Comments on: What Makes a Flashback Sizzle? http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/ America's Mad Professor of Fiction Writing Mon, 21 May 2012 04:17:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Philomena http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17802 Philomena Tue, 22 Mar 2011 09:52:24 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17802 I'm currently re-reading Love in the Time of Cholera and planning on designing my second novel on this structure where a huge part of the book tells us what happened in the past and it works brilliantly. I would love to hear Randy's comments on this. I’m currently re-reading Love in the Time of Cholera and planning on designing my second novel on this structure where a huge part of the book tells us what happened in the past and it works brilliantly. I would love to hear Randy’s comments on this.

]]> By: Graham Strong http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17806 Graham Strong Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:08:02 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17806 Great points, Randy. I finished writing a flashback not long ago for my novel, and now I'm rethinking it. I like it, and it sets up what will come up later in the book (the flashback doesn't contain a "secret" but it is more of a character/plot set-up device). But I've already been struggling, trying to decide if it's necessary to the story. I'm torn with that, so perhaps I'll leave it in until I get feedback from some readers. In any case, I wanted to add that many writers have a tendency to approach flashback scenes as expository, explanatory passages (I know that's my natural instinct). "The main character did this because back when he was ten, he had a bad dream..." kind of thing. I think that to answer the question "What Makes a Flashback Sizzle?" it's important to underline the "show, don't tell" rule because this is where it can get forgotten. ~Graham Great points, Randy. I finished writing a flashback not long ago for my novel, and now I’m rethinking it. I like it, and it sets up what will come up later in the book (the flashback doesn’t contain a “secret” but it is more of a character/plot set-up device).

But I’ve already been struggling, trying to decide if it’s necessary to the story. I’m torn with that, so perhaps I’ll leave it in until I get feedback from some readers.

In any case, I wanted to add that many writers have a tendency to approach flashback scenes as expository, explanatory passages (I know that’s my natural instinct). “The main character did this because back when he was ten, he had a bad dream…” kind of thing. I think that to answer the question “What Makes a Flashback Sizzle?” it’s important to underline the “show, don’t tell” rule because this is where it can get forgotten.

~Graham

]]> By: Camille http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17807 Camille Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:11:43 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17807 Half a million? Yikes! He's got guts & faith. Wow. Will definitely have to read that post! Half a million? Yikes! He’s got guts & faith. Wow. Will definitely have to read that post!

]]> By: James Thayer http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17810 James Thayer Tue, 22 Mar 2011 22:34:35 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17810 Being wary of flashbacks is excellent advice. Flashbacks are much beloved by new writers. To zip back in time is something we can’t do in real life, but in a novel we aren’t constrained by the inexorable clock and calendar, so back in time we go for a nifty flashback. Flashbacks are used by new writers often for no other reason than they can. But they shouldn’t, for the same reason that back-story should be minimal: flashbacks slow the story—actually, flashbacks entirely stop the story—and usually they are much more interesting to the writer than the reader. Readers mostly want to know what will happen, not what has happened. They want to look forward, not backward. Being wary of flashbacks is excellent advice. Flashbacks are much beloved by new writers. To zip back in time is something we can’t do in real life, but in a novel we aren’t constrained by the inexorable clock and calendar, so back in time we go for a nifty flashback. Flashbacks are used by new writers often for no other reason than they can.
But they shouldn’t, for the same reason that back-story should be minimal: flashbacks slow the story—actually, flashbacks entirely stop the story—and usually they are much more interesting to the writer than the reader. Readers mostly want to know what will happen, not what has happened. They want to look forward, not backward.

]]> By: Wolfhardt http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17811 Wolfhardt Tue, 22 Mar 2011 22:51:15 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17811 What about a story structure depending on flashbacks? I mean something like a man remembering episodes of his life. The main story would be (for example) some kind of voyage to the final confrontation with his nemesis. This confrontation would take up the last part of the story, the rest of the voyage would be the framework for the flashbacks, showing previous conflicts with the enemy. This structure would allow to show a life long antagonism between the hero and his antagonist, where you can skip long periods of time in an easy way. Could this kind of structure work? What about a story structure depending on flashbacks? I mean something like a man remembering episodes of his life.

The main story would be (for example) some kind of voyage to the final confrontation with his nemesis. This confrontation would take up the last part of the story, the rest of the voyage would be the framework for the flashbacks, showing previous conflicts with the enemy.

This structure would allow to show a life long antagonism between the hero and his antagonist, where you can skip long periods of time in an easy way.

Could this kind of structure work?

]]> By: Christophe Desmecht http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17818 Christophe Desmecht Wed, 23 Mar 2011 06:24:55 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17818 In The Neverending Story, Sebastian is reading from a book during the entire story. The author solved this cleverly with 2 different fonts and a slightly different style, as if the book inside the book is written by a different author. The book Sebastian is reading was written a long time ago, and the whole thing reads as a constant back-and-forth between the present and flashbacks (the book). It works amazingly well. Though not technically the same as flashbacks, it shows that a story built around recounting things from the past can work. In The Neverending Story, Sebastian is reading from a book during the entire story. The author solved this cleverly with 2 different fonts and a slightly different style, as if the book inside the book is written by a different author. The book Sebastian is reading was written a long time ago, and the whole thing reads as a constant back-and-forth between the present and flashbacks (the book). It works amazingly well. Though not technically the same as flashbacks, it shows that a story built around recounting things from the past can work.

]]> By: Nea http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17880 Nea Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:01:00 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17880 I would like to know your take on what the difference is between flashbacks and writing a story with multiple timelines. The timelines could even be blurred, as in you don't know exactly when or where it happened. I've read stories where there are more than one level of this, and it works. I'm riveted. I'm guessing having the reader trust you enough to go along with the 'timeline is not important' take is very hard indeed. I would like to know your take on what the difference is between flashbacks and writing a story with multiple timelines. The timelines could even be blurred, as in you don’t know exactly when or where it happened. I’ve read stories where there are more than one level of this, and it works. I’m riveted. I’m guessing having the reader trust you enough to go along with the ‘timeline is not important’ take is very hard indeed.

]]> By: Melissa Prado http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17884 Melissa Prado Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:36:06 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-17884 @Christophe: I don't think The Neverending Story really counts as flashbacks though since it is revealed that the book he's reading is actually taking place as he reads it, and that Sebastian can actually influence what takes place in Fantastica (Fantasia, if you prefer the film version). So more like a case of intertwined storylines that meet up, imho. @Christophe: I don’t think The Neverending Story really counts as flashbacks though since it is revealed that the book he’s reading is actually taking place as he reads it, and that Sebastian can actually influence what takes place in Fantastica (Fantasia, if you prefer the film version). So more like a case of intertwined storylines that meet up, imho.

]]> By: Erin http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-19746 Erin Thu, 23 Feb 2012 08:46:20 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/21/what-makes-a-flashback-sizzle/#comment-19746 This is great advice, I was planning on putting a flashback the novel I am writing, but now I think a little extra mystery would add to the excitement of the story. Thanks for all the great tips and advice! They are so helpful to me! Erin This is great advice, I was planning on putting a flashback the novel I am writing, but now I think a little extra mystery would add to the excitement of the story.

Thanks for all the great tips and advice! They are so helpful to me!

Erin

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