Flashback MISTAKES New Writers Make ❌ Avoid These Cliches!
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- čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
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Are you struggling to write captivating flashbacks? Are you worried you might lose your reader's interest when revealing the backstory of your characters? Don't worry, you're not alone. Flashbacks can be tricky to master, but when done right, they can deepen our understanding of the characters and make us care so much more about the story. In this video, I'm going to share the DO's and DON'Ts of flashbacks - common mistakes that I see a lot of new writers make and how to AVOID these pitfalls. Let's make every single one of your flashbacks captivating and meaningful to your story.
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✨ T I M E S T A M P S ✨
00:00 How to write flashbacks
01:23 DON'T go into a flashback without a clear trigger
02:28 DON'T give a flashback with no impact
03:42 DON'T use a flashback to info-dump worldbuilding
05:11 DON'T use a flashback to answer questions we haven't asked
06:33 You're invited to a special live training!
09:03 DO give every flashback a clear trigger
10:09 DO make every flashback change our perspective
11:09 DO use flashbacks to reward our curiosity
13:25 Want to take your flashbacks to the next level?
14:22 Subscribe for writing videos every Wednesday :)
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My name is Abbie Emmons I teach writers how to make their stories matter by harnessing the power and psychology of storytelling, transforming their ideas into a masterpiece, and creating a lifestyle that makes their author dreams come true.
Story isn’t about “what happens” - it’s about how what happens affects and transforms the characters. I believe that there is an exact science (a recipe, if you will) behind a perfect story. And if you know what ingredients you need, you can create your own perfect story with ease and confidence. That’s what we talk about every week on this channel - and if it’s something you’re into, be sure to subscribe and join this community!
Thank you! One main character of mine had a traumatic childhood but I didn’t want to shove so many flashbacks down the readers’ throats.
What's the title of your novel?
I found this comment funny😂😂
i think half the time if you imply such trauma instead of revealing it outright, it stimulates the reader more. information can be kept hidden. there’s no rule that says the reader needs to know everything
This reminds me of my wolf who’s sister got murdered by a fox and you don’t learn that till the second book
@@gregahunt how could I do that?
i read a story in which there is a segment where it's all back to back flashbacks, but it made sense because the person has unlocked thousands of years of memories that he has forgotten and everything is a trigger. the reader is as overwhelmed as the main protagonist, the people around the protagonist is worried and is unsure how to handle it. It's incredibly well-done, i can't believe it's not an original story but a fan made one.
The first movie I ever saw with flashbacks that made sense to me was Holes. It was based on a book & done off really well. You ever seen or read Holes?
Lol the universe is trying to send me a message because I'm about to write a two-parter flashback to explain my character's origins
Lol!! Same
In my personal reader experience, sometimes flashbacks can be too boring, especially if they're too long.
I would suggest making the flashbacks shorter and/or if you could work in explanations of the past in present scenes rather than full flashbacks, it might work better.
My favorite book that uses flashbacks is Toilet Bound Hanako Kun. In short, whenever ghosts are defeated by destroying a precious item of theirs, their domain shatters and a flashback of them is revealed.The BEST one is when a new character's backstory reveals a LOT about the main character, who's been shrouded in mystery regarding his true identity, yet there are several questions left, and even more added! I highly recommend the series! Either way, love the video, Abbie! 😊
OMG yess and that's what makes tbhk one of my absolute favourites!
And talking about impactful flashbacks, another story that comes to my mind is demon slayer...the way we see flashbacks about the demons when they're on the verge of death and the way tanjiro helps or puts them to ease unknowingly...
It's just too good!
Wtfrigg why is it named that? XD
@@rosestarofroseclan8094 I do have that same question…
@rosestarofroseclan8094 His name is Hanako-Kun, which is based off a ghost story named Hanako-San of the Toilet, a wish granting ghost that haunts the third stall of the girl's restrooms, usually on the third floor of buildings. Hanako is summoned by knocking on the stall and asking, "Hanako-san, Hanako-san, are you there?", and they'll appear to either grant you a wish or curse you. This version, Hanako-Kun, is explained to be sealed away in the toilet unless summoned or other conditions. I'll stop myself from ranting about the series now😅!
@@rosestarofroseclan8094I assure you that it was absolutely nothing to do with gross toilet stuff LOL this anime is really good and I recommend it!
