{"id":459935,"date":"2021-11-30T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-30T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/?p=459935"},"modified":"2022-11-30T11:54:40","modified_gmt":"2022-11-30T11:54:40","slug":"what-is-a-fictional-flashback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/what-is-a-fictional-flashback\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is A Fictional Flashback?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Flashbacks can be extremely effective tools when it comes to telling your story.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may have read advice to avoid them if possible &#8211; yet good flashbacks can reveal backstory, and they can surprise and delight readers, while giving authors the freedom to tell story events out of chronological order. So why are some people lukewarm about them?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s all about technique. As with so many elements of <a href=\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/clarity-in-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">writing<\/a>, flashbacks can work brilliantly if used well, but can ruin your story when used incorrectly.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re considering whether your book will benefit from one or many flashbacks, this guide will help you understand their uses and teach you how to use flashbacks effectively in your writing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Purpose-Of-A-Flashback\">Purpose Of A Flashback<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Authors don\u2019t always want to show the reader the scenes in the order they happened. There can be many reasons we want to play with time:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We don\u2019t want to bombard a reader with detailed information too early \u2013 we want the reader to get hooked by the characters or situation first.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We are holding back a key plot point for a <a href=\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/how-to-write-a-compelling-plot-twist-a-complete-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">twist<\/a>, or the \u2018shock factor\u2019.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We want to draw comparison between the past and the present \u2013 to show irony, or <a href=\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/round-vs-flat-characters-a-complete-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">character growth<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There may be character backstory that only becomes relevant partway through the story \u2013 if shared too early, the reader won\u2019t understand the relevance.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We generally use flashbacks in literature, not to dwell on what happened in the past, but to provide insight into a character and their decision-making in the present.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, a flashback helps a reader learn it\u2019s because a character was bullied in high school that they are oversensitive to a throwaway comment now. Or that a character is reluctant to believe what her father is saying in the present, because we see from the past he has a history of lying to her.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Flashbacks are a way of illustrating this link between past and present, but the best flashbacks do more than this. They work on multiple levels, enhancing knowledge of<a href=\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/how-to-plot-a-novel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> plot<\/a> and character.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Flashback-Examples-In-Fiction\"><strong>Flashback Examples In Fiction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many novels flip between past and present<a href=\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/story-timelines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> timelines<\/a>, such as<strong> <\/strong><em>The House at Riverton <\/em>by Kate Morton or <em>The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox<\/em> by Maggie O\u2019Farrell in contemporary literature, or <em>The Good Soldier<\/em> by Ford Madox Ford and <em>Heart of Darkness<\/em> by Joseph Conrad in classic fiction.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See how Conrad uses this line of dialogue to trigger a reminiscence in <em>Heart of Darkness<\/em>:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe looked on, waiting patiently\u2014there was nothing else to do till the end of the flood; but it was only after a long silence, when he said, in a hesitating voice, \u201cI suppose you fellows remember I did once turn fresh-water sailor for a bit,\u201d that we knew we were fated, before the ebb began to run, to hear about one of Marlow\u2019s inconclusive experiences.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In <em>My Sister, The Serial Killer<\/em> by Oyinkan Braithwaite we see flashback being used in a seamless way:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAccording to family lore, the first time I laid eyes on Ayoola I thought she was a doll.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The description that follows, of Ayoola as an innocent baby, adds a layer of irony to Ayoola\u2019s willingness to murder in the present.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"833\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/fictional-flashbacks.jpg\" alt=\"fictional-flashback\" class=\"wp-image-459948\" title=\"fictional flashback\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/fictional-flashbacks.jpg 833w, https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/fictional-flashbacks-600x288.jpg 600w, https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/fictional-flashbacks-300x144.jpg 300w, https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/fictional-flashbacks-768x369.jpg 768w, https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/fictional-flashbacks-640x307.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"How-To-Write-A-Flashback-In-Fiction\"><strong>How To Write A Flashback In Fiction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The key to managing a flashback technically well is to ensure the reader always knows \u2018where\u2019 and \u2018when\u2019 they are in a story, by giving the reader timing prompts, to clearly differentiate past and present.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several ways you can do this, and they can be used alone, or in conjunction with each other:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Using Headers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many novels which tell stories over two timelines, often in alternating chapters headed something like \u2018Then\u2019 and \u2018Now\u2019, to orientate the reader. These \u2018Then\u2019 chapters operate as a series of flashbacks. Novels which flashback to more than one timeline can use different headers like \u20182008\u2019 or \u2018Earlier That Day\u2019.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the most straightforward way of writing flashbacks \u2013 it\u2019s neat and tidy, and the headings make it clear for the reader where they are.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This can be used in conjunction with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Changing Tense<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many novels use the technique of changing tenses \u2013 with \u2018Now\u2019 sections told in the present tense and \u2018Then\u2019 sections told in past tense.