I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say the good way to tell a story without being completely linear, would to have multiple paths/endings. I don't know, just wanted to say something since you took the time to make such a long article and had 44 views with no replies. That kinda pisses me off. But, if you are talking about telling one story with the same beginning and the same ending you would probably have to have similar events and outcomes, for example some city being destroyed but at a different time or situation. Just my 2 cents.