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Hello all! If you do not already know me, I’m Quicksilverwyvern, a new member here. Recently (well, this summer) I finished the rough draft of my first ever full-length original novel. As I am coming into draft two, I’ve come to the conclusion that flashbacks may aid the story.
For context, the flashbacks (at least for book one) would be centered around the MC’s memories of what happened before he was imprisoned, and of the people he knew before they were all killed. These characters and events get mentioned quite a lot even in draft one (which is probably going to double in size by the time I’m done patching it up), and eventually will end up of importance. The way I was talking about these events and people before felt too distanced, and I really think this is a situation that would benefit from a few flashbacks.
My question is in general tips for writing flashbacks. I’ve read both great flashbacks and dreadfully boring ones, and I know these pesky little scenes can be a bit cumbersome if they aren’t done right, so I’m looking for advice. What do you think makes a flashback go off well? And what do you think makes a flashback bad and/or boring?
Thank you all so much for your time. I’ve already been loving my time on here in the two weeks I’ve been around!
There once was a snail who was depressed and would do anything for his girlfriend. Didn't end well.
Ah! What a great question. Here are some thoughts:
What triggered the flash back? Memories usually have a trigger anyway, but because these are grief/trauma memories, those triggers are likely to be abrupt. They’re best if they’re comnected to the plot or character. For instance, I have a character who lost his sister at a young age. He has several flashbacks triggered by flowers, seeing little girls playing, and heavy soled boots/wild crowds. (the last one is connected to her death) Another character remembers a childhood memory of his father when he’s carrying books and when he mets a “tame” eagle.
Now, are these pleasant or disconcerting? Are they normal memories or trauma induced ones? That will change how the triggers work. There is a difference between a traumatic episode and a normal grief trigger. PTSD episodes are more emotion based with specific physical/mental feelings. Maybe you feel your fingers breaking again after almost tripping (personal experience with post traumatic stress that cleared up before becoming a disorder). They can also be a disorienting moment when you feel like you are back in the former situation (war vet hears an alarm and thinks there’s a bomb coming, etc.). Keep in mind grief triggers aren’t all painful and can be nice in a bitter sweet way.
Of course, flashbacks can also just be a trip sown memory lane. Maybe you eat something your grandmother used to make and feel like you’re an eight year old at the kid’s table for Thanksgiving again. These are great for backstory and are probably not as abrupt, though they can be just as impactful.
So, think through your character’s story. What are things that are significant to them or to their experiences with the people he would remember? Also think how the memory will affect him. He is remembering good times(or not songood) along with a painful reality that he lost people. That arrouses grief and other emotions. How do they change his view of his own quest/the book’s plot?
Otherwise, I suggest making them vivid and short. You are not just conveying information about someone, but you are telling the reader what was lost, what the mc thinks about it, and probably why his quest is important. You are also getting to know people through these flashbacks, so you want them to be little “timecapsles” of personality.
So yeah. That’s my two cents. Hope it was helpful!
Still a ChaosGremlin™ on the inside.
Flashbacks are useful literary devices. They can drop hints of mystery, clues to the story, or explain secrets.
Just have a good idea of how you’re using them in the book before you dive in. I don’t know how many times I’ve started writing something only to realize half-way through that it didn’t fit with the story. So, are these flashbacks a kind of time jump in the story where you go back and show a snippet of the past? Or is the character telling another character (and thus the reader) about a memory he just remembered? Or is this a trauma triggered response that the character is expirencing? What type of flashback you use will majorly impact the way you write it. Look into each type and decide what fits your story and character best.
Note: flashbacks, as real-world parts of various traumatic responses and mental health, are not only literary devices. They are also rarely portrayed accurately in fiction. If you choose to include this as a part of your character, remember, just as with any health condition, 1) you may have readers who suffer from this in real life and 2) your depiction will shape how other readers view people who do. Be sensitive, and do your research. Your writing matters.
A cup of tea is cheaper than therapy.
Thanks for the advice! I think finding the specific scenes I want before the flashbacks as you mentioned will really help. I really like the different varieties of flashbacks you mentioned. I believe most of the memories will be normal-er ones. The really traumatic scene happens at the very beginning of the book, so the readers have already seen it. There should only be a few really serious ones, so hopefully that will help.
There once was a snail who was depressed and would do anything for his girlfriend. Didn't end well.
The flashbacks in the book are primarily going to be used to show who the characters he keeps mentioning were in life, and to explain the complicated situations that arose out of past politics between countries. My current plan for draft two is that the MC is “talking” to his dead friends, and appears a bit crazy–though to be clear, he doesn’t really believe they are there, it’s just a way to comfort himself. (He’s been in almost complete isolation for forty-two years, though he can’t tell how much time has really elapsed.)
The flashbacks I plan on sharing are more informative to the reader, so it won’t really be a mental trigger response to anything traumatic. If it was, I’ve experienced a minor bit of PTSD in the past (for nothing too serious, don’t worry), and know a little bit of what that is like, in my case at least. Was not fun. Do not recommend. But, hey, as me and one of my friends always say when anything bad happens “it’s writing experience.”
Anyway, yes, thanks for the advice. That helps!
There once was a snail who was depressed and would do anything for his girlfriend. Didn't end well.
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