One I just wrote.
Barbra pushes a bough aside and looks at the face of her father's granite marker. It hadn’t changed in all the years that had passed. And she had a memory of her father’s lifeless face as he lay in the open casket at the funeral home. He didn’t look restful, despite the embalmer's hard work, he looked dead. She’d looked at her father's father, sitting beside her during the service, and thinking that dead and old didn’t look the same. You’d think that when you were a child, because only old people died. But it wasn’t only old people. Anyone could die. She could die. That thought terrified her. No matter how much she went to church, she couldn’t believe her fear away. She lost her father and gained a pervasive uneasiness that hadn’t ever gone away.
This might sound like a dumb question, but how would you go about writing flashbacks where it was based on something that happened to you when you were younger?
"Nobody cares 🙄💅"
- Abbie Emmons
This quote has helped me through life and writing, before I used to write 1 page long stories with too much informations and 0d characters, but once I heard Abbie say "nobody cares", I started writing 3848 page long novels with 5d characters 🤧
Ok but srsly, this channel has improved my writing sm, ty Abbie!!! :D
I’m 18, on the second draft of my third novel, and religiously, every draft, every time, i rewatch all your videos because they are unbelievably helpful. GODSEND 🙏
The flashbacks in 100 days of sunlight were so well done and written well. Perfect pace
"Nobody cares". Golden words, writing a story that matters to readers is true art. Your tutorial is perfect, I can already see what I can fix in my story. Thank you!
That why I stick to world building these days. I care about all the details too much ❤😂 Writing sometimes seems complex and restricting.
My favorite flashback of all time is from The Hunger Games, when Katniss is remembering when Peeta gave her the bread XD
YES i like that one too, there is a new one coming out on November 17th this year.
@@Stacys_Life101 Yeah! I read the book early this summer and can't wait for the movie!
@@Stacys_Life101 i'm sorry, there's a new Hunger Games coming out??? Where have i been???
@@JhadeSagrav its called the songbird somthing I forgot the rest of it
One of the first flashbacks in my story was when her friends/teammates would find out about her backstory which had a a dark/traumatic for her. I think it was pretty well written and really dove into a part of her story to show her fears and faults, like why she was so mistrusting or lying to them and being secretive.
Wish I had discovered Abbie's channel years ago. I've just had my debut middle grade historical fiction published in May 2023, contains A LOT of flashbacks😅 I can't wait to watch this video to see if I did at least manage to get some things right LOL😂
Congrats on the publishing!! ^^
Congratulations! 🎉
3.5 years ago, I went for the traditional publishing route, and am now wondering if I should have invested in self-publishing🤔 I feel like the marketing dept of my publisher isn't doing enough, isn't as enthusiastic as their editors about my book🤔 I should watch Abbie's videos more, especially on self-publishing and marketing my book😀👍🏾
@@nikkinewbie6014 Thank you!
@@SecondFloor2311 Thank you!
I loved the flashbacks in The Hunger Games. (Escpecially the bread scene.) The author put so much emotion into it, but didn't overdo the scene at the same time. And also I love how it gives Katniss and Peeta a stronger connection!! (I've been writing a LOT of cringey flashbacks, so this helps a lot) Thanks, Abbie! Your videos have helped me grow so much as a writer! Can't wait to read "the Other World" !! :)
#AskAbbie
1. Can you make a video about making the MC more relatable? I have all the juicy internal conflict, but my protagonist is still not as relatable as I want her to be. I also think that's why I lose my interest in EVERY story I try to write.
2. How do I try to add more suspense in the story? They always seem quite boring
These videos are a life saver! Thanks a lot!
I know it’s possible she will answer these but it could take forever. In the meantime I thought I might help. 😅
I think if your character is interesting they don’t have to be relatable. Sometimes people like to read about people with more dramatic personalities than theirs . I like to use things like MBTI and the enneagram for built in personality descriptions.
What’s important with stakes is that your character has something real to lose or fight for. Have the character think and worry about it and work toward their best outcome.
Those are issues I had as well.
1. Make your MC more relatable by giving them imperfection. Even if your MC is the most talented person, they will have some flaw, e.g. they stress out about getting everything perfect because they think their talent is the only reason anyone would care about them. Or their ego is inflated.
Think about the traits of your MC and give them a correlating flaw.