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Mhairi McFarlane\u2019s <em>Don\u2019t you Forget About Me<\/em>, one chapter\u2019s \u2018Now\u2019 section ends with:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s also the first time I\u2019d been near a funeral since my dad\u2019s, twelve years ago.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is then a line space before:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen I was fifteen or so, my mum pinned the order of service for her cousin Janet, a physiotherapist in Swansea, to the corkboard in the kitchen.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the final line of the previous section \u201cit\u2019s\u201d is in the present tense. There\u2019s a line space, then \u201cpinned\u201d is past tense.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a simple technique for stories told in the present tense \u2013 but changing tenses can also be used for stories told in the past tense. <em>Early Morning Riser <\/em>by Katherine Heiny uses \u2018had&#8217;s \u2013 past present tense \u2013 to show the story is moving into flashback:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cJane\u2019s memory of the night of the accident was patchy. She remembered Luke driving her to the hospital in Petoskey to see her mother in the ER. The sight of her mother sitting on a gurney with her left arm in a sling, her large leonine face looking so slack and old, had<em> <\/em>caused Jane to burst into tears. Her mother had turned to her and held out her good hand. \u201cDon\u2019t cry, dearheart,\u2019 she said. \u201cI\u2019m okay.\u201d\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One tip many writers who write in past tense use for flashbacks is to place a past present tense <a href=\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/how-to-write-descriptions-and-create-a-sense-of-place\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">description<\/a> \u2013 he <em>had<\/em> jumped, he <em>had<\/em> eaten \u2013 in the first and last lines of a flashback, to indicate the section starting and finishing. They then write the rest of the section in plain past tense, the same as the rest of the novel. This technique is invisible to a general reader \u2013 but it works!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Framing Techniques<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your character could see a photograph or hear specific line of <a href=\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/writing-dialogue\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dialogue <\/a>to prompt reminiscing, and then the reader is taken to a flashback scene. A timely doorbell or someone entering the room can break the spell and trigger your narrator back to the present.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the example from Mhairi McFarlane\u2019s, <em>Don\u2019t Forget About Me, <\/em>McFarlane ends this flashback section with \u201cI return to these memories reluctantly. Then I push them away again. It\u2019s like forcing too many things into a cupboard and using the door to keep them jammed in.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a framing technique, showing the character has ended their reminiscence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Why-Have-I-Read-Advice-Saying-Authors-Shouldn\u2019t-Use-Flashbacks\">Why Have I Read Advice Saying Authors Shouldn\u2019t Use Flashbacks?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a lot of <a href=\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/ideas-for-writing-a-book-and-how-to-develop-them\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">writing advice<\/a> out there, and you can find people arguing for and against pretty much anything! And flashbacks, in particular, get a bad rap.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As with most elements of writing, there is no absolute right or wrong \u2013 just personal preferences, and ways of doing things effectively, or ineffectively.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The main reason some people dissuade new authors from using flashbacks is that a flashback is always backstory. If not earned and relevant, it can slow story pace \u2013 so we need to use caution. We want our readers to be desperate to turn the page to find out what happens next \u2013 yet we are delaying their gratification by moving out of the present to a completely different scene. No reader likes to be pushed away from the action. This is why it\u2019s so important to ensure your flashback is done well and has earned its place in the text.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Questions-To-Ask-Yourself-When-Deciding-Whether-To-Use-A-Flashback\">Questions To Ask Yourself When Deciding Whether To Use A Flashback<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Is your flashback relevant and directly related to the main plot?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does the reader <em>need<\/em> to see this scene? Can the scene be cut without the story losing coherence?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Could you share this information easily another way \u2013 in a line of dialogue, for example?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is this the right place for a flashback? Are your readers invested in your story enough at this point to be willing to take a change of pace? Have you earned the reader\u2019s interest enough to start playing around with chronology?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is your flashback clear to follow? Is your reader able to clearly intuit where they are in the timeline of the story?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have too many flashbacks? Are you risking irritating the reader by repeatedly interrupting them, and not giving them enough forward momentum in the present?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is the flashback scene exciting in its own right? Does it contain internal or external conflict, as well as providing backstory?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does your scene work on multiple levels? Does it advance character <em>and<\/em> plot <em>and <\/em>read well?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"After-All-That-Are-Flashbacks-For-You\">After All That, Are Flashbacks For You?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>They may be, and they may not. A lot of it comes down to the story you are trying to tell, and your preferences.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some authors write for their whole careers without using a single flashback but, for those of us who want to bend story time for narrative purposes, they are a crucial tool. Flashbacks are powerful story elements, and sparingly and effectively used, they can really benefit your writing.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Good luck!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Flashbacks can be extremely effective tools when it comes to telling your story.&nbsp; You may have read advice to avoid them if possible &#8211; yet good flashbacks can reveal backstory, and they can surprise and delight readers, while giving authors the freedom to tell story events out of chronological order. So why are some people<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17576,"featured_media":459947,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[28894],"class_list":["post-459935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-novel-writing","tag-how-to-plot-masterclass1"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Jericho Writers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn about flashbacks in literature, what they are, how they are used and how to write your own.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/what-is-a-fictional-flashback\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is A Fictional Flashback? 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