How can a nonlinear plot differ from a linear plot?

A linear plot consists of a series of events that have a clear beginning, middle and end in other words they are in chronological order. And nonlinear present the event in a non chronological order authors will use nonlinear plots to closer mimic the way the human memory works

The difference between a linear plot and a nonlinear plot is that a linear plot follows a pattern while the nonlinear doesn't follow a pattern. Linear plots normally have a clear beginning, a middle and an end; and the story unfolds in that chronological order. Nonlinear plots follow a different pattern. The story is normally told by flashbacks, foreshadowing and suspense. Nonlinear plots play with the memory of the audience making them think, remember and figuring out what is happening in the story. Foreshadowing is giving hints of what is coming later; flashbacks are memories of what had happened before in the story; and suspense is the lack of certainty the author creates.