2. If you specify this question I could probably help you more, but I'll just tell you the way it was for me.
My issue with the suspense was that I always resolved the conflicts in no time (which resulted from too perfect and smart characters that always knew a solution to everything).
At some point all of the conflicts were solved and I had none left to keep my story going and my story got boring.
What's important here is don't focus only on the main conflicts, like a war or bad grades or whatever it is you're writing about, also focus on the conflicts between two characters. Those conflicts are also fueled by their imperfections, e.g. character 1 is a rather bossy person while character 2 is stubborn/likes to do things their way. That would result in 1 telling 2 what to do, but 2 doesn't listen. They will each get annoyed by the other character's persistence, they (or at least the stubborn one) will not be interested in talking about it- they'd rather throw snide comments at each other. And there you have it. A conflict that builds a little suspense by not solving itself quickly (this example is also great to fuel greater issues, e.g. they are forced to work together in an attack)
I hope this helped you!
Talking about flashes, I don’t know if anyone has told you yet, but for me the intro is too flashy for my epileptic-like disease and I always have to took away or skip it. You don’t have to change anything, just saying that it happens 🙈♡
I’m not good in writing flashbacks because they always turn into huge infodumps 🤣 So thanks for this video! ♡
ABBIE! I am a teen writer working on my first book and let me just say: You've inspired me so much! I love your videos and they have helped me so much!! Thank you!!
I am currently working on a book too. However at my age (26) I feel late getting started on this stuff. I am excited to do it though
@@unicorntomboy9736 Don't worry about age. I'm 54 and still only have semi-connected short stories and essays (almost all unpublished). Just love what you write. Unlike many things, we can write right up until the day we die.
Post your wattpads! (if that's socially acceptable here on youtube) I love reading other people's stories! I'll leave you a comment that I found you on Abbie's Vids and we can have a "Hey you!" moment.
Same situation here! She's amazing.
I really admire Abbie, along with amazing tips she explains us the psychological reasons and aspects of readers and her way to engage with readers and writers are revieting unlike other writers, I love your work Abbie you'll make it biggg one day, Thank you so much for guiding us❤❤❤❤
thanks for this!!!! im currently writing a book about a woman who lost her grandmother to an uknown disease and how it shaped her to want to become a doctor, it has a lot of flashbacks
The Thrawn and Thrawn Ascendancy trilogies by Timothy Zahn has wonderful flashbacks.
I have always tried to avoid writing flashbacks because I thought they would take away from what was going on in the present. But in my current WIP, which is a trilogy, I found myself needing them in the second book because I revealed a huge and very significant secret a character was keeping with almost zero context at the end of the first book and my writing group confirmed that they needed to know what happened from that character's perspective. It fit the story best to have whole chapters dedicated to that character (who wasn't a POV character in the first) to explain what exactly happened. The hardest part has been keeping the present as interesting as the past, but so far it's going good. According to my writing group, it works because the past is directly influencing our view of the present and there are a LOT of contradictions between the two stories, which makes them want to keep reading to get to the truth. We'll see how it all turns out, but I was shocked that the group unanimously agreed to keep in those longer flashbacks. This video has really helped me understand their purpose and how they work and now writing flashbacks aren't so scary anymore! I think the biggest problem is when they take away from the present rather than add to it
Thank you Abbie I'm in the midst of being inundated by flashbacks- I have introduced a small rescue team of Navy Seals I did have to give a sizable back-story which I initiated through flashbacks. I suddenly realized that the back and forth between the " Then" and " Now" may not be as seamless as I may have thought it to be. Thanks for getting me thinking along these lines about flashbacks, and for all the other valuable tips you've sent our way with this video. I'm finally rocking on thanks to your inspirations. 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Literally writing a flashback today. Questioning everything. Thanks, man!
Such a beautiful book cover.
I think this channel has given me so much inspiration, she's very straight to the point and has very calm and nice videos and so many free , actual good, tips! ❤
You are an inspiration to me and many other aspiring writers who want to share their stories with the world. You have taught me so much about writing. Thank you for being such a wonderful authortuber .
