One of the people who is coming to my workshop sent an email asking whether I am going to be talking about flashbacks. Probably I will touch on it, but I thought I’d also give some quick ideas here.
One typical structure is using “bookends.” That is, starting in the present, then making the body of the novel one long flashback, and returning to the present at the end. You can use the first section to create interest or curiosity, then take the readers back and lead back up to the present. For instance, in a novel I’m working on, there is a brief section at the start in which the narrator finds out that a teacher he was close to years before has died, and says, “That’s the nicest thing he’s ever done for me.” Then we go back ten years and gradually find out the nature of the relationship and the terrible thing that happened that makes the narrator pleased that the teacher has died. Finally, we come back to the present and find out what the narrator will do now that this part of his life finally is truly over.
In a novel set in the present, generally it’s a good idea to avoid flashbacks unless they’re really necessary. They always interrupt the flow of the action. Sometimes they are essential for creating a certain effect, so don’t be afraid of them, just be clear why you need them and the result you want.
When you do use them, be sure the reader will understand the time jump. You can do this by leaving an extra space, or sometimes (if the flashback is short) by putting it into italics. If you need to add cues in terms of the language or location to avoid confusing the reader, do so.
There are alternatives to using flashbacks, of course. For instance, a character can talk about what happened in the past. This sometimes turns into rather dull exposition, so you might consider whether there is a way to make the scene more emotional. For instance, maybe one character remembers a particular situation differently than another, and they get into an argument about what really happened. Whenever you add emotion to exposition, it tends to distract people from realizing they’re taking in a lot of information.
(PS: get info about my upcoming London workshops from [email protected])
