented in a more matter - of - fact way, like a record of events in a made - up world.
Tale. While a tale can be short, it can also be long and drawn - out. It is a general term for a story, and when we want to emphasize its length and perhaps its meandering nature, it can be used as another word for a long - drawn - out story. Tales can be passed down through generations, evolving and growing in length and detail over time.
Basically, a long drawn out story is when the plot progresses very slowly, maybe with lots of repetitive or unimportant elements. It can make the reader or viewer feel like it's taking forever to get to the main points or conclusion.
Ramble. A ramble can refer to a long, drawn - out story that seems to go on aimlessly and can often be quite boring as it lacks a clear structure or purpose.
Yarn. 'Yarn' is an informal word for a long story, often one that is told in a chatty or rambling way. It can imply that the story is spun out over time, with lots of digressions and details, which makes it a suitable alternative for a long - drawn - out story. For example, sailors used to tell yarns about their adventures at sea, and these were often long and full of exciting or strange events.