Perfectly timed video. The next time I'm writing something flashback related I will make sure to have some flashbacks of what you said in this video
Same I'm doing a flashback now
A flashback within a flashback within a flashback
This really come out at the right time, plan to include lots of flashback in my story
The end of 'the couple at no.9' by Claire Douglass the writer uses a big flashback that totally amazes me 😃
The flashbacks I love the most are in Soman Chainani's The School for Good and Evil: *A Crystal of Time.* Fifth book in the series. It was honestly mind-shattering. A whole arc was dedicated to giving backstory/flashbacks in the most unexpected, mind-blowing way possible. I couldn't imagine how he wrote that, it wasn't boring or mundane or paused the story at all! It had so much twists and turns, I had to stop reading to excitedly gather my thoughts and make my own theories before i continued reading--- knowing the author was about to reward us with some answers. And rewarded us, indeed. I changed my perspective on three different characters TWICE within the same flashback, back to back. It was like I was being tricked right in front of my eyes. So engaging, that i'm sad the series as a whole doesn't have more readers. Although SGE had a hit Netflix movie adaptation (which i sort of disliked), the series AND THE QUALITY OF SOMAN CHAINANI'S WRITING is still much very severely underrated. Book 1, Book 3 and Book 5 blew me away. Book 2 was a good continuation, Book 4 was simply dreadful because the author intended the characters to be placed in very, very unfortunate situations that was funny but very torturous (so in a way, it's a perfected piece of art), and Book 6 was the perfect end that had bits of everything, and even highlighted and reevaluated the main protagonists' flaws. I wish more people read it.
Thanks to your videos I am picking up writing a story I had almost forgotten about. All of my problems and questions seem to have an answer in one of your videos. I finally feel like I can do this now, and you are the reason. Thank you so much.
i just discovered wattpad and it's a good tool. if you post on there and copy your link here, i'll go give it a read!
Oh... That's why I was so disoriented with flashbacks in Andor 😅
Thank you 🤍
Another topic that I’m currently working through with one of my stories. You keep hitting all the right topics and I love it. Looking forward to the live training!
my favorite book has flashbacks that range from
---
Trixie couldn’t believe this.
The “Boss” Molly had gone on and on about was her dorky, snaggle-toothed cousin. The same guy who burned his tongue when he tried to eat a hot coal at a family barbecue because it looked like “forbidden candy”.
“Don’t do that,” her brother had warned him.
“ME WANT BITE!” Giovanni replied, crunching into the coal like it was cereal.
---
to
---
Looking back, Molly now realized her mother had been a ball of high-functioning anxiety. In business meetings she wore a false pair of glasses because she worried people wouldn’t take her seriously without them. A full-on addict of hustle culture. She had her daughters’ whole lives planned out and was devastated whenever an obstacle to that plan presented itself. The only thing that could calm her down was her unendingly lax husband.
“It’s fine, Cal, it’s fine! Look at me! I got no idea what I’m doin’ and even a loser like me ended up with a perfect wife and kids! I’m a total failure, but here I am, happy as a clam! See? Bap bap bap. These clam lips want a clam kiss! C’mere! Mwah! Hey, there yah go.”
She would laugh and calm herself at his endless stupidity. She found it charming. An oasis of fun for her tight ship to sail in.
As a lone parent either one of them might’ve been too much, but somehow her wild workaholism and Marty’s reckless abandon balanced each other out, yin and yang. A happy home balanced on two broken support beams. Together they were almost parents.
*Calliope died in a fire when Molly was ten.*
---
Calliope kinda hot ngl /hj
Thank you for this!! And I’m excited for the live training today!
I’m working on a book series where the first book is basically all about unlocking the memory of this one event (that she didn’t even think was gone, she thought she was just unconscious at the time).
It starts with very short scenes or almost flashes in her dreams, then they start bleeding into her waking time as images and/or sensations (sort of hallucinations), when she eventually gets knocked out and in that time she remembers the whole event in the form of a flashback, one short evening where a LOT happened.
Hope I can pull it off, the suspense and the impact of revealing the whole thing. I’ll be using Abbie’s tips for sure!
Oh my gosh, that sounds amazing! Are you going to publish it?
@@jasmine_rice aahw thanks! Yes I will absolutely self-publish it, but it'll take some time. I've been creating this story for years but only started my true first draft a few months ago, almost halfway through though. Abbie and this community (especially discord) have been a great help in pushing me to finally go for it too, so I'm very grateful^^
@@SecondFloor2311 I'm so glad!! Please tell me when it's published so I can buy a copy!!!
