Although Benford frequently uses heavily metaphoric and poetic language in some of his other novels, Timescape is written in the rather straightforward and not very flashy prose style which is more common to modern science fiction. His most obvious literary technique is to alternate chapters, moving back and forth between 1963 and 1998. This provides his narrative with a series of cliffhangers and heightens tension. It also allows him to show the effect of his characters' actions in one time period on the other period.

Since one of the basic premises of the novel is that the characters themselves are unable to know the effect their work is having on the other time period and, since they compulsively spend their time wondering about that effect, Benford is able to use this technique in a highly ironic fashion.