Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

As an avid reader and a writer I want to hear your opinions regarding flashbacks. In my experience, while they help the story begin with a bang, once the reader gets in to the story he's likely to forget the flashback -so much so that there's been occasions when i flipped back to double check what i'd read there. So, my question is, is the flashback worth the trouble or not to a nove? ..discuss

I've never had a problem with forgetting flashbacks. I prefer flashbacks over descriptions or dialogue exchanges about events that happened in the past because they are more immediate.

I had no issues with flashbacks, I had to use a few in my novel because I had to describe different times throughout my life. It didn't seem to hurt the story. Hope this helps

im talking more about the opener...the totally unrelated sequence of events which is describe din the prologue or something. Then there isnta word about it for the next 300 pgs and suddenly they mention something and u realise that they r coming back to the flashback which is long out of my mind. the catual flashback concept is something that makes lots of sense of course and for good drama. I only meant the opening sort.

I used a flashback, quite effectively I think, starting at the second paragraph of my first novel. I set the scene in the first paragraph - a street and a bum in Germany and linked it to a, years earlier, street and a bum in Somalia at the beginning of the Battle of Mogadishu.

It was a "show" versus "tell" method of establishing one of my main protagonists' character as a morally rich atheist.

I believe that flashbacks, in general, are valuable in maintaining a show don't tell experience for the reader.

in such a case i definitely agree with u about the use of the flashback

David wrote: "im talking more about the opener...the totally unrelated sequence of events which is describe din the prologue or something. Then there isnta word about it for the next 300 pgs and suddenly they me..."

I used my first flashback about 4 or 5 paragraphs down. I started with my mothers funeral and then flashed back to age 3. Are you talking about the first line first chapter? etc.

I used a flashforward for my opening chapter! It's from the point of view from a different character to the main one, and is there solely to add a bit of jeopardy from the offset.

For its follow up I've included a flashback to the past of some of the main characters that are introduced in book one. This time it's more to give an impression as to how formidable they were in the past (plus it has a tank, which is always cool, right?)

I think it sounds okay, Do you have any samples here I can read?

Heather wrote: "I think it sounds okay, Do you have any samples here I can read?"

That'd be great, I hope you enjoy but welcome criticism of any flavour! I don't have any links of Goodreads, but I can link them to you.

Flashforward (Amazon look inside): http://amzn.com/B00CB1OPI4

Flashback (chapter preview): http://adelliott.wordpress.com/2013/0...