@@jasmine_rice aahw thanks, that's so sweet! Well, if I can contact you on any social media (or you're in Abbie's discord) I could at least show you my, current, blurb and see if the story is your cup of tea. Of course I'd love to have more beta readers in the future or just people who want to read a section and give me their initial thoughts. It's up to you :)
Abbie, you re saving my story. (10 years old story but...)
another substantive video. thanks abbie❤
Omg can not wait, that is what I struggle with. I am so happy that I found you girl, really
Hi abbie! Can't wait for the video! I really needed this video for the antagonist of my story. thanks so much! Also i'm so excited to read your new book! 😆
Thank you!
Thank you! All your videos are so helpful to me as someone trying to write my first book as well as possible.
This is excellent! Flashbacks are such a pivotal piece of good literature and writing, so I find this truly priceless advice! Thanks, Abbie!
Hi Abbie. Thanks for your videos. Using your guides I actually wrote a book this summer. I'm hoping to get it published but your outlines and materials helped me a lot.
I love those videos :) They are such wonderful motivation for writing :D
These tips were very insightful. Thank you so much for sharing!
Freaking, gotta love Abbie.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Love your videos so insightful. Can you do video on narrative summary. I struggle so much with this.
Thank you for all your tips and I wished to watch the live video, but it’s my baby boys 1st bday. Thank you for putting a replay on it.
this was a really awesome video and handy too because I'm currently completing the edits of one of my books and there are a few flashbacks I now realise don't fit too well...
#AskAbbie
Hey Abbie! I was wondering if you could do a video on writing dark fantasy? Preferably on how to create/wordlbuild for dark fantasy? You're videos are awesome and a life saver!
Thank you Abbie, amazing advice. Now, my problem is to use this powerful knowledge with due diligence. Fay ☘️
Thank you Abbie! Your insight is always awesome..and the shameless plug of your book in the background is divine 😂😂 When will it be on audiobook? I just recently listened to 100 days of sunlight and I loved your character developments, your gripping backstory telling was excellent. Weston is awesome btw! I'm half way through the christmas book sequel...might have to give it another listen though cause I put it on hold over a month ago lol sorry but life happens and I'm trying to write my own novel! Which I will have questions for you on..and would love your input on my first chapter at some point but anyway...my only question right now is When is the other world audiobook coming on amazon! I must pick it up!
I'm so glad that I ran across this channel!!! Question? .. How do I format a flash back? What I mean is that how do I go from the action to a flash back?
Action to flashback, you say?
That’s complicated for me to answer due to my style of writing flashbacks.
I tend to try and keep time flowing normally as my characters are flashing back in order to simulate real thought and the passage of time.
My advice, however, would be to find a way to pause the action before the flashback is triggered.
Usually, you want your readers to focus on the action, and if you add a flashback in the middle of it, it’s kinda confusing.
Best book riddled with flashbacks: The Lies of Locke Lamora. It never lets tension down, genious.
i actually did it a little differently. i wrote the first four chapters as flashbacks and the fifth chapter is the moment the narrative actually begins to kick you in the feels
I actually just wrote a flash back about this girl who was forced to kill her friend cause she disobeyed the antagonist for the beginning of that story, Is that a good thing or do I need to put it in the middle of the story?
It depends what place it has on the protagonist's arc. It is the root of her Misbelief, or is it a turning point that brings her closer to her Aha moment?
I write flashbacks for a back story
You are really my inspiration! I am a young writer (i am like 11 years old) but i want to publish one of my stories. I have written like 10 or 11 stories, and i am really proud of it but i think they miss something, and waht they miss i learn that from YOUR videos. It you would just reply to me it would mean so much to me, thank you abbie for everything!😊
Those voice changes just made it funnier to listen to the mistakes
I love your work and books!!!!! Do you have any videos I’ve missed about using names, countries or events that are real but within a fiction? And without getting into trouble? Like mixing parts of a true event or a real location but with a fictional ending or fictional something… I’ve been trying to find the legality of it or rules behind it? Love your thoughts!!!!
I once read a chapter that started with a "flashback" of a morning, but when returning to the story, it was just that morning of that day. I couldn't for the life of me understand why they made it a flashback. It was just that morning. Leave it in, but as the morning, not a flashback! 😡😭😡
I think one of my most memorable flashbacks is also in a similar style that I'm trying to write is in Eragon where Paolini writes about the Elves and the shade there's a fighting over the egg and then it transitions to in the same Forest some distance and time away
Me having an idea that I can pair with a more recent idea, making the MC's backstory to need a whole other book:
Can you do a video on writing scenes that happen in the same time frame?
