Flashbacks in writing can be wonderful tools; they help us catch a glimpse of a character’s past in order to clue us into his present (and, possibly, his future). But when done incorrectly, flashbacks can pull us out of the story or create narrative confusion.
For a straight-forward guide to creating effective short flashbacks, I recommend an article by Peter Selgin called “The Anatomy of a Flashback.” Selgin’s main points are applicable to pretty much any type of story:
1. Have a strong scene to depart from.
2. Make sure flashbacks are motivated.
3. When writing in past tense, to make it clear that you’re writing a flashback, dip into the past perfect.
4. Summarize dialogue.
5. Keep flashbacks to one paragraph.
6. Within flashbacks, summarize, don’t dramatize.
7. Avoid flashbacks – unless your story demands them.
I’ve found that when you follow these guidelines, the flashbacks barely even register as flashbacks. It’s a way of weaving in snippets of information without overwhelming the reader and without disrupting the flow of the story.
Of course, Selgin acknowledges that there are times when it might be necessary to break the rules (and he gives examples of when John Updike does just that), but I think it’s important to at least keep these rules in mind as you’re working on putting in those often-pesky flashbacks.
Edited to add: Thanks to your questions/comments, tomorrow I’ll talk about the short flashback’s grumpy older brother: the long flashback.
- Categories: Craft, Resources, Writing Rants
Personally, I like flashbacks, but they can be difficult to pull off, as in seamlessly. I think Selgin’s #7 is the strongest point. Still, there are times when the story does demand it. And if they’re woven in well, a strong tool. (But then again, I also like prefaces and epilogues, so you can’t go by me.
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I like flashbacks too, but they are SO difficult to weave in, especially in a fast-paced story. I guess it’s all about balance (as is pretty much everything else in writing).
This is so something I need to work on. Thanks for the awesome info!
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