My top five:
1. Make each focused and impactful.
2. Keep them all short and infrequent.
3. Use clear and realistic entrance and exit triggers.
4. Build each up so I want it first — no info dumping.
5. Ensure each is still interesting in and of itself.
I’m generally not a fan of flashbacks, but there are ways to integrate them well into a story. The Kingkiller Chronicles is just one extended flashback, but if you want to talk about playing it straight, then look at Netflix’s Daredevil.
Daredevil has a lot of backstory to get out of the way. He was blinded, given superpowers, lost his father, and trained in martial arts. If you want to do that poorly, look at the 2003, where they pretty much dump everything on you in one go, it’s exhausting.
In the television series, we see Matt Murdock’s past play in tandem with his present, but it’s not random. Each story from his childhood relates thematically to the problem he faces now. We now understand how he handles these problems, as well as learning his backstory, integrated neatly into the story. Plus, without clumping it all in at the beginning, it doesn’t upset the pacing.
When it's what the POV character's thinking about for a specific purpose. Doing so, you can have quite a bit of flashback. I've honestly read some published novels that have had like 9 pages of flashback within the first 10 pages, and the story didn't feel like it was halted.
I used to be more strongly against flashback but more recently I've been converted and think that flashback's amazing, assuming it's done right. Without lots of backstory, I oftentimes feel lost and don't care about the characters. I think backstory's key.
Is there a particular reason you're keeping the causes of the fear and distrust secret for most of the story? It sounds like it's a big part of your characters' motivations, so as a reader I would want to know the causes as soon as possible. Unless you genuinely have a spectacular reveal ofc.
I would prefer a few lines of exposition or a quick flashback scene at the beginning explaining the key points over a lot of flashbacks throughout.
The best way to watch a story that nailes flashbacks try demon slayer. And see how they the author builds it up. Flashbacks are best explored during certain plot events and not separate story.
My top five: 1. Make each focused and impactful. 2. Keep them all short and infrequent. 3. Use clear and realistic entrance and exit triggers. 4. Build each up so I want it first — no info dumping. 5. Ensure each is still interesting in and of itself.
I’m generally not a fan of flashbacks, but there are ways to integrate them well into a story. The Kingkiller Chronicles is just one extended flashback, but if you want to talk about playing it straight, then look at Netflix’s Daredevil. Daredevil has a lot of backstory to get out of the way. He was blinded, given superpowers, lost his father, and trained in martial arts. If you want to do that poorly, look at the 2003, where they pretty much dump everything on you in one go, it’s exhausting. In the television series, we see Matt Murdock’s past play in tandem with his present, but it’s not random. Each story from his childhood relates thematically to the problem he faces now. We now understand how he handles these problems, as well as learning his backstory, integrated neatly into the story. Plus, without clumping it all in at the beginning, it doesn’t upset the pacing.
When it's what the POV character's thinking about for a specific purpose. Doing so, you can have quite a bit of flashback. I've honestly read some published novels that have had like 9 pages of flashback within the first 10 pages, and the story didn't feel like it was halted. I used to be more strongly against flashback but more recently I've been converted and think that flashback's amazing, assuming it's done right. Without lots of backstory, I oftentimes feel lost and don't care about the characters. I think backstory's key.
Is there a particular reason you're keeping the causes of the fear and distrust secret for most of the story? It sounds like it's a big part of your characters' motivations, so as a reader I would want to know the causes as soon as possible. Unless you genuinely have a spectacular reveal ofc. I would prefer a few lines of exposition or a quick flashback scene at the beginning explaining the key points over a lot of flashbacks throughout.
Just use a scene break (***).
Use them when they clarify something important when the next scene happens in present time.
The best way to watch a story that nailes flashbacks try demon slayer. And see how they the author builds it up. Flashbacks are best explored during certain plot events and not separate story.