I must always leave something in the before chapter that explains why the flashback in the next chapter exists.
Having a flashback in the middle of a chapter is a no for me. For the sake of organization I dedicate a whole chapter to a flashback or two flashbacks. A flashback chapter is a must for me.
If two flashbacks occur in the flashback chapter always start with the one that came earlier then let the characters grow from there.
What if there's a big story in fash back that we want the reader to know? like writing about the history of two people who met and how they fell in love, etc ???? How we should do that? Write a new chapter about it ?? Thanks for this video btw, it is helpful 💙💙
Hello dear professor
What you present is really interesting and crucial,i do appreciate your job,i wish you peace and happiness under the sky of prosperity,all the best.
Take care and have a good time.
Your Student from Algeria
I have a character who's part of a series, and she has different internal conflicts based on the events happening.
1) Her past created a misbelief and fear, which she didn't quite defeat, so it's going to come back
2) Thinking she's ran away from her past and "restarts" so to say, she's worried about something else.
3) In the 2nd inciting incident she makes a choice based on her fear of her past coming back (since she didn't overcome it fully) and chooses...(🤫)
Do you think that makes sense?
Abbie I love your tips for book and writing and storytelling. Your advices are super helpful and I also share your contents to my friends who also want to start writing. But there’s a question I want to ask. Is it okay for ChatGPT to edit our books? Can they replace a professional editor or it’s necessary to send our editors to edit our final draft? #askabbie
I want to write a flashback for a nightmare, but it’s the very beginning of the book. So there’s a flashback but then they wake up… is this chill/ do I need to change that?
i’m so guilty of all of these haha, i need to somehow finish the first draft and then edit it lol
Hello! I'm currently writing a book, it's my first ever one so it's pretty hard.
I'm writing a book in 3rd person, where the main character finds out that his dad was actually dead, and the drugs he was taking were helping him to imagine him alive. Now what im wondering about is that his dad exists as a character in my book, after he had died and I want to know if its necessary to still write him as a normal "alive" character, even tho it's the main protagonist imagining him and not me. I know its confusing but i really want to know if i can still write about it in 3rd person
An 'Unreliable Narrorator' fits the bill. I'd take special care to leave subtle clues throughout. MC pops the pills, enter father character shortly after. Throw them off to this, though.
3rd Person Narrow as opposed to 3rf Person Omniscient during those sections
#AskAbbie Hi Abbie I have a question;
Could you make a video about making settings for your story because I tend to have alot of trouble with that. I find that I end up making settings and places that having nothing to do with the story and are not important but I can't help but add them in the book.
I would suggest developing the plot, theme and world simultaneously. If you make a huge world first, writing a story would be harder because you'd have to make it go through every part of your world even if it disrupts the flow. Think what your story is about (this is generally easier with fantasy) but mine is about ghosts, forbidden magic, and complex moralities. So I can add haunted cathedrals, forests, etc... (Pretty bad example...) But try to shape your world around the story. Something that I find helps a lot is to just freewrite whatever comes to mind, with one base idea, like the setting in your case. You might just conjure an idea that fills a plot hole :)
thanks thats super helpfull!@@isadoranurdin4402
This is SOOO weird. I'm having like reverse déjà vu. I was watching this video ... and super excited because Abbie was having another Flashback live training. She'd obviously found she hadn't said it all last time. But it was kind of weird she didn't go on to another topic since her catalogue there isn't terribly deep yet - not like this CZcams channel. I saved my spot and went over to the master page to see the first one... and there isn't another Flashback class. But I could SWEAR I'd already had her masterclass on flashbacks...???? (I checked the videos on the channel for flashbacks...they're not what I'm talking about.) ANYWAY LOL - super excited for Sunday :D
Uhhh yeah, buddy, you just jumped timelines. Your matrix has glitched. 😳
it's the creepiest thing in the world. has happened twice to me.
@@JhadeSagrav LOL not even close to the creepiest thing in the world - but I think it's fun when these things happen.
A little off topic, but who did the cover design for your book? You, someone you know, hired a graphic artist, the publisher, etc., not specifically who, maybe how is a better question. How did you get the cover design done?
The first two volumes of the series I'm writing each have a major flashback towards the end of the book. The first takes place during the final battle of the book, right after an important character arrives out of nowhere. The flashback explains a hidden plot the character had since the beginning of the story, answering a mystery that had been lingering around for a while. The kidnapped individual orchestrated it themself.
The second happens during a fighting tournament, after a main character loses their match on purpose. It reveals the reason why their opponent was able to blackmail them into forfeiting. The event that gave rise to their fame in the royal knights was a sham, and they were actually the cause of the problem in question, albeit by accident.
Sorry for the long explanations that probably didn't make enough sense, but I figured I'd give examples of flashbacks in my own writing.
I guess what I've learned is, penultimate flashbacks are often a good idea. Something to explain a key detail right when the story reaches its peak.
Abbie, have you seen the series “Lost”? They use flashes in various ways and I always thought they did well. If you have, what do you think?
I normally use flashbacks to confuse the reader, make them think that the story is badly written and just random inputs that do not seem to be a part of the same story, thrn near the end it is pointed to that it was a part of the main caracters life, his past. also one story i am working on, a man is talking to his ******* and telling his story, from time to time throughout the story the otger persone speaks over the narrator, a sound is heard in his enviorment, the story stoops and slows doen for 2-3 sentences then gets back into telling thr story, it is not a flashback, but he is talking of what happend to him, and instead of flashbacks, he is where he is, telling the tale of what has already happend.
The problem with this is that if your reader is me for instance, they will skim read till they come to one of these flashbacks, say hah, badly written crap, and give up.
@@dianacoles1017 not really a flashback. Moreso it gives the reader insight about what is happining around the main caracter in present time, stuff that interupts him. But I do understand that not everyone likes these random things popping in. After all it is a pycological horror, not youre standard story.
Better Call Saul makes a good use of flashbacks
How about a top 10 books?
What if I show the flashback in the very beginning, and then show the fear developed around 1-2 minutes later? Would that still work?
I ever used a flashback in two or three short stories. One was a tad too long, otherwise they were pretty well used. I used one merely to give context after an impactful first scene.
my favorite sequence of flashbacks has to be the one that comes from Little Women, I love the way that Greta Gerwig weaved the flashbacks into the movie with each character's backstory and left us asking questions...truly a masterpiece.
When I am not feeling motivated to write, I am like… let’s watch Abbie Emoons a little.
..huh, i wonder if my character flashback that is between a fight, but it is focused with a character that is in a tricky situation... and she finds out the answer in a glimpse of the moment as she rushes towards that solution, but i made the flashback that explains how is she able to make decisions that quickly, without having her emotions giving her such a problem.
Do you have any tips to keep from being super repetitive and using the same lines all the time?
In my novel, there is a flashback 3 paragraphs into the story. It is necessary to explain how he arrived in his current predicament.
I’m gonna have flashbacks inside flashbacks.
My character receives news that affects her life, the events begin after 6 months from receiving this news.
Should I put it as a flashback or do I put a time skip after only 2 scenes ?
YES!!!! 😁😁😁
In my current novel writing project, which is set in a dark fantasy/grimdark setting, my protagonist is a fallen elven princess working as a morally ambiguous anti-hero (or anti-heroine?) mercenary. She had a tough persona that hides a vunerable and softer side who has to battle with her inner demons thst are rooted in regret and shame that she has to reconsile with as she directly caused the death of her entire family and the risef an evil tyrannical black dragon that rules over ber homeland
I am thinking about doing a negative character arc, where she goes from a neutral character and becomes evil and cruel by the end of the story. Is this a good idea or not?
I want the ending of the book to be a climactic battle where she defeats the antagonist but chooses to give into her inner darkness. She kills him in a brutal and sadistic manner. Soaked in blood, she sits atop of the throne with her signature sword, the Grim Yato, in hand and becomes the new shadow queen that now rules over the people with an iron fist. The book would end right there via an ambiguous ending.
Any thoughts on this novel outline?
I have a question. Is it ok for you to start a chapter with a flashback then weave it into the story to get back to the present by using a sound or something similar to the flashback? I don’t really know how to explain it but that’s what I’ve been doing for some chapters in my story❤
I wondered too about that when I first drafted my story. I went ahead and did something similar like yours. My opening hook in the 1st chapter is current, then the following 4 chapters were all flashbacks. I then weaved the continuation of the 1st chapter into the 6th chapter. It worked fine, my publisher and editor were pleased with that😅
@@zeeakadir7952 that’s awesome, thanks for helping me out😊
If I Stay - now that's something.
Please tell me how to write a certain kind of person, like i have a character who very unreasonable and i don't know such people so i don't what to do
In my book i wrote at the beginning of the story one chapter about the vilain’s chilhood and backstory. Is it a good idea ?
It really depends. I suggest thinking if the reader really NEEDS this information at that moment - I personally think it's fine to include the villain in the first chapter (I personally love that) but perhaps not backstory, because the audience needs a chance to grow interested in the character first.
UNLESS there's a plot twist where the villain in the backstory is anonymous or has another significant role, and then is revealed to be the villain all along. Hope that helps! :)
@@isadoranurdin4402 thank you 🤭
Sergei has access to my thoughts. Abbey will talk to him online.
This brought back a vague repressed memory of a book that did none of this. I lost a bit of myself when “He-who-is-not-like-other-girls” entered his 5th random flashback for more exposition🥲
Hi all! I have a question . So I'm going thru structuring my 3 act. I was wondering If my first act is to quick. But the thing is my plan is very drived by internal conflict, which is good. But i think if i make it longer that the internal drive of it won't be as strong, and I'll just end up adding filler scenes. The first act looks like it will only be a few chapter right now, and i don't know what to do! Please help. :)
Thank you! I’ll see what I can do, and look where I can find places that can be more complex! 🙂
Hi…I wonder did you put enough scenes in to show your protagonist’s status quo or comfort zone / normal world before the inciting incident happens? The shake up will be more evident if you give us a good view of how things were before the inciting incident.
Does a flashback make sense for your story? That would add some length.
Also after the inciting incident maybe you can show your protagonist debating with themselves or with other characters expressing their doubts and fears about moving out of the comfort zone.
I think that could come before the first plot point that leads to Act 2 after they have finally decided they must pursue that goal / opportunity or solve that problem presented by the inciting incident.
It’s probably still part of the debate but maybe spend a little more time on that impossible choice section where you show the protagonist agonizing about what to do. 😩. I think you could use that section to help you highlight the stakes and what they stand to lose if they don’t move forward into Act 2.
Also I’ve read you should make sure all your major characters and most of your secondary characters are at least introduced in the first act or early in the second. I’m sure there are exceptions. Maybe you can develop your characters a little more?
Remember we need to have enough scenes and information about the protagonist to make us care about them and relate to them.
That’s all I got. 😂😩. Hope it helps…
Thank you! I have a few chapter before the inciding incident that that include showing her comfort zone, , but I’ll see if I can maybe add more depth! Im thinking if I should add a flashback to her convincing her parents to do something, and it ultimately leads to the inciding incident. And I’ll probably add a debate because there’s a choice that they make before the impossible choice, that obviously doesn’t work. So I think I’ll be able add them kinda panicking on what to do. Thank you for your help! 😁
@@evabolton3224 Debate is good. I’ve read it’s kind of a way to get the audience on board with why the mc is going to have to do that scary or hard thing that will take them out of their comfort zone. Draws the reader in.
Good luck!
@@evabolton3224 Also as a very general guide first act takes about 25% of the total story. If you have an idea of your target word count then maybe you can see what range of percentage you’re currently in.
I mean if you’re at ten percent you’ll probably have an issue with pacing and your second act might be too long but if you’re pretty close to 25% you might not need to do as much.
Abbie has a video about at what point the author starts the story in the characters timeline. Maybe you’re starting too late. But then again narrative drive is important too and it sounds like you’ve got it going.
I hope Abbie can answer you. I’d love to see what she says.
What about movies or books when the entire story is a flashback like the movie Ladder 49? How do you feel about that trope?
That was interesting... As I can see your ideas correspond with Western tradition - persons with more academic interests (like myself) are not welcome (underrepresented compared to the percentage of the population), while Japanese and other oriental authors use them much more freely. Which has made some of the westerners comment they rely too much on flashbacks.
Ah, that curiosity-reward ratio was obviously something that the writers of 'Lost' were unaware of!